The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-19
By THOMAS R. MARSHALL. Former Vice-president of the United Stat

The Republican and Democratic parties would better look out or Robert M. EaFol- lette will capture a large part of the farmer vote Farmers everywhere are disqueteo' and whatever else may be said cf the Honor table Bob, it is not to be denied that ne can sense dissatisfaction. He has put ms finger 50 often to the pulse of discontent that ne knows the moment it begins to jump. Every one knows that agriculture is ill distress, but most of us are about as much concerned us we are over the condition of the Armenlans' The distress is so far away from our own breakfast tables that we have not as yet been shaken up to d realizing sense ot what may happen It present farm conditions continue We are inclined to say to the farmer, root or die,
 | As matter of fact, he is willing to root, l put he is not wiling to die so long as the tnlngs he sees q remedy that would cure hlm of has ills. He thinks he sees a remedy now, out he has not ready cash with when 70 purchase II. he has mortgaged his farm for apout ali It will stand he. IS willing to mort gage hls future, 50 great is hls faith in the remedy that IS beyond his reach. This remedy lthe far-sightedI honorable Bob himself sug- gested. he may not expect ever to be in Il posluon to apply it, but ne has suggested the remedy, and no doubt believes that his sug- gestlon wlL materially 'sweeten the kitty" Ill the November pot. 1 think myself that It will. l do not say that the honorable Bot does not believe in the remedy and favor it favor 1t myself, as many others who are not radicals. ,r- ,s 2, It seems to me-old-fashiuned Democrat that l am-that the government might well aid the farmer through national co-opera' tive marketing system under the control of the farmers themselves and free from all in- terference upon the part of the government or its agencies. in tnIs way the extortlonate toll which middlemen and spectators make out of the food products of the country per naps could be eliminated.
 From the administration comes a proposal for an exhaustive study of agricultural con ditions and problems by board of experts agricuturlsts not farmers. Owning a farm does not necessarily make a man a farmer it must be remembered. If 1t did, would be farmer. Like other owners of farms, have not in several years been able to note any proceeds. This has stimulated my in terest in the farm question beyond the ordi nary interest that every man holds in it by virtue of the fact that agriculture is the basic industry of America
 To me, and to actual farmers to whom have talked, it seems Eardly necessary to de-
 
 tions. Whats the matter with the farm has been the subject of several investigations, of ficial and unofficial. Facts, of course, would be developed, but most of these facts already have been determined, l have no doubt, that farmers have bought too many flivvers, that some of them have spent too much time sitting around on the courthouse lawn cussing the government, that others have invested in ad- ditional land at exorbitant prices-so exorbi- tant that the average eighth-grade pupil would know that no crops the land could yield would yield single penny of interest on the invest ment; that farmers ill some sections, those in the Red River Valley, for instance, are trying to make money on wheat at an average of seven bushels to the acre, and that not a few farmers have allowed themselves to be lured into the purchase of oil stocks.
 It is to be noted in passing that the farm CTS have critics who put the blame for present conditions on the farmers themselves. l have