Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-05-22
CROP INSURANCE NOW
PROPOSED IN CONGRESS
Daily Letter by Frederic j. Haskio

WASHINGTON, May 22-Reforms
of f-ar-reaehing consequence TO the
American farmer are being studied
by members of the Senate Committee
on Agriculture during the recess of
congress. The results Of these studies
win be presented to congress when it
~convenes next December with recon-
mendations for legislation and drafts
OF proposed bills.
The most important subject being
taken up is that of crop insurance.
The greatest single enemy, as well
as the greatest single friend, of the
farmer is the weather. Upon the
~vagaries of the elements must de-
pend the success OF failure OF his
crops in large part, These elements
are, of course, recognized to be be-
yond the power of human control,
but the senate committee does be-
lieve that human prudence and fore
sight, coupled with the cooperation
of the federal government, can do
much to ameliorate the hapdships
which spring from unfavorable
weather and bad harvests.
Insurance. mans sheet anchor to
windward against all manner of mis-
fortunes, is the subject which is be-
ing given chief attention along this
line.
There are many insurance compa-
MES now in business in the United
States which sell a good deal of in
surance to farmers to protect them
against the chances of weather, but
the new plan is to provide an ex-
banded scheme which presumably
will provide cheaper and more pro-
tective insurance and reach more
farmers. Insurance can be written
against hail, drought, too much rain,
wind, tornadoes and such natural
phenomena. This type of insurance
would be greatly extended and in
addition the plan would provide gov
eminent insurance against plant
diseases and insect pests.
The weather, diseases and pests
annually take a toll of s. 1000, 900, 000
from the American farmer. His crop
each harvest is short that much as
the result of the depredations of
these enemies, The American agri-
cultural crop of last year was valued
at $4,000, 000, 900. 1t would have
been worth $4,000, 0O0, 600 had not
this baleful trinity swept away the
eACesS value.
Loss Varies from Year 10 Year
The same farmers are not always
injured each year by the same agen-
cies. The 1000, 000, 900 loss Is an
average one for the whole country,
It does not fall each year on the
same farmers. The most reliable pest
is the cotton boil weevil. Southern
| cotton planters know that each veal
I #Ian vrf11 Lose "a annfa4-
of their cotton as a result Of the
weevil's de%predations but even this
varies.
Black rust falls on the northern
wheat some years and some years
| spares it, although it has been in
| creasing recently. Fruit diseases ap.
pear now in one place and now II
others, and the flights Of locusts arr
not dependable. Late frosts do mucl
damage and there has not in the pas
been any way Of determining in ad
vance when or where they would oc
cur, although the science of long dis
lance weather forecasting now
reaching such perfection that in
few years advance information OF
these events will be possible.
The fact that these enemies of tn
farmer are intermittent and varie,
makes insurance against them prac
ticable and desirable. III it wer
known that each year frosts wer
going to come late and kill fruits
that storms were going to sweep Ger
tain regions or that certain insec
pests were to devour given acreage'
insurance would not be practical. !
is the element of chance in the situa
ton which opens the way for insur
ance. In the good years, when tn
enemies avoid the crops In a give
section, the farmer wins; in years q
hard luck and crop failure. his in
surance will cover his loss.
The government scheme of GRO
insurance Is expected to have a strin
attached to it which is of the utmos
interest and importance. The farme
is a great in~dividualist, He has neve
been a strong adherent of organiza
tons. He has been inclined to plan
the crops his father planted and cul
tivate them in the same way. II
has been slow to listen to the advic
of government scientists and colleg
experts. For this reason such reform
as crop diversihcation and rotatio
have been rather slow over ARG
sections Of the United States. TIL
string tied to the government insur
ance plan will have the effect {
bringing the farmer into line fo