Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-03

buying power Withdrawn he found
his gross selling price cut in two.
His gross at the high figure had en-
abled him to make 3 per cent net
on his new capitalization. This now
was cut one-half by the reduction Of
his gross selling price and instead Of
making per cent return, as he
was able to do perhaps on his orgi-
nal 500 acre farm, he has since
been lucky IL he has made IL per
cent on his new capital account.
The Remedy
am confident that something of
this kind underlies IS per cent Of
the present difficulty. How can it be
remedied? / believe that time and
intelligent hard work is the surest
restorative OF better conditions. No
magic OF trick legislation can &C
complish the result. There are
few facts which must be faced and
accepted before start 10 better
things can he made. The first and
most important is recognition that
farming never was, is not now, and
do not believe ever will be a So
called moDey-makiug proposition.
By this | mean business in which
man may engage with the GER
tainty OF being able over period Of
years from the production and sale
of farm commodities to accumulate
great wealth.
There are those who will say that
unless farming can be made sue
cessful money-making proposition
there is no hope for the future OF
the country. My argument with
such people will turn on the correct
definition of what is satisfactory
money-making business. / believe
that II farming is intelligently and
industriouslv followed it is salts
factory business but l do not believe
that It is sufficiently a money-mak-
ing proposition to attract those who
are ambitious to play for big for
tunes.
There are those also who say that
many men have grown rich IN ths
past in agriculture. | do not think
they have from the mere production
and sale OF farm commodities. The
men who have grown rich in the
past from agriculture have owed
their success most largely to the
ownership Of what would now be
considered very cheap lands, which
over a period OF years have shown
ouadruple and more appreciation in
values.
Tire Advantages Of Farm Life
But il agriculture does not mean
great wealth. and it certainly does
not involve a life of idleness, ease
or luxury, it does mean much more.
II means II intelligently and indus
triouslv followed q character OF in
dependence vouchsated to no other
trade or profession. How do / know
| this? | know it by experience and
know it by observation. The
farmers OF today have more good,
wholesome food than any man work
ing on a salary of $500 per year
can buy for his family and be able
to pay his grocery bill without pay
| ing any other of his debts. The
| farmers who are complaining OF
their inability to make money
enough to pay for their necessities
OF life are enjoying at home as a
natural heritage OF their business
comforts and Injuries which this
man in the industrial centers work
ing for a salary is spending every
dollar OF his income to obtain and
then is not getting anything com
mensurate with those enjoyed BY
the farmer.
| It Is these so-called unledgeret
items OF the farmers income that
are too often lost sight OF In tbs
| calculations made by our retormel
friends who would legislate a living
wage and universal prosperity t
those engaged in agriculture. II tht
farmer as a whole would be happy
again he must take stock OF hii
| blessings and thank God for them
get rid OF his quack doctors OF po
liticsl bunkum. revalue his plant ant
equipment. and start over again II
full knowledge OF the fact that hi
must face keen and efectiv com
petition. that he must work hart
and intelligently. that he must cal
culate in his income inherent AM
undeniable items, which are no
measured In dollars and cents.
When he does this. feel perfect,
certain that over period OF years
J taking the good and the bad as
comes to all classes of business, h,
will find that he has lived well, tina
he has had fair margin for tn,
enjoyment OF all the necessities o
life and a surplus for those luxuriei
which he has right TO claim, ant
above all. that he will have had |
chance to be an Independent individ
nal. real man and selt.respectini
| citizen.