The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-09-24
Soil
Erosion

tentlon but the thing that diSturbS
me as Washington observer is that
soil erosion, like lot of other prob
lens, suddenly has become mixed
up in politics when it is not a po-
litical question.
The conservation of soil, of natur-
al resources, has been a matter to
which farmers of the nation have
| addressed themselves for more than
a hundred years. Who is it among
the farming community that has not
attempted at one time or another
to stop washes" or who has not
| planted some willow trees or some
kinds of bush to prevent bitches
being cut through the middle of
fertile and arabic land? And may I
| ask further, what farmer is there
who has not given consideration to
crop rotation, to the planting of
types of clover or hay or grasses
that would of themselves enrich
the soil?
All of these things are common
place. All of them have been done
from the time to which the memory
runneth not to the contrary. But
now we find perfect hullabaloo-a
hysteria-as said at the beginning
about a thing with which farmers
long have been familiar.
1t comes almost into the category
of nonsense. One needs only to
visit the oldest communities in the
nation to find soils that have been
producing for two centuries and
that have continued to show in
creased production through all of
that time. The reason is that those
farmers knew about soil erosion and
they sought to prevent it. Those
farmers and nearly all farmers rec
ognize that soil must be fertilized;
that it cannot be planted to the
same crop eternally without de-
stroying its fertility md they know
the necessity and the method for
solving the problem. They have
acted on that necessity.
Notwithstanding all of these facts
we are due to see in the next ses-
sion of congress and probably for
considerable number of sessions
thereafter bunch of politicians who
will be prating about soil conserva-
ton long after the farmers have
become thoroughly sick at the stom-
ach about the idea. 1t is just an
other one of those things upon which
hungry political demagogues will
leap and continue to use as a We
hicle on which to ride into office.
was born on a farm and grew
up there. l know the problem in
side out because the farm upon
which was born was susceptible to
misunderstanding" as my father
called ito a greater extent than
is usual in farm lands. 1t is no
particular credit to any one to boast
about preventing soil erosion be-
cause it is thing that any farmer
will want to do if he wants to con-
tinue to make his farm pay him a
return. 1t is just as much a part
of farm management as it is to see
that the work stock does not develop
sore shoulders.
But the point of all of this as far
as l am concerned is that political
capital is being made out of con-
dition with which politicians ought
not to be concerned at all. Some
may accuse me of ignoring the
drouth condition. I do not do so.
We have had several years of bad
drouth conditions. 1 find it diff
cult to associate political control
over the weather, however, because
the claims of politicians have yet
to reach very far above their heads.
Announcement is made at last
that former President Herbert
Hoover is going to
HooOer take the stump in
to Speak behalf of Cover
nor Landon and
the Republican ticket. Though it
was long delayed, it probably has
come before the country became
convinced that an irreparable
breach existed between Governor
Landon and Mr.. Hoover. Rumors
were just beginning to fly and Cos
sip tongues were just beginning to
wag that Mr.. Hoover would remain
out of the Republican picture this
year so it is extremely fortunate
that he and Governor Landon at
last have been brought together, as
far as Republicans are concerned.
/ am not informed as to the rea-
sons for this delay. 1t is evident
that somebody slipped because it
is unnatural for politicians to de-
liberately decline to take advantage
of strength when it is proffered
them.
Of course, there is much that can
be said in criticism of President
Hoover's administration. He did,
as well as failed to do, many things
that brought justifable criticism up
on his head; he was poor poll
tician and his political skin was so
thin that attacks actually unbal-
anced his judgment. On the other
hand, I think it cannot be denied
that Herbert Hoover can take a
great mass of votes with him in
support of the Republican ticket. 1t
| is to be remembered after all that
something like Is million persons
voted for him in 1882 when Presi-
dent Roosevelt was elected by
landslide majority. I think it is
proper to assume that Governor Lam
don naturally would receive the bulk
of these votes because they are of
the hardy, never-say-die type of
Republicans.
The thing that surprises me is
that the astute Charley Michaelson,
who runs the Democratic publicity,
had not leaped on the absence of
IIao,rar. craaachoc lnran hafnra thic