The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1958-03-06
The Unenyied Farmer


nowadays. There was a time
when all who were nOn-farmerS
envied his position of independ-
ence, of earning a living, Of being
assured of a job, and of enjoying
a wholesome way of life. Today,
however, he is in theunenvlable
position of being controversial,
of being controlled by his gov
ernment, of being accused of be-
ing subsidized, of being forced
to his knees by other segments
of the economy that can more
nearly keep economic pace in
this period of initiation.
If ever a man stood at the
crossroads the American farmer,
particularly the Ohio farmer,
stands at the crossroads today.
His complaint has been sum-
married. many times as that of
being subjected to price
squeeze, of being required to pay
too much for that which he buys
and unable to sell his farm pro-
ducts for a price sufficient to
meet those demands. 1t has been
suggested that he lacks bargain
ing power in the market place;
that he is not in a position to
bargain with the person who
sells his necessities to him; and
that he is required to accept
whatever price he can obtain for
the products which he sells. In
other words, he is not effective
in marketing his goods.
The result has been that many
farmers have found that they
must solve the problem in one
of two Ways-either to 60 out of
the farming business to find
something which is in gear with
the rest of the economy, or pro-
duce more goods SO as to increase
their gross, and, if possible, their
net income. Larger production
means larger farms. Larger farms
mean more capital. More capital
often times means absentee Capl-
tai and that often results in cor
porate farming. The little farm
er who could not or did not want
to expand finds himself Victimlz-
ed ever increasingly in a price
rise. All Federal programs carry
ing the farmer farther and far
ther from his traditional lndep-
endence have, to say the most,
succeeded only in a part of the
expectations of solving this
problem.
Certainly, the farmer needs to
onI ,,nnrn about tnn
complex business Of marketing
his crop. From the point OF view
of demand, one of the least pop
ular yearbooks published by the
Department of Agriculture was
the one which dealt with the sub
ject of marketing. The 1854 year
book is a very scholarly work on
the subject of selling the pro-
duct of the farmer and it would
seem to me that if SO much of
the farm problem today involves
this aspect of farm operations
then this book might be helpful.
have several copies Of the
publication and would be pleased
to provide them on flrSt-cOme,
first served basis to any South
eastern Ohio farmers who would
find this information useful.
Curiouser and CuriOuser
At one point in Alice in Won
derland'' Alice sums up her ex-
periences by saying, Things get
curiouser and curiouser." So it
is with very large segment of
our people who may apply
Alices feelings to many of the
| high blown programs suggested
in Congress for national pro-
grams.
1t is interesting to note that
the reaction is often the same
as Alice's to programs involving
the augmenting of the Federal
Budget, while at the same time
tax revenues are cut. If you ask
why it is that either of these
| devices can result in a better and
more prosperous economy the
popular response will be a Shrue
| of the shoulders. If one suggests
that proponents explain why
such devices will not result in
further initiation, the reaction
| may we'll be a knowing look. II
the advocates of the programs
are asked to define the methods
by which the national debt car
be repaid by more deficit spend
ing you have offended them OF
even besmurched their integrity
Federal frugality, to the point
of the governments living within
its means and justifying an hon.
est tax cut in this way, some,
times seems almost lost in the
semantic brambles of Washing
tons election-year intoxication
AS the flavorings are added tC
the legislative stews in Congress
one may we'll wonder if Congress.
| will ever permit the country t.
live within its means, especially
in the even-numbered years.