Daily Kennebec journal., 1926-02-27
FAITH IN MAINE AGRICULTURE


FAITH IN MAINE AGRICULTURE
Business" for February has an in
teresting article by Frank Field. en-
titled "A New Farmer Comes to
Market-He Comes with High-grade
Credit and q Desire for High grade
Goods.
Reading this one would hardly get
the impression that there Is need of
this great Government of ours to dis
regard experience and the Constitu-
kion by experimenting with schemes
Matched by the farm blocs.
Those accustomed to reading all
that emanates from Detroit and all
that is being said about the automo-
bile industry may be surprised to
learn that There is more money in
vested in farming than in all the
other industries combined"
And II one might see the illustra-
ton In Business, the photograph
Of an old farmer enjoying heartier
laugh than has been vouchsafed to
most Of us for many a day. he
might infer that the farmers them
selves are aware of the fact that the
trade Of the six million farmers in
this country is becoming more valu-
able every day. that they are very
desirable customers, that the banker
and the merchant are involved in
their prosperity and would find it to
their advantage to encourage CO.
operation.
There have been hard times for the
farmer. There was overproduction
following the war. There is difficulty
in obtaining help for work upon the
farms. There is lack Of cooperation.
There are highly paid Intermediates,
the products of the farm on the way
to market. These are apparent
obstacles and recognized. Promising
efforts for overcoming these are be-
ing made. Then there are the pests
in increasing numbers. We would
not minimize difficulties confronting
the farmer. He has them in plenty.
But we all must have the products
of the farm If we would live. We
want the best and insist upon It..
We are not getting it without pay
ing a good price, which goes to
somebody. If the farmer should get
more of that price let's help him get
it.
If the farmer could share in col
lective wisdom and heed 1t, If he
realized that the banker and the
consumer might help him. and he
would seek their cooperation. by SO
much would the situation be en-
couraged. The farmer doesn't need
subsidy so much as he needs recog-
milton and mutual service. The less
he looks to the politician for this the
better.
In our own State the potato grow
ers suffered ever period of years.
They did not turn to politics for
profits. They secured cooperation,
gritted their teeth and hung on. They
made a good thing this past year.
Those among the consumers, who
realized what the potato growers had
lost. did not begrudge what the
farmers received.
The spirit shown by Names potato
growers in the face Of adversely
contrasts favorably with that shown
by the wheat growers. The plants
from that quarter indicate altogether
too prevalent q disposition among
them to go on increasing wheat acre.
age regardless of demand and ex-
pecting the Government somehow to
supply the demand. That is not the
purpose of the Maine farmer.
Considering all the conditions
Commissioner Washburn has war
rant for his expressed faith in
Names agriculture. He doesn't con-
slider Names abandoned farms as
our most serious agricultural prob
lem. On the contrary he finds that
IuOSt VI tioSG icAA iAAo 'hAOeAN NN-~'
been Abandoned that in many in
stances they are paying good divi-
dends in the timber that Is growing
on them.
The knowledge that nowhere in the
wide world may better favored ap-
pies be grown than right here in
Maine Is becoming more widespread.
Our lands do not permit of such
large apple farms as may be estab-
lished on western lands but ways
will be found for using what we have
successfully, for packing the best
apples in the world in attractive
packages. properly graded and sue
cessfully marketed. Facilities. also.
for cold storage.
And all the while our rural schools
are being improved; likewise the
rural roads. the facilities of machin-
cry as well as of communication
with the outside world. Really there
Is occasion for faith in the future of
agriculture in Maine, for the main
tanning here of comfortable farm
homes, excellent living conditions,
healthfcl surroundings and a fair
competency for those willing to work