Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-07-26
THE FARMER AND RELIEF

me FAhMEh AND hELlEF
Regardless of which party wins the
Congressional elections this fall, the
party in power has to face the demand
of the farmers of the country for some
form of relief. Unorganized, as they
are and scattered through the rural
section, the agriculturalists cannot ex-
ert immediate political pressure but
no great political party can hope to
retain their support unless it attempts
to solve the problem.
This newspaper would prefer that
this issue be non-political, and the
present discussion begins with this
assumption. Naturally, no sensible
man will object to any plan which
will enlarge the opportunities of our
agricultural class. No nation can
hope to be great unless the mass of
it's farmers are allowed to develop in
keeping with other classes. That the
farmers have been unable to keep pace
with the improved conditions of others
does not mean that they are impotent
or ignorant. They have had abso-
lutely no chance in the past five years.
Of course, Immediately, some wise
guy will tell of some farmer who has
made money. That is, in individual
instances, the truth. We know good
farmers who have made money during
the past decade, but no one will deny
that, as a class, the farmers have
caught the devil. AS has been pointed
out, farm values have decreased from
$40 ZOO, 100000 to $4,000, 100000, the
average farm income, around $500 a
year, is woefully out of step with the
times and the increased total of ag-
gregate farm land mortgages is dan
ger signal that should be Immediate
ly respected.
This newspaper is not so keen on
governmental substituting, or on
schemes which amount to the same
ing effective organization for the con-
troll and sterilization of prices is i'm
perative, as is greatly improved mar
keting conditions. 1t may be neces-
sary for the government to aid by
legal and financial measures. To this
last we see no objection that can be
validity raised by a government which
has financially supported the rail-
roads, made huge loans to ship build
ers, taken care of bankers and vari-
ously contributed to the financial sue
cess of large industries.
We do not believe it is possible to
secure voluntary cooperation from
the growers of any great product, such
as wheat, corn, cotton, or livestock.
1t will be necessary to compel the
vacillating, timid and selfish farmers
ito get into the pool, once it is de-
termined how the scheme is to be ap-
piled. For this state the federal laws
will be necessary, although the states
concerned in any great agricultural
commodity could, if they would get to-
gether, and by proper treaties effect
lively regulate production, marketing
and through these control measures,
the price.
In writing the above paragraph we
are not unmindful of the great sue
cess that the cooperative movement
has enjoyed. We know of these asso-
cldLlOuS anu the LuduueI Ill WulSii
some of them have helped their men,
bers is remarkable. Nevertheless, in
the major crops, it will be necessary
to have some compulsion for the will
full and reealcftrant farmer, which
will wish to stay outside the organi-
cation and reap the benefit without
assuming any risk. To the answer
that such an association involves risk
to the members we merely ask one
question, "does the average farmer
take no risk under the present sys-
tenn"
While this article is rather long,
and against our usual inclination, we
have no apology, inasmuch as there
is no subject of more vital interest
to the nation at large and to the peo-
pie. Someone, somewhere, has sense
enough to solve this farm problem
with minimum of red tape and gov
ernmenta1 paternalism. Sometime it
is going to be thoroughly and success
fully accomplished. Why not begin
at once? Let the work proceed i'm
mediately.-Pine River Sentinel Blaze.