Gunnison news-champion. [volume] (Gunnison, Colo.) 1905-1932, 1923-04-27

enterprises The
product. o. the
farm are thrown upon the mar
k"' in large quantities Our
farmers do not attempt to sup
ply th"ir own needs from wha,
they produce but rely on purchasing
What they need from the sale OF the
product or products that they are
abb" TO produce best and most eco
n0uicaily.
Land. labor and capital are the
three factors Involved In production.
A rise In any one OF these factors In.
grasses the cost of production. Land
values have been rising rapidly. Thi.
means that many of our farmers have
become wealthy not so much from
the farm products sold from the farm
but from the rise in value OF land.
They are enjoying what is commonly
spoken OF as the "unearned incre-
ueat" Some day somebody will have
&" pay FOR this. II We do not then I,
III be our children or our chfldren's
children.
Something to Think About
II is said that only from TO Is
per cent OF the farms OF the United
yates are Inherited. The rest must
ha paid for IN whole or in part once
It'll each generation. Can this be
dDne7 With increasing land values
this becomes Increasingly more diff
cult reasonable rate OF interest
on land worth $4,000 will involve
an Interest or rental charge of SIS 90
10 SIS 90 per acre on land worth
$4,000 this will be from $50 90 to
$500 per acre. This Is a heavy fixed
charge for the farmer who atten pts
TO pay for his farm In the course OF
life time. Unless this can be done IL
means that We are to be cursed with
permanent tenant system.
The census shows that our farm
acreage has not Increased near in pro-
portion to the increase in population.
IL is true that We have regions of IN.
developed or only partially developed
land, but the unused land is the least
productive or is poorly located or
needs development. or the rainfall is
uncertain. Our labor costs are great
er than In European countries and az
Increased yields per acre usually in
volSe more labor the increase in pro-
duction from more intensive culture
or from developing less desirable land
takes place slowly. improvements In
nh o.
utilization of less desirable land In
volve higher prices for food unless
the farmer 10 willing to take less
profits.
The greatest problem OF our nation
IL to have men on farms that can
produce food At prices that the con.
sumer can AFFORD to pay. The farmer
has the job OF feeding the world. He
cannot loaf on the Job. He must do
his best to select crops. livestock,
feed. bread and conduct his business
economically so as to furnish food at
low cost and at the same time he
should have a reasonable return II
agriculture is to be made permanent,
profitable. and comfortable.
Civilization Needs the Farmer
The solution of our food problem IL
directly connected with the land prob
lem. II there is a proper adjustment
between the value OF land and the
other factors OF production and the
prices OF farm products then 1t will
be possible for the farmers to attack
this problem with the hope Of arriy.
ing at satisfactory solution. II land
values are run up beyond their value
for production purposes in order that
the Spectator, be he farmer or real
estate dealer. may make money then
the real farmer will find farming un-
profitable. The brighter and more
ambitious young men win be at
tracted away from the farm and the
farmers ~ . class will deteriorate.
This in turn will mean that our civil.
ixstion viii 90 backward Instead Of
forward
Every citizen Is therefore interested
in the land problem and should use
his influence to see that apeculatoru
d not run the selling value beyond
! production value. Fictitious lana
values spell higher cost q living ~
uf1lE1atsly lower class Of citisens =
farmers.