The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-11-22
A Furm-citY Week Editorial
FARMERS SUSTAIN
AMERICAS GREATNESS
By WILLIAM D. POE. Editor. The Progressive Farmer


cago. Farmers also spent $24 bill
lion for supplies, equipment, and
other costs of operation +. Aver
age investment per farm worker is
0,149, compared with $7,866 pei
manufacturing worker. There is
more mechanical horsepower on
Americas farms than in all its
factories combined. The prices
which farmers pay for production
goods have risen 30% in the last
10 years. But prices farmers re-
ceive for what they produce are
no higher than in 1916.
4. Farmers are producing cheap
food for which city folks are pay
ing high prices-Last year the
average AmericanA family spent
81, 500 for food. OF that amount,
only 5000 or about 40eS, went to
farmers. Nearly two-thirds of the
81 500, or 5000, went to middlemen
between the farmer and consumer.
Since 1947, the annual amount
spent on food has increased $500
per family, but the farmers share
in 1856 was actually SO less than
it was in 1947. The increase went
to professors and middlemen.
Farmers are being attacked unjust
ly for high food prices, for which
city food professors and middle
men are clearly responsible.
5. Farmers have subsidized cities
rather than being subsidized them
selves-So-calied Subsidies" paid
farmers have amounted to far less
than ''tax writeoffs" granted in
dustry, depletion allowances" Civ
en- oil producers, and minimum
wage benefits provided laborers
I. .. In fact, farmers have actually
subsidized our cities. Our rural
communities have educated boys
and girls at high cost and Their
/ shipped them off to the cities to
become taxpayers. Farmers have
nurtured and sustained our nations
population growth from ~ million
in 1900, of whom $3.50 lived or
the farm, to I'll million today, OF
whom only 1870 live on the farm
The productive power of our ma.
tons farms has been magnificent
not only in turning out cotton and
cattle and wheat. The priceless
lproduct of our farms has been the
boys and girls who live and WORK
in our cities today.
| 6. Farmers are a barrier to pos
sible excuses of big Business
or "Big Labor"-A farmer is {
"three-armed man." He combines
in himself the functions of IL cap
ital, p management, and 81 labor
He understands the problems o.
the city investor, businessman ant
laborer. The farmer is ready t.
deal with each of these groups ant
4 pay it fair price for services rem
dered. He is a loyal customer whel
properly treated. But farmers viii
not long tolerate injustice. In tn
lpast, they have used the weapon
of cooperation to combat usuriou
credit terms and high prices TO
inferior equipment, supplies, ant
services. And "part-time farmers,
particularly the countless thou
sands of them in the South today
pose the strongest obstacle t,
spread of corrupt unionism. Whel
farmers work in factory, the,
believe in giving a full days worl
for days pay. "Part-time farm
ers" are setting production record
: in industry which are making tn
nations rural areas-particularl,
! those in Dixie-the best payinI
outlet for the growth Of the ma
tons manufacturing plants.
i z. Farmers are the most effec
tive foes of communism ussi,
has had some success in commu
mixing its industries. But it ha
met with miserable failure in it
efforts to colIectivize its farms
J This is true not only in Russia, It
self, but also in its satellite ma
tons. And II is the inability o