Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-09-01
UNITED STATES SENATOR

Since the adjournment of congress,
members are giving more real atten-
ton to studies of the farm problem
than perhaps any other phase of
pending legislation. The word pending
can be used because the farm pro-
blem will be the first order of bust
ness at the next session, or at spe-
cial session should one be called by
the President.
Such studies disclose some cheer
full factors with reference to the gen
eral improvement of agriculture since
1882. Farm cash income has moved
upward eighty-five per cent-farm
prices are up seventy-five per cent
forced farm sales have been cut in
half farm wages, have increased
/ seventy-five per cent, and farm real
estate values have gained sixteen per
cent
Thus there is reason for the state
ment that agricultural progress has
been made during the first four years
| of the administration of President
Roosevelt. and it strengthens the de-
termination of all concerned to main
| tain those gains.
In agriculture, as in industry, great
er strides in some sections have been
| offset by less favorable trends in
others, but the general Improvement
has undoubtedly been felt throughout
the country In 1882, tobacco was sell
ing on the average at ten and half
cents per pound, and on July 49, 1887,
it was bringing nearer twenty-seven
cents per pound. In 1882, cotton was
down to six and a half cents per
pound and on July Is, 1887, was at
J 124 cents per pound. Corresponding
improvement is noted in a wide va
riety of agricultural commodities.
Cash incomes available for farm
family living, after deductions for
wages, operating expenses, taxes and
| interest, increased even more rapidly
during the four-year span from 1882
to 1886, than did cash income as a
whole Cash income available to the
agriculture population for living from
1892 production was SLATE, OOO, GOO
From 1886 production it was $4,475,-
100000. This was 2O4 percent above
the 1892 depression low and within
eight per cent of it's 1929 level.
Of course, the gain in income dur
/ ing this period was somewhat offset
by an increase in the price of things
the farmers buy. But allowing for an
increase of sixteen per cent in prices
farmers pay for commodities and SER
vices used in living and production,
the purchasing power of cash income
from farm production was sixty per
cent greater in 1886 than in 1882. AL
lowing for an increase of thirteen per
cent in the price that farmers pay for
| things used in living, which did not
advance quite as rapidly as the price
of commodities used in production,
the increase in purchasing power be-
I tween 1892 and 1886 was even greater.
In other WORDS the disparity be-
tween the prices the farmers get for
their commodities and the prices at
which they buy has been greatly les
sened, although not entirely at the
| goal that is sought
! The improvement in farm real es-
tate values is also significant and
along with reduction in forced sales,
is certain to bring new hope to those
who live on the farm. There are many
other evidences of a widespread i'm
provement since the dark days of
1892, when the farmer faced an al
most hopeless situation.
The condition of the farm popula-
ton in this country has come to be an
! index to conditions generally. Agri-
culture prices are usually found to he
barometer of the purchasing power
of the great cross-section of Ameri-
cans. And the Improvement today in
dictates strongly that gains have been
made and is most encouraging to
members of Congress who are pri-
marily interested in using the legisla-
tive machinery of the governms
preserve those gains and further i'm
prove the status of rural America.