The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-10-23
HE HAS KEPT THE FAITH

printed from the Southern Planter,
and will find interest with everyone
who is a farmer or is familiar with
farm conditions and prices, past and
present:
We are in the midst of a tremen-
dously important presidentiol cam
paign. Our farmers must decide
within the next few weeks whether
they want a continuation of the ag-
ricultural betterment wrought under
the Roosevelt administration, or a
return to the policies of government
that led agriculture INTO the terrible
debacle of the late twenties. Shall
the task so nobly begun by our great
president be completed or abandon
ed? Are farmers ever to share ad-
aquately in the national income, or
must they lose forever the last YES
tige of hope they now have at Wash
lngton? These are the issues upon
which the people must decide in No
yember.
Pause for a moment and think
oack four years to the fall of 1882,
when after twelve long years of Re-
publican rule and platform promises,
agriculture was on the very brink OF
bankruptcy. Wheat was selling for
39c per bushel; cotton SIZE per
pound; tobacco, Sc; hogs, 3kc;
cattle, less than 4c; corn, CSC per
oushel, while taxes and prices OF
.hings farmers had to buy in order tC
maintain a decent standard of living,
we're still lowering around the 1929
levels The collapse of agriculture
mad drawn the whole Nation into a
dreadful depression.
That November, the American peo-
pie walked to the polls and elected a
president of the United States who
mad dedicated himself to solution
Of the farm problem, and who was
affiliated with political party in
nerenAy sympathetic to agriculture.
This man was born and reared on a
farm in New York State and under
stood the hardships, the disappoint-
ments of farm life. He saw in a
solution of the farm problem rem
ady for the evils that plagued our
whole national life. He understood
hat as agriculture prospered, so
Jared the Nation. Writing to con-
ference of mayors in New York City,
February 1, 1929, when farm relief
was unpopular in national politics
and industrial activity and earnings
we're at all-time highs, Governor
Roosevelt staked his political future
on this remark; "It is my firm con-
viction that the time has come to
substitute action for conversation in
the matter of farm relief. What the
rural districts of our State require
is not coincidence and lamentations,
but immediate practical measures to
remedy situation that has been
gradually growing worse for many
years. = There is no other prob
lem which should be more complete
ly divorced from politics or partisan
discussion than this"
In his campaign for the presiden-
cy, Mr.. Roosevelt promised the Amer
lean people that if elected he would
call conference of agricultural lead
ers, irrespective of party utilization,
have them agree on a plan of farm
relief which he would promptly sub
NIT to the Congress, urging it's pas
sage. The overwhelming approval
given this doctrine in 1882 by the
electorate of the country is we'll
known. Farmers voted in block
and party lines were torn asunder.
The landslide put farmer boy in
the White House.
What happened during those busy
weeks following his Inauguration on
March 4, 1888, has had a profound
effect upon the welfare of every man,
woman and child in this country.
He kept the faith; the conference of
agricultural leaders was called. The
Agricultural Adjustment Act was
evolved and on May Is of that year,
it became law. For the first time
in the history of our agriculture,
farmers themselves had been called
together to diagnose their own ills
and to recommend remedial meas
ures of a non-partisan nature. The
assembled farmers, summarized their
difficulties briefly as follows: the dis
parity between agricultural prices
and Industrial prices had made it i'm