Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1925-07-09

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cording TO the Department Of Agri-
ktkA - culture, the average farmer could
Ax have obtained larger income since
1920 If he had hired himself out as
WpI.Fx$I farmland In considerable portions
NgxS@s-%H OF the agricultural area farms cannot
ksET%A5J be sold for the value Of the improve
ss9% ments alone. Farm Improvement
everywhere has practically ceased.
And though the attendance In other courses 10 our
universities and colleges has largely Increased
since the war the number of students IN agricu-
tural courses has decreased about third Adam
doned farms which In the New England states
excited so much comment few years ago, are
now found In considerable and increasing number
in every state of the Union
And yet despite these facts, which are gathered
from the records, there has been persistent
effort during all these years Of farm distress to
minimize the seriousness Of the agricultural sltua
ton Interviews from prominent hnanciers, arti-
cies In maqazines-one going far, recall, as TO
characterize the agricultural depression myth
have appeared with astonishing regularity during
al this time denying that there has been serious
situation upon the farm. or announcing confidently
that the farmers troubles were and that the
future was assured
Whatever may be the popular opinion in the
cities upon the subject the abest farm economists
generally agree that the farm situation Is des-
perate This they think grows out Of the great
disparity between the prices Of the things the
farmer has to sell and the prices OF the things he
has to buy They see no permanent relief
until this disparity is removed They think that Il
may take from fifteen to twenty years TO effect this
adjustment II nothing is consciously done to help
the situation. They expect this to be brought
about by the natural increase In our population
and by the running down Of the great farm plant
OF America
At the end Of that time they tell us there win
be another maladjustment OF prices. but this time
In favor of the farmer. with great and unwhole-
- fxrfr f<.t the Ifr.4
consuming classes with its attendant distress
few months ago the Department Of Agricul-
ture issued its statement Of the estimated value Of
farm crops for the last year. This was heralded
AS another pTeef that agriculture had come into its
own For 1t found that the total value Of the farm
crops for the year was three quarters Of billion
dollars In excess Of the value Of the crops Of the
year before This. OF course, was welcome news--
The report, however, disclosed some very perplex-
ing facts To Illustrate, the corn crop was about
20 per cent smaller than the crop OF the preceding
year The total value. however, exceeded that Of
the preceding crop BY almost 500 100000. And
every one knows that the quality OF this years
crop was far below the quality OF the preceding
crop. And yet under q marketing system which
Il Ia claimed Is Of the most noteworthy achieve
menta OF this commercial age. the smaller crop OF
inferior corn Was worth more In the market than
the large and superior crop OF the year before.
The cause Of this lesser and Inferior crop was
cold wet summer II a summer disastrous
for corn, but very favorable to the growth Of
grasses In meadow and pasture There was
therefore an increase In the production Of milk
with The result that something like 1000O0.000
pounds more Of butter produced IN 1924 than
IN the year before. This was but about per cent
OF the total annnaI production OF butter In the
United States II crested surplus, however on
account OF Increased domestic consumption Of only
about 50'000O00 pounds. or 2h Rer cent as com
pared with the surplus Of the year before This
relatively small fncremae.-dNe 10 the same vet