Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-14

Cee0S tnaL OF all our lHOQStTlal anu
manufacturing establishments.
I'VE can not overlook the fact
that between 1910 and 1920 there was
a. shrinhage Of 10000 in the number
of farms within our State, or 1876
per cent. The number of farmers de-
creased 1875 per cent. and of farm
laborers, pa per cent. It is easy and
comfortable to explain away these
figures, but explanations can not al
ter facts. We must face conditions
and see IL anything can he done to
improve them, and of course the more
unpromising the outlook the greater
the effort we should make to bring
about better times.
The Movement to the City
1.-THE movement from the farm to
the city constitutes menace to the
future prosperity Of the state. The
problem Is not for the farmer alone,
it is for the consumer as well. With
out the farmer the Maine consumer
would be forced to pay even higher
prices than at present, and even
though farm products were imported
from other states, the plight of, the
consumer would not be relieved.
II recently saw an advertisement
In the Kennebec Journal which read
as follows: FARMS, FARMS,
FARMS. The Gold Mines of Maine" "
Three farms were listed below these
startling headlines. and at the end
of the description of each of the
three were the words, will trade for
city property" If the farms are the
gold mines this enthusiastic sales
agent advertises. their owners would
never trade them for city property"
", 81, y1,a% onfs tc FOL inc
place and the farmers are gradually
moving to the centers of population.
Government Aid
1.-THE state of Maine is not alone in
it's farm problems. Recently. at the
governors conference. Governor
Nesos of Wisconsin told of the plight
of 100000 farmers and their families
in his state. He said that these
men already were having their farms
sold out from under them and were
moving to the TOWNS and industrial
centers in search of work. He pic
tured a real crisis and urged Con-
gress to pass special legislation to
aid in marketing their wheat crop.
Other governors spoke of their home
conditions, but it was generally ag-
reed that if wheat is to be marketed
and protected by the government,
cotton, corn and everything else
raised on farms properly might ask
for similar favors. l stated that We
had passed through period of de-
preston with Aroostook potatoes, but
our farmers had not asked for any
special relief, but manfully were
working out their own problems. do
not believe in special legislation
or price fixing to benefit the growers
Of any one crop or crops. That is
not the solution of the difficulty; it
would only aggravate it. Once the
door is opened every producer will
want special favors from the govern
ment and there would be no end to
the resulting confusion.
A Fair Chance
1.-THE farmer asks only for a fair
chance and a fair portion Of what the
consumer pays for the products of
the farm. This the farmers are not
getting today. 1t is not an eXaggcra-
ton to say that on the average the
farmer does not receive more than
third of what the ultimate con-
sumner pays for his crops. Such a
state of affairs naturally promotes
unrest and dissatisfaction. and is
enough to discourage almost any
farmer and drive him from his farm.
Conditions in other states are the
same as in Maine.
Marketing
"A short time ago it was thought
that if the farmer could obtain all
the loans he wanted that would be
the panacea for his ills. Borrowing
money, however, is a two-edged
sword, and it is a poor solution of the
farmers difficulties. Oftentimes he
steps from the frying pan into the
fire." I doubt if loans to farmers ac-
complish nearly as much as it was
hoped they would. At the present
time the cure proposed is marketing,
and believe that more nearly ap-
proaches what is needed. We must
encourage the marketing idea in
every way. Aroostook county is try
ing this out and although strong
feelings and some dissatisfaction
have been engendered, our state is
watching it's outcome. If co-opera-
tive marketing in Northern Maine
succeeds. the idea is bound to spread
to other counties.
"The farmer and the consumer are
not at odds, for they both are suffer-
ing. If they could be brought closer
together, both would benefit by the
rule cannot afford the time away
from his farm to .peddle out his
wares, and must rely upon the deal
ers to take his products and dis
tribute them.
Home Marketing
IT believe the home market idea
will do more for the farmers of Maine
than any other single remedy. The
public can help in. this respect for if
when buying at the store they insist
upon home grown products, the deal
err will be forced to supply them.
What we need is an awakened sense
of the inter- dependence between the
different groups in our state, especi-
ally between the farmer and the
consumer, who should be brought to-
gether by the dealer. The dealers
ought to realize this and should
treat the farmer with greater consid-
Grafton and liberality than in the
past. -
Il urge the dealers of the state not
to give the farmer as little as posi-
BILE, but to give as much as possible
If dealers would put themselves in
the place of the farmer they would
soon realize what it means to bring
farm products to market and then
not be able to sell them except at
ruinously low prices.
An Economic Waste
1T cannot be denied that many
sent to the Boston market, paying
heavy freights both ways. and then
are brought back to be sold in
Maine. 1t is a disgrace that the
State of Maine is not self-sustaining
in its food products. Except for