New Britain herald., 1924-09-30
THE
 BUSINESS CONTROL
Former Secretary of Agriculture
 Emphasizes This Point

Chicago, Sept. 30.-The need of a better realization on the part Of business men of the fact that agri- culture is absolutely controlling in all business, was stressed by fCmer Secretary of Agriculture E. T. Mere dith in an address to members of the American Bankers Association in convention at the Auditorium the- ater here today.
 The opportunity to go into bank ing, the publishing business, to market groceries, to establish drug store, all these," said MT. Meredith, in the final analysis have been given to us because of agri- culture. The conditions in agricul- ture from year to year affect every one of these institutions most yitally.
 The income from agriculture, and consequently its support Of business, is regular, not hit and miss or spotted throughout the year, and not largely all in one season Of the year, as many business men seem to believe. When one single source of farm income takes slump, the calamity howlers make so much of it that some are led to overestimate its effect upon general business, as vas the case with wheat. One would think that the farmer received his entire in- come from wheat, and yet 1922 pro- duction figures show that the farmer received less for his wheat than he did for his corn, hay cotton, or vegetables, as well as from several sources of animal product income.
 Another important feature that business men should consider is the farmer as a buyer under any and all conditions, There are 6,500,00O farms in the United States, each one in reality a small factory. Alto- gether they are going to spend 10, 12 or 14 billion dollars a year just 10 keep going, no matter whether they make money or not, no mat ter whether have a surplus or not. Throughout the year they need large quantities of foodstuff, breakfast foods, flour, soap and canned 1 fruits and supplies of all kinds. There are 11,O00,000 men. as many women and 2O,O00,oO0 children on these farms and they all buy or have things bought for them.
 Because the farmer is such an | important factor in the nation, you and I should take an active. earnest | interest in seeing that he gets a square deal It is a service in be- half of the country, yet few have taken any interest in such matters as tax free bonds. We have farm loan act the bonds under which are tax free, but an effort has been made to get that particular feature revised so that the bonds will not be tax free. So long as municipals are tax free, why not farm loan bonds. I wonder how many of you have helped the farmer any in his fight.
 "One cattle tick in February means 12.00O in June and 12,000,- 900 in September. A COW can cope with one tick in January and Feb ruary. Then it is one COW and one tick, but in September it is 12,oo0,. 900 ticks and no COW. That cattle owner doesn't come to market, and his money does not circulate and make business for your customers You are vitslly interested in what is being done to kill the tick. Wt lose soo0,000,000 year in tht south through the boil weevil. IT the northeast we lose 200,0o0,00t bushels Of wheat annually on ac count of the wheat smut. Its erad icstion eventually means money tt the city business man. The appro priation for the department Of agri culture is one-fourth of one pc cent of the total government appro priations, and that is all. l urget the appropriation he increased tl amount to the difference betweel one-fourth of one per cent and one third of one per cent. The politi clans would not grant it becaus they feared being criticized by tn taxpayers. It is time you and othe taxpayers interest yourselves in hoy