Milford chronicle., 1928-08-17

PALO ALTO, Calif.-Herbert
Hoover met the farm question fair
iy and squarely in his Address Of
Acceptance at Stanford University.
Nearly one-third of his address
was devoted to this subject, which
Hoover termed "the most urgent
economic problem in our nation to-
day" He declared bluntly that
farm relief must not be delayed by
any monetary considerations, urg-
ing that "a nation which is spend
ing ninety billions year can well
afford an expenditure of a few hun
bred millions for a workable pro-
gram that will give to One-third of
its population their fair share OF
the national prosperity"
The Republican candidate pledged
himself to a farm-aid plan in which
farmers shall themselves control
and administer the federal financial
assistance which he proposes to put
into effect.
"The most urgent economic prob
lem in our nation today is in agri-
culture" he said. cit 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 find a solution.
''In my mind most agricultural
discussions go wrong because Of two
false premises. The first is that
agriculture is one industry. It is a
dozen distinct industries incapable
of the same organization. The Sc
Ond false premise is that rehabili-
tation will be complete when it has
reached a point comparable with
pre-war. Agriculture was not upon
a satisfactory basis before the war.
The abandoned farms of the north
east bear their own testimony.
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 liv-
ing 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 in
dustries.
E Cause and Effect @
"There are many causes for fall
ure of agriculture to win its full
share of national prosperity. The
after-war deflation of prices not on
ly brought great direct losses to
the farmer, but he was often left
indebted in inflated dollars to be
paid in debated dollars. Prices are
often demoralized through gluts in
our markets during the harvest sea- 4
son. Local taxes have been in
creased to provide the improved
roads and schools. The tariff on
some products is proving made
quate 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 sur
plus engage in destructive compe-
tition with one another in the sale
of their product, often depressing
prices below those levels that could
be maintained.
"The whole tendency of our civil
iization during the last so years has
been toward an increase in the size
of the units of production in order
80 secure lower costs and a more
orderly adjustment Of the flow Of
commodities to the demand. But
the organization of agriculture into
larger units must not be by en-
larged farms. The farmer has
shown he can increase the skill Of
his industry without large opera
tions. He is today producing 20 per
cent more than eight years ago
with about the same acreage and
personnel. Farming is and must con-
tinue to be an individualistic bust
ness of small units and independent
ownership. The farm is more than
a business; it is a state Of living.
We do not wish it converted into a
mass production machine.f There
fore, if the farmers position is to
be improved by larger operations 1t
must be done not on the farm, but
in the field of distribution. Agricul-
ture has partially advanced in this
direction through co-operatives and
pools. But the traditional cooper
ative is often not a complete solu-
ton.
Differences Of opinion as to both
causes and remedy have retarded !
the completion of a constructive
program of relief. It is our plain
duty to search out the common
ground on which we may mobilize
the sound forces of agricultural re-
construction. Our platform lays a
solid basis upon which we can
build. It is an affirmative program.
Tariff and Waterways :
San adequate tariff is the foun-
dation Of farm relief. Our consum-
- .....,ooco foefor than our nrO-