The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1923-03-22

THE CoURIER-REPoRTER,
was only about $4,000 people-and
with the constant decline in our ma
tive birth rate, the wheat growers of
the Agricultural West are up against
a very difficult proposition.
CAS- result Of these conditions l
found the small farmers of Minneso-
ia, North and South Dakota, Kansas,
Nebraska, Iowa and even those Of
Missouri still in rather bad shape.
1t is true that conditions everywhere
in the West are much better than
two years ago. The banks are Ii
quidating their frozen credits and the
farmers are paying their debts; but
with low prices for their products
and high prices for labor and all they
buy-with taxes rapidly increasing
the growers of wheat and other ce-
reals have a real problem. Funda-
mentally this is, under present immi-
cation and better rate conditions, a
problem which must be solved thru
exporting cereals. But to increase
exports, our farmers must compete
with the low cost of labor of Europe
the Argentine and other cereal grow
ing countries. Wheat must be grown
as automobiles are made-by the most
efficient and intensive methods. In
order to compete with the rest of the
world in raising wheat, either the
net productivity of our soil per acre
must be inceased $3.50, or. else the
labor cost must be cut $3.50. If the
latter is to be accomplished, without
reducing wages, it means that about
20Ho of the men now engaged in rails
ing wheat should either raise other
products or else become carpenters,
brick-layers, plasterers and painters
in their own or nearby towns. The
future of such cities as Minneapolis,
st. Paul, Kansas City, Duluth, Des
MONIES, Davenport, Sioux City, Oma-
ha, Topeka, Wichita and even St.
Louis depends very largely upon a
fearless recognition and solution of
this problem. It cannot be solved by
politicians or by handing out gifts to
the farmers. It can be solved only
by intelligent leadership with active
cooperation Of the newspapers.
"Of course, no one should assume
from these comments the idea that the
agricultural West is dependent upon
wheat. The industries of this wonder
full section Of the United States are
becoming more diversified evrey day.
Moreover, these diversified industries
are rapidly picking up. The lumber
industry of Minnesota. the dairying
industries of this section, and the
various other lines are improving.
Packing, which was flat on its back
a year ago, is turning over onto its
side preparatory to getting up. All
the livestock business looks better and
and the farmers are confidently look
ing forward to higher prices. The
improvement in the copper industry
and the great improvement in the iron
and steel industry is helping the nor
thern group of these states. Lead,
zinc and other non-ferrous metals
will soon be in better demand as the
great building boom develops further.
This will help Missouri and certain
other portions Of that section. The
people should be taught that .diversi-
fication' applies not only to the diff
ferent crops which a farmer plants;
but to the different lines which his
boys enter. Let one or two of them
continue in farming; but let one
go into the building trades. another
into small manufacturing, a third
into merchandising, and the fourth
into the ministry, medicine, banking
or law This does not mean that such
boys should go to the industrial cities
Of the East, or even to the large cities
Of the West. Statistics clearly show
that the best opportunities today are
in the smaller cities and towns. More
over, most boys are better off to re-
main in their home town. than to go
to large cities. One Of the great
troubles with boys today is that dis
ease known as Green Pasturitis'-
which materia medica tells us means
that to one afflicted with this disease
the pasture fartherest away always
looks the ereenest.'