The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-06-28

BANKER-FARMER COMMITTEE TO OSTUDY
FARM PROBLEMS URGED BY COULTER

Should be - Would Study
Means of Financing for Flu
ture Settlers.
Causes of the present situation
with respect to agriculture whichl he
classes as unfortunate were given to
the North Dakota Bankers associa-
ton by DR.. John Lee Coulter, presi-
dent of the North Dakota Agricul-
tural college, in an address today as
due to the following:
l. To the tremendous Increase in
wheat acreage and production which,
with the close of the war and gov
ernment guarantees as 70 price, has
brought down the price to an un-
profitable level;
2. To the government policy of
restricted migration and tariff pro-
lection which have kept up wartime
wages and wartime prices on every
thing the farmer must buy;
3. To the financial and industrial
crisis in much of the war-torn world
accompanied by their determined eff
fort to produce as large part of
their agricultural requirements as
possible;
4. To the low standards of living,
the low land values and low wages
in competing countries;
S. Many factors of lesser import
ance need not be mentioned here, al
though high freight rates, increas-
ing taxes, etc.. cannot be overlooked.
Mr.. Coulter expressed the opinion
that the situation would not be solv-
ed by the obvious lines of attack,
such as lower standards, tax reduc-
tions, lower wages and railroad rates,
lower land values or reduction in the
price of the things the farmer mus,
buy.
>. .. Where Turn for Relief,
"Where shall we turn for relief? 2"
he asked. ''To my mind there are
three great phases of farming which
must be considered and l believe
great improvements are possible
Great progress has already been
made in certain lines but much lies
before us. l have reference to: Cd
Reduction in wheat acreage with cor
responding reorganization of all
farm work, the increase in livestock
and all feed crops and corn and po-
tatoes with accompanying larger
yields per acre, lower costs per
bushel and better farm management;
(2) Reorganization Of our marketing
system not only for wheat but for
flax and rye and potatoes and live.
stock, wool and other livestock prod
ucts; CD Redirecting and readjusu..
ing our financing to meet new condi-
tions. Our financing involves (a)
the purchase and sale of land where
as formerly it was free; CD equip
ping of the farms with buildings,
fences, implements and machinery
and livestock; (c) financing the cur
rent farm operations; (d) financing
the marketing operations. In all OF
this work Of the reorganization Of
our farming system, changing our
marketing machinery and redirect
ing the financing it is going to be
absolutely essential that farmers,
bankers and all others join in a COM
mon effort to place us all on a profit
able basis"
Decreasing the wheat acreage and
increasing the yield per acre are
necessary, he said, as we'll as reduc-
ing costs per acre. Reorganization
of the marketing system to avoid
what he termed were evils arising
through the middleman and specula-
tors was held necessary.
1t is clear, he said, that to obtain
orderly marketing there must be
storage of non-perlshable products
within the state, and in this the bank
er must cooperate with the farmer.
A series of marketing organizations
such as the North Dakota Wheat
growers, the U. S. Grain Growers, the
Wool Pool, the Livestock Shipping
associations, ETC., must be perfected
and marketing organizations must be
placed at terminal points to dispose
of the farmers products.
Study of Financing.
A careful study Of methods of fl
nancing additional buildings on farms
was advocated. This must come, DR..
Coulter said, with the passing from
the frontier stage. He advocated a
committee made up of bankers and
farmers to make a thorough study
of further legislation and banking
organizations to provide for future
farm settlers as farm owners.
He urged the bankers association
to consider the appointment Of COM
mittees to confer with farm organi-
cations and representative farmers
looking toward development of the
state onto prosperous basis.