Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-08-16

PALO ALTO, Calif.-Herbert Hoo
yer met the farm question fairly and
squarely in his Address of Acceptance
at the Stadium of Stanford University
Nearly one-third of his address was
devoted to this subject, which Hoover
termed "the most urgent economic
problem in our nation today" He de-
clared bluntly that farm relief must
not be delayed by any monetary con
siderations, urging that "a nation
which is spending ninety billions a
year can we'll afford an expenditure OF
few hundred millions for workable
program that will give to one-third OF
its population their fair share Of the
national prosperity"
The candidate pledged himself to q
farm-aid plan in which farmers shall
themselves control and administer the
federal financial assistance which he
proposes to put into effect.
1.-THE most urgent economic problem
in our nation today is in agriculture"
he said 1T must be solved if we are
to bring prosperity and contentment
to one-third of our people directly and
to all of our people indirectly. We
have pledged ourselves to a solution.
in my mind most agricultural dis.
cussions go wrong because of two
false premises. The first is that agri
culture is one industry. 1t is a dozen
distinct industries incapable Of the
same organization. The second false
premise is that rehabilitation will be
complete when it has reached point
comparable with pre-war. Agriculture
was not upon satisfactory basis be-
fore the war. The abandoned farms
Of the northeast bear their own testi-
mony. Generally there was but little
profit in midwest agriculture for many
years except that derived from the
slow increases in farm land values.
Even of more Importance is the great
advance in standards of living of all
occupations since the war. Some
branches of agriculture have greatly
recovered, but taken as a whole it is
not keeping pace with the onward
march in other industries.
Cause and Effect
There are many causes for failure
Of agriculture to win its full share OF
national prosperity. The after-war de-
1ation of prices not only brought great
direct losses to the farmer, but he
lars to be paid in Debated dollars.
Prices are often demoralized through
gluts in our markets during the har-
vest season. Local taxes have been in
creased to provide the improved roads
and schools. The tariff on some prod
ucts is proving inadequate to protect
him from imports from abroad. The
increases in transportation rates since
the war has greatly affected the price
which he receives for his products.
Over six million farmers in times of
surplus engage in destructive competi-
ton with one another in sale Of their
product, often depressing prices below
those levels that could be maintained.
''The whole tendency of our civiliza-
ton during the last so years has been
toward an increase in the size of the
units Of production in order to secure
lower costs aid a more orderly ad-
justment Of the flow of commodities
to the demand. But the organization
of agriculture into larger units must
not be by enlarged farms. The farmer
has shown he can increase the skill of
his industry without large operations.
He is today producing. 20 per cent
more than eight years ago with about
the same acreage and personnel.
Farming is and must continue to be
an individuahstic business of small
units and independent ownership. The
farm is more than business; it is q
state of living. We do not wish it con.
verted into a mass production ma.
chine. Therefore, If the farmers posi-.
ton is to be improved by larger opera.
lions it must be done not on the farm
but in the field of distribution. Agri
culture has partially advanced in this
direction through co-operatives and
pools. But the traditional cooperative
is often not complete solution.
Differences Of opinion as to both
causes and remedy have retarded the
completion of a constructive program
u relief. It is our plain duty to search