The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-27
KANSAS BANKER.
IS HOPEFUL
0NFAR|N|S
Former A. 3. A. Official Says
Farmers VIII Recuperate
Quickly.
BY w. S. COUSINS.

ATLANTIC CITY N. J., Sept. q.
The American wheat farmer can
come nearest to actual insolvency,
and still possess sufficient recupera-
tive ability to stage a vigorous
comeback, than any other class of
business men. know, for in my
forty years Of banking experience /
have been doing business with men
Of every type.
Peter ". Goebel, president Of The
Liberty National Bank OF Kansas
City, q former president of the
an. interview today declared farmers
would easily emerge from the pres
ent depression, and that the next
decade VIII put them on as solid
and substantial a business basis as
any other of our basic industries.
intakes Of Farmer.
The mistakes of the farmer
said Mr.. Goebel, ARE those which
are common to mankind in general
During his period of greatest
prosperity he INDUCED in too ambiti-
GUS q program of expansion. He
sought too much land at high
prices, too many tractors, too much
farm machinery, too MANY autos
mobiles. Then came the inevitable
reaction, with falling prices for
FARM products. but the burden of
mortgage debt and other obligations
refused to shrink. The farmer had
contracted for burden which was
beyond his ability to bear
BY substituting farming for golf
- his special hobby, Mr.. Goebel has
acquired q storehouse of valuable
knowledge about farms, their
virtues and their drawbacks.
To prove the practicability of my
own theories Of farming said he,
have taken piece of ground in
the raw state, kept q close account
OF the money expended in its de-
yelopment, and carefully calculated
the results. In every instance / q
found it to be a profitable venture ?
One-crop Farmers.
Mr.. Goebel declared that one Of
the greatest drawbacks OF the wheat
producing sections OF the country Is
the multiplicity Of one-erop farmers.
We have entirely too many one
crop farmers In Kansas, he de-
clared. and, while this Is un.
4oubtedIy the easiest way to farm,
g s. assuredIy the most uncertain.
The wheat farmer who has not yet
learned to diversity himself is ex-
tremely busy for seventy-five DAYS
IN the tall and the same length OF
time In the spring. If the. cron il
good he fares well. II below normal
be goes in debt.
But know Of hundreds Of farm.
erg in the wheat belt who pay their
entire living expenses from the pro.
ceeds Of their dairfes and their
poultry yards, leaving the entire
cash receipts from the sale OF wheat
Tor the liquidation Of their mort
cages and enlarging of their pro-
ducing facilities. I can see strong
reaction from the old methods to
the new, and that is why 1 am so
positively hopeful Of the whole
.sUnfortunately,. said Mr. CoebeI.
s'the state of Kansas, normally the
largest heat-producing state in the
union, has been handicapped by two
successive short crops Our prouuc-
ton this year, was cut from 12O..
000. 900 to 10000, 000 bushels. With
the consequent enormous reduction
IN the buying power of the farmer
has come simultaneously the heavy
Increase in the prices Of his supplies
and his implements.
Farmers Own Remedy.
'But he knows the remedy for
his Ills. and you can wager that he
u not putting mucn faith in the
demagogue politician. He has
formed the conclusion that the help
promised by the politician is a de-
fusion and a snare. The Govern
ment has been very helpful in the
provision it has made for agricul-
tural credits, but none OF It's market.
ing schemes have proven success
fuL With the aid OF the business
expert he has organized himself into
cooperative marketing associations
suits"
As state director during the war
Of sales of government war savings
stamps. Mr.. Goebel sold $33, 900, 900
worth OF stamps In one year,
simultaneously with the heavy
drives for Libertye bond subscr:p-
fton. This is a good reflection or
the investing power of the agri-
cultural citizen, he said.
Mr.. Goebefs remedy for high
prices In the simplification of the
desires Of the consumers.
I'VE pay so much" he said, ''be.
cause we demand so much service.
The family baking of bread is a lost
art. We now require the baker to
bake our bread. wrap it in fancy
paper and deliver 1t to us at our
kitchen door. Not until we simplify
our desires will the demands on our
pocketbooks decline"
~ q EnpI ovEC nEor