Milford chronicle., 1928-05-25
NATIONAL NEWS OF INTEREST
TO EVERYBODY WHO READS
Written for this Paper by
FRANK p. LITSCHERIT

In a recent interesting statement
in the Washington Star, ]. c. Royle
tells how the South and the West are
turning to dairies and how progress
sive methods in dairying have in
creased the efficiency of the COWS,
so far as the production of butter fat
and milk is concerned. The average
annual production of milk per COW is
now 400 pounds as compared with
300 pounds in 1916, Mr.. ROyle says.
"The dairying industry" he adds, "is
having a surprising influence on ag-
riculture through the South and
West. Many manufactures of cheese
and creamery butter are expanding
their operations into states which
only recently have realized the pos
sibilities of dairying, including those
in the intermOuntain sections of the
West and in the cotton districts of
the South. Wherever the dairy herds
have been established they have ex-
erted an influence on the type of
farming and the crops grown. Estab-
lishment of herds is followed immed-
lately by tendency to grow more
legume hay, to build more silos, and
to rotate crops. This has tended to
develop decidedly more stable and
prosperous condition of agricul-
ture."
All of which is of course true.
When the farmer changes his crops
to meet present day conditions and |
applies the latest methods of farm
ing he will do more to help himself |
than all the legislation possible can
help him. Every business man
knows that he must change Lis line
of wares occasionally to keep in
touch with modern demands. Other
wise he would go out of business.
For example: compare the modern
drug store with the apothecary shop
of generation ago. The old-fashion-
ed apOthecary could not exist today,
because times have changed. Times
are changing for the farmer, too,
and he must meet the new condi-
tons. Many farmers are doing it
and they are prospecting.
There is one interesting statement !
n Mr.. Royle's article from the ,,
standpoint of the student of the tar g,
if question. He says that "notwith-
standing the improvement in the
production of dairy products, it is
to import some 100000
100 pounds of milk annually" Just
consider this for moment. The peo-
lie of the United States import a
'illion pounds of milk a year. The
money for this milk which should go
nto the pockets of the American
armer, if the milk were produced
t home, goes into the pockets of
airymen in foreign lands. And milk
; not the only farm product which
re import. Great supplies of butter,
ggs, potatoes, beef products, sugar,
ruits and vegetables and many
ther commodities come in each
ear. If the American farm could
e devoted to the raising of this sur
lus of farm products which now
omes to us, principally from South
merica and the Orient, there would
2 no farm problem in America. To
roduce this material which comes
us from abroad, the farmers, of
purse, will have to vary the crops,
i'll have to rotate properly and
udy the demands of the market.
his of course they can do through
cir own organizations, and the ma A
1nal government is prepared at all
mes to, assist them.
But in addition to this the farmer
Ill of course need the benefit of the
objective tariff. We are importing
ndreds of millions of dollars worth
agricultural commodities each
ar that ought to be raised in Am
ica and would solve the farm prob
n if produced in the United States.
Id it may be added that were it not
r the protection which the farmer Z
w enjoys we would be importing
my millions more in agricultural
What the agricultur-
S need in the United States is not
IS tariff, but full and adequate pro-
tion for American farm products.
ey need them to take up the
ok" as it were and produce the 9
ngs which we are now importing
1t could be produced on the farms
the United States.
And the farmers are beginning to
lie that this is true. From Flor
and other Southern states comes =
demand for protection to the
ps produced by the farmers
re who are threatened with ruin
ause of the importation of cheap
,etables from Mexico and the is
ds of the West Indies. From Lou
ma and the sugar beet growing y,
tes comes the cry that we need N
I1S.o.o T.. c..