The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-10
PEOPLES FORUM
Farmers Growing Restless

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Many there be who realze that
 profitable cultivation of cotton under existing methods is r;I,ng of the past. and if our Southland is to prosper a different policy must be pursued. This can only
 be brought about by first inform
 ing the producers of cotton of
 better way. The producer can do
 nothing of himself, but must have the cooperation of the bankers
 and business interests. A bank
 has higher and greater office 70
 perform than merely to make divi-
 dends for the stockholders. The
 bank In any community having
 control of the liquid assets of the community, should first try to con-
 serve and build up the interests of
 the community. The German gov. ernment many years ago appoint ed a commission to investigate and
 make research in order to ascer-
 tain what would best promote the prosperity of the country. After
 weeks of investigation the unani- nous report of the commission was to the effect that as agricul- ture was the basic industry, what
 ever promoted agriculture pro- noted every other interest On this report the German govern
 ment employed the most learned and scientific men in the empire to
 make research in order to ascer- tain the best methods to use in
 order to increase production of crops and at the same time lower the cost of production. The en- ergies of the people being directed by the best brains of the country, resulted in making Germany not only the most prosperous country in the world, but made of her peo- pie the most loyal and the mort patriotic people on earth. We might follow Germany's policy thus far to very great advantage, but our government has pursued the very opposite policy to that pursued by Germany relative to our agricultural interests. Instead of making the producers of wealth prosperous, contented and happy, the "damnable crime of deflation" as stated by Senator Gooding of Idaho, has engendered distrust, malice and hatred in the hearts of many of the tillers of the soil, because the policy pursued by those in authority robbed the farmers of the country of more than s34,000.000,000, according to Senator Gooding's figures, impov- .erishing many thousands of far mers and bankrupting hundreds of business men, and at the same time increasing the wealth of a class all ready too powerful for | the country's good. This power | ful class get laws passed by con | gress that make exploitation of | the wealth producers easy. Poli- | ticians instead of statesmen are | placed on the numerous boards | and commissions, who prevent by)1 interposing flimsy technicalities 1 functionfng of the laws enacted for the purpose of remedying the evils of the deflation policy of the government.
 It takes no seer nor prophet to foresee the inevitable result should | this policyNbe continued. Under normal conditions the farer Is ul- tra conservative. but under stre ss and strain goaded by injustice heaped on him by heavy and in- equitable taxation, as we'll as un- fair distribution of the school fund. he Is growing restive. Parties no longer bind in the least. Revolt can be expected at any time that will give a shock to the politicians who are resting in fancied secur- ity G. T. MELDERRY
 Talladega, Ala, Oct. 8, 1923.