The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-07-06
Secretary Jardine said:

gathered together on the Fourth O
July. Our independence, the declar
alton Of which we celebrate today
was won in large measure through
the fighting, the suffering, and tn
heroism Of farmers. In every war il
which the country has been engaged
farmers have more than done thei
part.
mo body Of men uphOlds the pr,n
ciples Of liberty more strongly thai
do farmers. This is true not onl
in war. but also in peace. Libertie
must be defended, rights must b.
maintained, at all times, and in thi
constant struggle the farmer neve
fails to take an important part. Hi
struggles with nature have given hin
the understanding, the courage, an,
the perseverance that enable him t
cope likewise with the social, econom
ic and political problems that con
front him. To the farmer lndepend
cnce Day is a genuine reality, no
only calling to mind the past an,
laying emphasis on the application
of history to the problems Of tn,
present, but opening new vistas o,
liberty for the future.
DOtte0 win homes
ut is but a few decades since tn
ground on which we here stand wa.
u part of the so-called Great Amer
lean Desert There was tim,
when this region was deemed unfi,
for human habitation. Then came
the stockmen, and the region fairly
teemed with cattle, horses and sheep
Today the great plains are dotted
with farm homes which elOquentlS
testify to the fact that your men anC
women have those same sturdy quail
tiles that won our independence.
TO the people of the east your
country for time was land Of
mystery, and then it became LAND
Of romance. But few, l venture tt
say, realize the trials and tribula
tions which accompanied the agricul
tural conquest Of this region. ! car
not refrain from taking this oppor'
tunity to pay my respects to the mer
and women who so valiantly fought
against heavy odds to win thei,
homes.
"Your experiences, not only before
the depression but also during re.
cent distressful years, show the need
OF clear thinking and wise action
1t is with this thought in mind that
wish, today, to consider with you
some of the problems that vitality at.
feet the agriculture of our country
Farming Is Business
Farming is business. 1t is q
highly specialized and complicated
business. AS business it must be
along efficient lines, If it
is to succeed. Wasteful methods will
result in loss, and perhaps in fail
ure, in farming as surely as in other
business. believe that the farmer
who fully reckons with all the fac
tors that may influence his business
and who conducts his farming along
the most efficient lines will succeed
On the other hand, also believe
that the inefficient farmer will fail.
What then do we mean by eff
cient farming? First of all, l would
the fitting of production
to the needs of the. market. The
troubles of agriculture during the
last five years in no small measure
have grown out of the oyerexpansion
of production during and immediate
~ after the >ANar. In response to
high prices and the. appeal for food,
farming was made more intensive
and crops were pushed out upon
lands where risks are abnormally
great. As result, the production
of farm products was enormously in
creased. When the markets for these
products became demoralized, prices
sharply declined. No group of farm
ers escaped. Some suffered more
than others. Many of you here suf-
fered doubly because at the time
you also experienced severe crop
failures.
Readjustments Made
"Since the distressful years fol-
lowing 1920 far-reaching readjust-
ments have been made in our agri.
culture, but much still remains ia
be done. Last year the wheat farm.
ers Of the United States Jared better
than usual, because wheat farmers
in other parts of the world had fail.
ures while you enjoyed good crops
Who knows when that condition will
be reversed or when, perhaps, the
Canadian farmer will be more for
tunate than you?
More specifically, what is meant
by fitting production to the needs OF
the market? As you we'll know, con-
sumers will not eat unlimited guam.
titles Of wheat, corn, butter and 9TH
er products. Naturally if you flood
them with more than they can con-
sumo, prices will fall. To illustrate
this point, need but remind you OF
the rapid drop in the farm price OF
wheat within eighteen months after
the crash in. 1920 from $2.58 to 81
cents. of corn from $l.85 to III cents
per bushel, and of hogs from 10 cents
to 1-2 cents per pound.
Fitting production to the needs OF
the market implies more than merely
supplying products in suitable vol
ume. The consumer is just as much
interested in knowing that he can
buy the quality of the product he
desires, as that he can obtain it in
suitable amounts. Farmers annually
lose millions Of dollars by placing on
the market low quality products which
consumers will buy only at a dis
count. This is all the more unfor.
tunate because farmers themselves
are in O position to stop much of this
loss.
II recognize, of course, that it is
not an easy matter to estimate the
needs of consumers. Their buying
power may vary materially from yea,
to year, depending on general bust
ness conditions, the general trend in
price levels and other influences
Yet, it is possible to obtain . fairly
satisfactory picture of what the mar.
ket needs.
Department Will Aid
Fright here ! can not refrain from
referring to the splendid service
which the institution that it is now
my privilege to represent is in Z
position to render, The Department,
of Agriculture has large amount OF
valuable material in regard to ma
tional and world conditions that af.
feet your interests, and it is only
too happy to give you the benefit
of these facts. If You are not al
ready thoroughly familiar with The
outlook reports, the intentions to.
plant reports, the market news re-
ports and other current material is
sued by the department, and like