Imperial Valley press., 1925-05-22

BAfBStbN PAtk, Mass, May =
Roger w. Babson, statistician and
ident Of business conditions, to-
av issued the following official
tatement relative to the farm sit
nation. Considering the complex
ity Of various reports pro and con,
MIR. Babson s opinion on the sub
iect is very opportune at this time.
His complete statement is as fol
lows;
The farmer continues TO he the
principal subject of discussion in
he Pullman smokers There stil
re those who feel that he is a
ampered pet and should be babied
o longer. They believe that the
nlv lax worth while is the law Of
lpplv and demand and that nh 9th
laws are useless and should be
ped off the statute books. Then
are are those who believe that
farmer is the basis Of all pros
fity and should he subsidized and
intained like the. army or navy.
dh Of these positions are eN-
me.
The simple fact is that farming
business and. like any ether
siness, is subject to fundamental
,nomie laws. 1t should be allow
t. work out its future through
- survival of the more efficient
same as must the automobile,
xtile and steel businesses. Farm
is subject 10 the same tempta-
rs and opportunities rs other
es, aad the farmers should be
ling to suffer or prosper accord
TO their industry, Judgment and
rage. On the other hand, II
aid be recognized that the farm F..
industry is the greatest of (
leriean industries and that the I
.lsperity of all of lis is vitally de- i
dent upon the prosperity of the !
.mers. Nearly 50000.00o people !;
the United States today are di- !
fly or indirectly dependent on
ming. Hence. when the spring /
iirs around each wear and the (
nHions Of acres are turned up and !
fmted 10 wheat, corn, rye and +,
t'4fiTed other crops, it should be I
emn occasion and one worthy
---aa profoundest respect and at .
. tion.
Three Factors Necessary
The prosperity of the farmer is
/ endent upon three things: o. /
isfaetory weather conditions
. ding good crop; (2) 4 fair
:-ee.. not so high rs 10 result in
er-produetion j.. tie, following wear,
4 bsot 81 Tow as to make it i'm
evSStle for him 10 get 4 fair re
saGihnse for his laborS; (3J \ nor
..I1abor and commodity market in
sdts that his operating expenses
-41y not be out of line with his
sG6ne For the past few years the
inner has had fairly good crops,
1t the price of farm products has
zen abnormally low and the cost
labor and supplies abHormally
Ugh Last summer this situation
,3egan to right itself, and wheat
5ent to $1.s8 per bushel, corn 10 .
l.29li, and rye to Sl.j9lI in the /;
losing months Of 1924. Since Jan
AIRY and February most markets
ave declined, but there has been no
aehsslump as many people are prone
l9reWesent.
stcThe farmers Of the country are
stlav- distinctly more prosperous
haA they were year ago. Wheat
is9astill s4- cents higher. corn IS
cents, and rye 81 cents higher than
az faar ago at this time. The April
exports will show that the foreign
deIh3uid for cereals j. still large and
that. the same thing applies to the
foreign demand for cotton Stats
lies indicate that the world needs
an American cotton crop each year
Of from 100000 to 1900 900
bales, which requires an American
acreage of at least 10000, 900 acres
devoted TO cotton. 1t should. how /
ever, be remembered that cotton is ,
different from wheat. When there ,
an eytra large crop of cotton an
neTeased demand can easily be slim
3e3sd by getting people to use the Z
seasion TO replenishing their cot
on stocks. The demand for wheat.
,Qwever, cannot be easily stimulat-
9, as people will only eat SO much
head, and rs they become more