The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-06-29
The Farmers Market

"A larger home market for bread is
the only thing that will enable the
American farmer to maintain his pres
ent production of wheat. The Euro
peat market is certain to decline as Eu-
rope receivers production and when
Russia comes into the market with a
normal surplus"
The above is quoted from an editor
ial in a recent issue of Senator Cap
per's Topeka Capital. 1t is the utter
ance OF a paper located in the center
of the wheat belt, owned and edited
by a man who has intimate knowledge
of agricultural economics and who is
thoroughly in sympathy with the far
ming interests of the country.
The gradual recovery of the agri-
cultural productivity Of Europe is in
dicated by the steady decline in the
export of American farm products. no.
tably wheat and other cereals. The
lesson of which is that the American
farmers should get away from the
idea of raising crops for export, and
cut down the wheat acreage especially
and give their attention to products
for which there is a sure home mar
ket."
The above is quoted from the editor
ial columns Of the lola, Kansas. Regis
ter, owned and edited by Charles F..
Scott, former member OF congress and
one of the best posted men in the mid
die west, as we'll as an editor who is
given to straight thinking, and whose
location in the agricultural heart OF
America makes it necessary for him
to treat his subject from an economi-
cal. rather than a political, stand
point.
1t is encouraging to note in these
two editorial the absence
of drivel about the necessity OF the
American farmer capturing foreign
markets in order to prosper, a drivel
which has been filling the editorial
columns of those papers whose sole
interest in the farmer is to make him
a cats paw to pull international chest
nuts out OF the fire. There never
was a greater absurdity thsn the pro-
position that the prosperity of the
American farmer depends ppon for
cign markets.
If foreign markets spell prosperity
for the American farmer, why is not
the foreign agriculturist prospe1s1s
II the American farmer can get rich
selling to sun in Europe and
he cannot get rich unless he does, why
are not the European agricultural pro-
ducers affluent? Why are they not
owners Of homes equal to those Of the
American farmer, possessors of labor
saving machinery, investors in various
enterprises, owners OF motor vehicles.
and possessed of all the other material :
comforts which the average American
farmer possesses? '
Secretary Wallace in a statement s
Just given to the press points out that v
during the last three years the exports I
OF American farmers have been far n
greater than any previous period in d
the history of our country. Yet during S
those three years prices for farm pro-
were lower than in any prev :
ious period in the history of our coun-
try. How do the in-ternationalists
who urge that the American farmer
line up back of their campaign recon-
these two facts?
1t is known by all thinking men. VI
is proclaimed by all honest men,
the reason that the farmer got
for his crops in 1921 and 1922 n
han for any previous year was due to
he lack of the home market caused IN
~ unemployment in this country OF ",
FIVE million wage earners. Dur IN
ng those two years he had a perfect N
abundance Of foreign markets and N
hey only spelled poverty for him.
1t is fortunate that the American MI
is hard headed and cannot be iii
tampeded by international propagan- H
a which would have him sacrifice M
on the altar of European HI
reed and hatred in the delusion that Hi
y so doing he could enrich himself
nd obtain for his products a larger
more profitable outlet than he en-
,ys at home. j
The hope OF the American farmer is NH
his home market. with the well
constantly employed American
&C Garner as his customer. He IAN
hope in any circumstance and un- m
m condition to compete in Eu-