New Britain herald., 1927-12-03
AGRICULTURE HAS
 EXCELLENT REPORT
Secretary Jardine States That
 Conditions Are Good

Washington. Dec. 3. L7-- The showing for agriculture in general tor the year has been good. Secre- ;ury Jardine told President Cool ,2se in his annual report today, but G.ach remains to be done before the ,osltion of the farmer Will cease 10 be d problem.
 "Vnil9 farmers themselves are lsducing their costs Ct production through increased ,tIciouey." Nr. iar3inu said. "pEulic agencies should cooperate with them ill affecting Letter adjustment Of rrod@t'iea 10 ..n,an1. Also, efforts should ie made to diminish waste. to l"SScr margins between pro!ucors' and consumers priC.s, jc rt idcc ,lan-- por.ation ani distribution costs and 70 lessen the farmers overhead charges by lowering or rellstribu- ting tax burdens and by improving agricultural credit facilities. Farm CTS should be encouraged to enhance heir bargaining power through CO., operative marketing. and the re- sponsibility Of the public in helping 70 reduce price fluctuations due to unavoidable gluts and shortages of agricultural products should be rec ognized in q practical manner"
 The need for unity of action in agriculture is generally recognized but opinions differ as 10 means of getting it, the Secretary said.
 Some would assign the task Of directly controlling this or that phase of economic life to the Govern ment." he declared. They would have the Government either rper- chandise farm products or enter into agricultural business in some other way. I need not reiterate my opposition 10 this view. Such a pol ICY would be detrimental to the farmers and in the long run would jeopardize the legitimate functions of Government
 q believe that what is necessary can be obtained by the joint effort of organized farmers, with the Gov ernment giving such assistance as u may safely give and protecting the public interest by laying down broad rules of policy
 "The best way 10 visualize the future of agriculture, as of any ln- dustry, is to examine and apply the examples of it's recent past, NIT. Jardine declared. If the farmer has tackled his problems sensibly and cnergetically, with resulting increase of efficiency in both production ana marketing. his outlook may fairly be considerrl good. This he has done in a tanner which has no his tc,,= pa:al4-' shnical progress in
 riGau sulture has taken t,,,.sat at extraordinary rate since iy.e rga : of the World War, and in .orsequence the productivity of the individual farmer has been 1n- creased, while at the same time tho agricultural industry as whole, trough the shifting of crop enter
 rises. has been better adapted to $ market conditions.
 Tn the nine years since the World War ended. our agriculture has un- Icrgone far-reaching changes that have materially increased the output oC both land and labor, This aS%- mented production has been obtain cd on a decreased crop acreage and with fewer farm workers. Here is evidence that agriculture has not lacked Nigor or resourcefulness in the trying years of the postwar de- prcssion. Here also is an augury of its future prosperity. Farm efflclen- cy in production coupled with better ad iustment of production to market requirements is q corner stone Of agricultural prosperity.
 Discussing proposed national farm legislation of the last few years. Mr. '-rdine said many of the proposals
 de were fundamentally ursound. lr study and discussion devoted to ne question, however. he felt, had teen. on the whole, beneficial.
 The public has gained better understanding of farm problems, and much helpful legislation has been enacted. X large part Of the farm problem-vhich in fact con- sists of many problems-must be ~olved by the individual and coop ,.rative efforts Of the farmers them- selves. However. there is need for agislation 10 give further encourage J0ent to large agricultural business organizations owned and controlled -.N fa artl.rs and uIa m god by StrOn z