Newspapers / The University of North … / Dec. 6, 1922, edition 1 / Page 1
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The news in this publi cation is released for the press on receipt. THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA NEWS LETTER Published Weekly by tlie University of North Caro lina for its University Ex tension Division. DECEMBER 6, 1922 CHAPEL HELL, N. C. VOL. IK, NO. 5 BJitori.1 Boa.d . E. 0. Branson, 8. H. Hobbs, Jr., L. R. Wilson. B. W. Knleht, D. D. Carroll, J. H Bullitt, H. W. Wmn. Entered as second'Claes matter November 14,1914, at the PostpfBce at Chapel Hill, N,’0., under the act of An^net 24, ISIS. FARM MACHINERY ® IMPLEMENTS WHAT NEXT IN N. CABOLINAl The Cooperative Marketing of Farm Products, said Mr. F. J. Herron of Buncombe county, to the North Caro lina Club at the University in the third regular club meeting of the college year. Mr. Herron pointed out incidentally that Buncombe county is a good ex ample of a county which has a great opportunity for the development of co operative marketing, in that it has an abundance of natural resources suitable for the development of a large variety of farm industries. The speaker point ed out that Buncombe already has one of the best local markets in the state, but that this is inadequate; that a system should be worked out to enable farmers to ship their products to other markets in competition with the pro ducts of other farm areas in the South, North, or West. He showed that Bun combe had already made a start by the organization of the cooperative busi ness of the Farmers’ Federation about three years ago near Biltmore. Jn order to have a successful cooper ative marketing association, said the speaker, it is necessary to have first, a sufficient business locality; second, con fidence in cooperative organizations; and third, competent leadership. Some of the fundamental principles necessary for cooperative marketing organizations are as follows: Cooperation Principles First, the membership must be re stricted to patrons only, who are will ing to put their support into the organ ization and share the obligations as well as the profits. Second, the ownership of capital must be limited to a reasonable number of shares in order to prevent a few members from monopolizing the busi ness. Third, a fixed rate of interest at six percent should be paid on invested capi tal. Fourth, profits should go to members only, according to (1) the capital in vested by each, and (2) the business done through the organization. Fifth, each member should have only one vote regardless of how many shares he holds or how much capital he has invested. This enables all members to have an equal voice in controlling the organization. Sixth, emphasis on some special farm crop or industry is the simplest and most successful form Of coopera tion in a community where few crops are produced in commercial quantities. Seventh, agree on a conveoient local ity in order to centralize the organiza tion and specialize on the conditions peculiar to that particular farm area and to develop the particular crop or industry that offers the largest money returns. Eighth, membership must be legally binding and not merely voluntary. If members are allowed to join and with- ■ draw when they please there could be no organization, or else it would be liable to failure at anytime. In which event nobody would be responsible, and there would be no obligation on any one to bear the slump in business should that occur. The above is only a part of Mr. Her ron’s paper on this subject; the entire paper with all others which are read to the Club will be published in the 1922- 23 Year-Book of the North Carolina Club.—A. M. Moser. farm tenancy has been solved. Den mark is a typical example of a country in which such a problem as we face has been successfully handled. Half a cen tury ago Denmark was a country of large estates, 90 percent of the farm land being cultivated by tenants. Now it is a nation of small farms cultivated by thrifty and prosperous owners. The transformation was brought about by means of state aid. The Danish gov ernment advanced aid to the poor but ambitious farmer to ac((uire a tract of land of his own by provisions of the Danish land act. This act provided for the purchase by the government of large areas of idle land and the sale of this to worthy and ambitious farmers. Only a small initial payment was required, the full payment for the land being ex tended over a period of years, with a moderate rate of interest, so that every worthy farmer would have a chance to own a tract of land of his own. Plans very similar to this have also proved successful in Ireland, Scotland, Australia, and—nearer home, in Cali fornia. Such a plan was given a trial in California three years ago. The legislature of that state made an ap propriation of $260,000 with which, to buy large uncultivated estates, im prove them, subdivide them into small farms, and sell them to worthy citizens on easy terms. This plan proved so successful that in these three years many farmers have been lifted into home and farm ownership and a profit of $180,000 above the interest paid the state has been made, which could be turned over to the state treasury but which will be used for civic improve ment. It is not a charity plan, but simply a sound business proposition. For the remedy of the problem in North Carolina, Mr. Scarborough re commended the adoption of a graduated land tax and an easy-purchase plan of fered by the state, such as that which was tried out in California.—Greens boro News. STATE-AID TO FARMERS State aid as a means of helping the 1,158,000 tenant citizens to own homes on the 22,000,000 idle acres of land in North Carolina was discussed by D. E. Scarborough, of Hoffman, last night at a meeting of the North Carolina Club of the University which is this year making a study of prospective con structive measures for the betterment of the social, economic, and civic life of the state. Mr. Scarborough had made an ex tensive study of his subject and in his discussion he presented a survey of his findings to the club. After pictur ing the acute farm tenancy situation in the state, the speaker described the methods that have been used in several foreign countries where the problem of THE LAND BARON The North Carolina club at Chapel Hill has turned its attention to the problem of farm tenancy according to yesterday’s paper, and we therefore look forward to something of interest on that subject in the News Letter be-, fore long. According to the newspaper story of the club’s meeting, D. E. | Scarborough, the speaker of the even-1 ing, broached the subject of state aid to tfie farm tenant in the purchase of land. He cited the experience of Den-1 mark and in this country of California as showing that it is sound business for the state to purchase large tracts of land, subdivide them, and resell them to industrious farmers. Certainly there are few things of more importance to the future of North Carolina than the settlement, if settle ment can be made, of the problem of farm tenancy. In eastern North Caro lina especially we are drifting into a condition approximating that of Ire land before the passage of the land acts. An enormous area in the east ern part of the state is held by absen tee landlords, whose interest in the land is confined to the rents it can be made to produce under tenant farmers. Many of these estates were inherited. The owners live in town and their sole effort to make a living consists of the effort necessary to collect their rents. Obviously to have any considerable portion of the land in such hands is a menacing condition for any state to face. Much v/as made of the alleged oppression of the “po' farmer” by the revaluation of 1920; but as a matter of fact a great deal of the most frantic opposition to that revaluation came from these land barons of the east. If the lands were assessed for taxation at their real value, it would be necessary to cultivate them intelligently and in tensively to make them profitable; and intelligent, intensive cultivation never has resulted from the tenant system. Only the man who owns the land he tills gets out of it all that it is capable of producing. Only the man who tills the land he owns is entitled to consider ation by the state as a sort of farmer who is adding materially to our agri cultural wealth. Absentee landlords maybe able to live in princely style themselves; but as a rule their great KNOW NORTH CAROLINA A Virginia Verdict It makes a true Virginian boil, he declares, to witness the wonderful progress being made in North Caro lina, in good roads and numerous other respects, and then to visit his own home state and view the re signed spirit of self-satisfaction. Think what these Tarheels would do with such a seaport as Norfolk, or with other unexcelled Virginia nat ural resources. Our correspondent’s personal ac count of the widespread awakening in North Carolina has been confirmed by too many observers to be viewed with the least skepticism. North Carolina beyond all question is set ting a pace that is causing the state to be singled out for comment in every part of the Union. North Carolina newspapers are this week giving'columns of space to the repro duction of James Arthur Seavey's article in the New York Times of October 22, discussing at great length the phoenix-like upspringing of a new era down home. Says Mr. Seavey: If ever a com monwealth went in, head over heels, wholesale and retail, latitudinally and longitudinally, to boom and de velop itself, that commonwealth is the Old North State. That which has hit North Carolina is not even a forty-seventh cousin of the old west ern boom. It is possible that the native captains of industry would object to its being called a boom at all. It is, rather, a financial, indus trial, and commercial regeneration— the phoenix of the new South risen from the ashes of the old. And the Times’s writer does not reach the halfway line of his article before he gives away the whole secret: The whole commonwealth has come to realize that parts can not be greater than the whole; that in the long run, what is good for Raleigh is good for Asheville, and that what works to the disadvan tage of Charlotte bodes no good for Salisbury. Teamwork is perform ing the miracle—teamwork and uni versal appreciation of the fact that nature has endowed the state with the makings. This is the combination our cor respondent would like to see applied in his native state. He knows it will work; it is working all about him in North Carolina. —Richmond Times-Dispatch. estates are a source of weakness, not of strength, to the state. We hope that the North Carolina club will be able to bring to light the facts with regard to this phase of farm tenancy. We believe that the truth a- bout the feudal estates that are being built up in some sections of North Ca rolina would startle the state, and per haps set us on the path to solution of the most dangerous economic factor in our rural life.—Greensboro News. tries China and Cuba lead the list with two each and India, Japan, and Mexico have one each, In regard to religious affiliation the Methodists lead with 594. Then comes in order, Baptists, 468; Presbyterian, 293; Episcopalian, 213; Lutheran, 39; Catholic, 35; Christian, 32; (»thers, 90. The report of the registrar shows: Graduate students, 79; Law, 111; Medi cine, 76; Pharmacy, 90; specials, 25; seniors, 162; juniors, 238; sophomores, 456; freshmen, 640; total in University 1,867, less duplicates, 2, making a total enrollment of 1,865. The numbei' of teaching professors in the University ie 122,—Louis Graves. NEWS LETTER BIRTHDAY Yesterday was a birthday momentous to North Carolina. It marked the be ginning of the ninth year in the life of a Tarheel institution which has done more than any other one agency, pri vate citizen or public official, to put this state where she is today, the cyno sure of national attention. In brief, yesterday The University News Letter was eight years old. The News Letter is a one-page mar vel of instruction, prophecy, and inspi ration. There is no phase of North Ca rolina’s phenomenal development to which it has not contributed. Its speci fied field is Rural Social-Economics, but, as its birthday issue explains: “Fortunately, rural social-economics in the University of North Carolina means much more than a mere study of country-life conditions and problems in the state and nation; it means a study of these problems as consequen tially related to every business and everybody—to the merchants, bankers, and manufacturers, to church life and school enterprises, to small-town con ditions and functions, to county affairs and county government, to public fi nance, public highways, public health, and public welfare, and so on and on.” The News Letter, by carrying to North Carolinians the results of those studies, has been the giant hand of leadership to the state in overcoming the obstacles that stood in her way. It has brought us the best methods of procedure from other states. Where good methods were wanting, it has e- volved them. By comparison with oth er states, it has thrown the spotlight upon our shortcomings and followed that up with constructive suggestions. It has not been satisfied to urge achieve ment; it has also outlined methods of accomplishment. It has done all this so well because of the spirit it has shown. Its spirit is the spirit of the new North Carolina. It’s vision of the state’s possibilities has been always true, its confidence in North Carolinians always unfaltering. The state press has encouraged and ap plauded North Carolina. Her Govern ors have made many reforms real. Capitalist and farmer, by "enterprise and industry, have converted'her mag nificently rich and varied resources into amazing wealth and power. But in it all The News Letter has stood out, de manding still bigger results, describing the defects still uncorrected, preaching civic spirit that meant progress in vincible. This builder of North Carolina has, at the "Start of its ninth year, half a million readers. It goes, free of charge, to any North Car6'linian who requests it in writing. No North Carolinian who wants to serve his state and improve himself, can afford to be without it. It is the voice of the North Carolina of to day, progressive, resolute, indomitable, a wonder worker, a seeker after learrx- ing, a maker of millionaires.—Asheville Citizen. A $50,000 GIFT President Chase has received a letter from Alfred W. Haywood, one of the executors of the will of the late Robert K. Smith, telling of Mr. Smith’s be quest of $60,000 to the university. Mr. Haywood, a North Carolinian and a graduate of the university, now prac ticing law in New York, writes: “ Mr. Smith, formerly of Caswell county. North Carolina, but at the time of his death a resident of New York city, died October 24. Mr Smith was a well-known figure in the tobacco business and was for many years vice- president of the American Tobacco Company and later, until his retirement, vice-president of the P. Lorillard Com pany. “Though Mr. Smith left North Caro lina over thirty years ago he always maintained a strong affection for the state, its people, and institutions. He included in bis willabequest to the uni versity in the amount of $50,000.” The co-executors with Mr. Haywood are Thomas S. Fuller, also a North Ca rolinian, a university alumnus, and a lawyer in New York, and the Farmers Loan and Trust company, of New York. Some time will be required to complete the administration of Mr. Smith's es tate, so that the bequest to the uni versity will not become available im mediately.—Louis Graves. FARM IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINERY Per Farm in the United States in 1920 Based on the 1920 Census of Agriculture, covering (1) the total value of farm implements and machinery in each state, (2) divided by the number of farms. The average in the United states was $657; in North Carolina it was $202, and forty-three states made a better showing. Our low rank is due to (1) the small average size of our farms, (2) the large ratio of tenants, (3) the maximum of hand tools and one-horse implements, and (4) the minimum of labor-saving farm machinery. Tables to follow; Value of Buildings, Livestock, Implements, and Culti vated Acres per Farm in North Carolina Counties. S. H. Hobbs, Jr. Department of Rural Social Economics, University of North Carolina UNIVERSITY STUDENT BODY Some interesting facts have been learned about the student body of the university of North Carolina. According to a statement issued by the registrar’s office, there is a total enrollment of 1,866 for the fall session. Of this num ber 92.7 percent are North Carolinians and 7.3 percent are from other states or foreign countries. Of the other states South Carolina tops the list with 38 and then, in order, comes Virginia, 21; Florida, 11; Tennessee, 10; Georgia, 8; District of Columbia, 7; New York, 6; Alabama, 6; Louisiana, 4; New Jer sey, 4; Connecticut and Ohio, 8 each; Massachusetts, 2; and Mississippi, Ark ansas, Missouri, Kentucky, New Hamp shire, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Illi nois, one each. Of the foreign coun- Rank States Value Per Rank States Value Per Farm Farm 1 South Dakota 1,506 26 Massachusetts 606 2 North Dakota ... 1,470 26 Maryland 605 8 Iowa 1,449 27 Rhode Island 690 4 Nebraska 1,231 28 Connecticut 685 6 California 1,166 29 Ohio 671 6 Nevada 1,148 30 Maine 662 7 Minnesota 1,015 31 Utah 527 8 Montana 964 32 Missouri 626 9 Illinois 939 33 New Hampshire... 463 10 Kansas 936 34 Oklahoma 420 11 Idaho 912 35 Texas 364 12 Arizona 884 36 New Mexico 827 13 Wisconsin 883 37 Virginia 269 14 New York 879 38 Florida 261 16 New Jersey 857 39 South Carolina .... 249 16 Colorado 831 40 Louisiana 242 17 Oregon 828 41 Tennessee 212 18 Washington 826 42 West Virginia 211 19 Pennsylvania 810 43 Georgia; 204 20 Wyoming 748 44 North Carolina 202 21 Vermont 730 46 Arkansas 187 22 Delaware 669 46 Kentucky 179 28 Michigan 623 47 Mississippi 147 24 Indiana 621 48 Alabama 134
The University of North Carolina News Letter (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Dec. 6, 1922, edition 1
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