Page Two
Some Aspects of the
Farmers' Problems
; By BERNARD M. BARUCH
(Reprinted from Atlantic Monthly)
The whole rural world is in a fer
ment of unrest, and there is an un
paralleled volume and intensity of de
termined, if not angry, protest, and an
aminous swarming of occupational con
ferences, interest groupings, political
movements and propaganda. Such a
turmoil cannot but arrest our atten
tion. Indeed, it demands our careful
study and examination. It is not like
ly that six million aloof and ruggedly
independent men have come together
end banded themselves into active
unions, societies, farm bureaus, and so
forth, for no sufficient cause.
Investigation of tlie subject conclu
sively proves that, "while there Is much
overstatement of grievances and mis
conception of remedies, the farmers
are right in complaining of wrongs
long endured, and right In holding that
It is feasible to relieve their Ills wtfh
benefit to the rest of the community.
This being the case of an Industry
that contributes, in the raw material
form alone, about one-third of the na
tional annual wealth production and
is the means of livelihood of about 49
per cent of the population, it is ob
vious that the subject is one of grave
concern. Not only do the farmers
make up one-half of the nation, but
the well-being of the other half de
pends upon them.
So long as we have nations, a wise
politcial economy will aim at a large
degree ->f national self-sufficiency and
self-containment. Koine fell when the
food supply was too far removed from
the belly. Like her, we shall destroy
our o/wn agriculture and extend our
sources of food distantly and precari
ously, if we do not see to it that our
farmers are well and fairly paid for
their services. The farm gives the
nation men as well as food. Cities
derive their vitality and are forever
renewed from the country, but an im
poverished countryside exports intelli
gence and retains unintelligence.
Only the lower grades of mentality
and character will remain on, or seek,
the farm, unless agriculture is capable
of being pursued with contentment and
adequate compensation. Hence, to em
bitter and impoverish the fanner is to
dry up and contaminate the vital
sources of the nation.
The war showed convincingly how
dependent the nation is on the full
productivity of the farms. Despite
herculean efforts, agricultural produc
tion kept only a few weeks or months
ahead of consumption, and that only
by increasing the acreage of certain
staple crops at the cost of reducing
rtiat of others. We ought not to for
icet that lesson when we ponder on
rhe farmer's problems. They are truly
common problems, and there should
be no attempt to deal with them as
if they .were purely selfish demands
PROGRAM
FOR THE
SANDY RON BAPTIST SUNDAY
SCHOOL CONVENTION
ALEXANDER CHURCH
JANUARY 23-29. 1922
SATURDAY
10:00-10:30—Devotional % Rev. C. M. Teal
10:30-11:00—Relation of the Sunday School to the Church
Rev. Z. D. Harrill
11:00-11:30—When is the Sunday School a Success? Rev. M.
M. Huntley
11:30-12:00—Evangelism in the Sunday School..Rev. W. K.
Collins
12:00- I:ls—Dinner. Recess
1:15- I:3o—Devotional Rev. B. M. Bridges
1:30- 2:oo—How to Hold the Young People in Sunday School
B. E. Roach
2:00- 3:oo—The One Best Thing Our Sunday School is
Doing. A three minute report from each Su
perintendent in the Association
3:00- 3:3o—How to Increase the Attendance of the Sunday
School G. B. Pruett
3:3o—Miscellaneous and Adjourn
7:00- 7:3o—Song Service
7:3o—Sermon Rev. M. A. Adams
SUNDAY
10:00-11:00 S. S. Lesson Taught by W. R. Hill, of I.ockhart
S. C.
11:00-11:20—Why Grade the Sunday School? Rev. S. N.Watson
11:20-14:40—Advantages of the Graded Literature, Rev. D.
J. Hunt
11:40-12:00—Need of Graded Buildings R. R. Blanton
12:01 - I:ls—Dinner. Recess
Rev . W. M. Gold
1:15 Preparation of the SS. Lesson, Jasper Barnett,
of Shelby, N. C.
2:ls—Miscellaneous and Adjourn
C. C. MATHENY,
Chairman of Program Committee
of a clear-cut group, anFagonis'tic to
the rest of the community. Rather
should we consider agriculture in the
light of broad national policy, just
as we consider oil, coal, steel, dye
stuffs, aiul so forth, as sinews of na
tional strength. Our growing popula
tion and a higher standard of living
demand increasing food supplies, and
more wool, cotton, hides, and the rest.
With the disappearance of free or
cheap fertile land, additional acreage
and increased yields can come only
from costly effort. This we need not
expect from an impoverished or un
happy rural population.
It will not do to take a narrow view
of the rural discontent, or to appraise
it from the standpoint of yesterday.
This is peculiarly an age of flux and
change and new deals. Because a
thing always has been so no longer
means that it is righteous, or always
shall be so. More, perhaps, than ever
before, there is a widespread feeling
that all human relations can be Im
proved by taking thought, and that It
is not becoming for the reasoning ani
mal to leave his destiny largely to
chance and natural incidence.
Prudent and orderly adjustment Jf
production and distribution in accord-
ance with consumption is recognized
as wise management in every business
bat that of farming. Yet, I venture
to say, there is no other industry in
which it is m Important to the pub
lic—to the city-dweller—that produc
tion should be sure, steady, and in
creasing, and that distribution should
be in proportion to the need. The un
organized farmers naturally act blind
ly and impulsively and, in conse
quence, surfeit and dearth, accompa
nied by disconcerting price-variations,
harass the consumer. One year pota
toes rot in the fields because of excess
production, and there is a scarcity of
the things that have been displaced
to make way for the expansion of the
potato acreage; next year the punish
ed farmers mass their fields on some
other crop, and potatoes enter the
class of luxuries; and so on.
Agriculture is the greatest and fun
damentally the most Important of our
American industries. The cities are
but the branches of the tree oc? na
tional life, the roots of which go deep
ly Into .the land. We all flourish 01
decline with the farmer. So, when wc
of the cities read of the present uni
versal distress of the farmers, of n
I slump of six billion dollars in the farn:
i value of their crops In a single year,
of their inability to meet mortgages or
to pay current bills, and how, seeking
relief from their ills, they are plan
ning to form pools, inaugurate farm
ers' strikes, and demand legislation
abolishing grain exchanges, private
cattle markets, and the like, we ought
not hastily to brand them as economic
heretics and highwaymen, and hurl at
them the charge of being seekers of
special privilege. Rather, we should
ask jf their trouble Is not ours, and
sefe what can TT6 TRTn§ to Tmprov® Tfit
situation. Purely from self-interest,
if for no higher motive, we should
help them. All of us want to get back
permanently to "normalcy;" but is It
reasonable to hope for that condition
unless our greatest and most basic in
dustry can be put on a sound and solid
permanent foundation? The farmers
are noc entitled to special privileges;
but are they not right in demanding
that they be placed on an equal foot
ing with the buyers of their products
and with other industries?
n
Let us, then, consider some of the
farmer's grievances, and see how far
they are real. In doing so, we should
remember that, while there have been,
and still are, instances of purposeful
abuse, the subject should not be ap
proached with any general imputation
to existing distributive agencies of de
liberately intentional oppression, but
rather with the conception that the
marketing of farm products has not
been modernized.
An ancient evil, and a persistent
one, Is the undergrading of farm prod
ucts, with the result that what the
farmers sell as of one quality Is re
sold as of a higher. That this S'-rt of
chicanery should persist on any im
portant scale in these days of busi
ness integrity would seem almost In
credible, but there is much evidence
that it does so persist. Even as I
write, the newspapers announce the
suspen: ion of several firms from the
New York Produce Exchange for ex
porting to Germany as No. 2 wheat a
whole shipload of grossly inferior wheat
mixed with oats, chaff and the like.
Another evil is that of inaccurate
weighing of farm products, which, it
is charged, is sometimes a matter of
dishonest intention and sometimes of
protective policy on the part of the
local buyer, who fears that he may
"weigh out" more than he "weighs in."
A greater grievance is that at pres
ent the field farmer has little or no
control over the time and conditions
of marketing his products, with the
result that he is often underpaid for
his products and usually overcharged
for marketing service. The differ
ence between what the farmer re
ceives and what the consumer pays
often exceeds all possibility of justi
fication. To cite a single illustration.
Last year, according to figures attest
ed by the railways and the growers,
Georgia watermelon-raisers received
on the average 7.5 cents for a melon,
the railroads got 12.7 cents for carry
ing it to Baltimore and the consumer
paid one dollar, leaving 79.8 cents for
the service of marketing and its risks,
as against 20.2 cents for growing and
transporting. The hard annals of
farm-life are replete with such com
mentaries on the crudeness of pres
ent practices.
Nature prescribes that the farmer's
"goods" must be finished within two
or three months of the year, while
financial and storage limitations gen
erally compel him to sell them at the
same time. As a rule, other Industries
are in a continuous process of finish
ing goods for the markets; they dis
tribute as they produce, and they can
curtail production without too great
injury to themselves or the commu
nity; but If the farmer restricts his
output, it is with disastrous conse
quences, both to himself and to the
community.
The average farmer is busy with
production for the major part of the
year, and has nothing to sell. The
bulk of his output comes on the mar
ket at once. Because of lack of stor
age facilities and of financial support,
the farmer cannot carry his goods
through the year and dispose of them
as they are currently needed. In the
great majority of cases, farmers have
to entrust storage—in warehouses and
elevators —and the financial carrying
of their products to others.
Farm products are generally mar
keted at a time when there is a con
gestion of both transportation and
finance—when cars and money are
scarce. The outcome, in mary in
stances, is that the farmers not oniy
sell under pressure, and therefore at
a disadvantage, but are compelled t>
take further reductions in net returns,
in order to meet the charges for ihe
service of storing, transporting, financ
ing, and ultimate marketing—which
charges theji claim, are often exces
sive, bear heavily on both consumer
and producer, and are under the con
trol of those performing the services
It 13 true that they are relieved ol
the risks of a changing market by
selling at once ; but they are quite will
ing to take the unfavorable chance,
if the favorable one also is theirs and
they can retain for themselves a part
of the service charges that are uni
form, in good years and bad, with
high prices and low.
While, In the main, the farmer must
sell, regardless of market conditions,
at the time of the maturity of crops,
he cannot suspend production in toto.
He must go on producing if he is to go
on living, and if the world is to exist.
The most he can do is to curtail pro
duction a little or alter its form, and
that—because he is in the dark as to
the probable demand for his goods—
may be only to jump from the frying
pan into the fire, taking the consumer
with him.
Even the dairy farmers, whose out
put Is not seasonal, complain that the.v
find themselves at a disadvantage in
the marketing their productions,
especially raw milk, because of the
high costs of distribution, which they
must ultimately bear.
(Continued next week)
THE FOREST CITY COURIER
25 Trade Marks and ® in Caih
I A SMASHING offer! A chance to get eight big pieces ~ 'h
J-\ of pure Aluminum cheaper than you thought you | £l ? S.II0 ySSFHS J®%SsßGy
would ever be able to secure an Aluminum Set any [ _ P.H45 rfTracsSn r >
place. Look at these pieces—a 5-Quart Beautifully Paqeied ; ii—* I '• i'J
Tea Kettle, a 6-Cup Beautifully Paneled Coffee Percolator, \ fnr the 5 C t uart Ten Kettle Qztlj \ _ / vt
SaucePans —the very thing's you need most. AND EACH { If you wish » o start out by M
PIECE PURE ALUMINUM OF FINE QUA LIT?! cS and fs i*
Here is the way you pet this set. Go to any one of the-dealers whose I Trade* Mar!-:?. sat least of fjT^ ~ "■%
name appears beiow and buy enough soap to get 23 trade marks. Or I which nu.st be from K::porfc »!*ttiSj i'
possibly you nay have 25 trade marks in your house right now. We I Borax or WhifceNspthaand the rL taja I
have made it very easy. 10 or more trade marks may be taken frora j remainder from Grandma's 1 pfi'JgpF- •i« i
Export Borax or White Naptha and the balance to make up the 25 I Powdered Soap or Oval Pear! ($ !
trade marks can be taken up from Grandma's Powdered Soap or | Send money cr check and ihc -J *:,• }
Oval Pearl Soap. | trade marks. Tea Kettle Will be »"** j
Then, when you have the 25 trade marks, send them with your j sent parcel post prepaid. ||j
cheek or money order for $2.95 cash to the Globe Soap Company, | -j* g Rfiiaesv'■?r*. 6fib
Cincinnati, Ohio, and we will send you at once by parcel post, pre- j jj.tJsi.iii IV&6S a Jf IX
paid, the Splendid 8 Piece Set of Aluminum. • «*««s
The €osnpSste Bet Consists of 'tonsoocap s
A beautifully paneled 5-Quart Tea Kettle and a 6-Cup Paneled Coffee .„ liSf il&ii! '('J
Percolator two exceptionaily finished pieces, with the spouts r> * 7 \ji 'li '' ill 1
welded and not seamed. These pieces are never found in cheap, f i n twi- foil Hili'Mi li !&
Aluminum ware offers. In addition there are three Sauce Pans t £ hp M I
(1 quart, lH quart and 2 quart). Then there is a Strainer Funnel Lar/s 5Jt IptOi hichmut oe || j. j , liiiil'TW '-i
with five distinct uses. It can be used as (1) a one-pint Dipper, Iw III' N : 1 * $
(2) Fruit Funnel, (S) Fruit Funnel with Strainer, (4) Spout Funnei, & nti V remainder from Graudina b i,J MA jj ; j s
(5) Spout Funnel with Strainer. Also a good sized Strainer Ladle. '• IL> «
r. real kitcnenneceasity. KtTßß.3!E.?i£SirSiS g |
VHE GLOBE SOAP COMPANY, Cincinnati, Ohio ** " r -'" arcc! ■»* »■ .
You can get these soaps at:
JONES GROCERY CO.
HORN'S CASH STORE J * C * HARRILL ... ar .. ■
P. N. LONG BARNES GROCERY CO.
R. R. HARDING & CO. j
1
, .* Lteady lor Instant Use. ■
A Good Yellow Landry A Splendid White Float- A Fine White Laundry 5c and Larger Pack* I
Soap—a Wonderlfll ing Soap—forToiletand Soap—for Hot or Cold ages. Wonderful tot fl
Washer, 5C Bath—Oval Shape —sc Bard or Soft Water Washing Clothes. (■
FARM MEETINGS
County Agent L. D. Thrash held
meetings and demonstrations at
the following places last week.
Thursday, January 19th, a ter
racing demonstration was given at
the farm of L. F. P'ace, Floyd's
Creek community, and a pruning
demonstration on the farm of D.
E. White and J. R. Tate, Floyd's
Creek community.
Friday, January 20th
2:30 P. M. —A field meeting was
held on the farm of Mr.. Geo. Da
vis, Bostic, R-2. A demonstration
in pruning wits given..
Other farm problems were dis
cussed at these meetings and dem
onstrations given.
Saturday, Janua«»y 21st
The whole day was, spent in the
office meeting farmers and dis
clissing farm problems, miaking
out reports and answering corre
spondence.
The county agent will be in Ral
eigh from Jan. 23rd to Jan. 28th,
inclusive, attending the Agents
Annual meeting. At these meet
ings the year's plan of work is
mapped out.
NEW BLACKSMITH SHOP
I have opened a new shop on
Mill street, opposite Florence
Miils, where I am prepared to do
FIRST-CLASS B L ACKSMIT HING
Of All Kinds
AUTOMOBILE REPAIRING
Horseshoeing SI.OO and all other
work in proportion.
Axe upsetting a specialty.
WE GUARANTEE FIRST-CLASS
WORK.
C. M. WILSON.
! THE PLACE TO BUY
\ BUILDING MATERIA
♦
♦
♦ Special Prices oil Ceiling
I SHINGLES MOULDB
♦ DOORS CEILING
I AVEATHER SASH
♦ HOARDING " FKAMIXf
| FLOORING I
) HOLLIFIELD, CHAMPION & Cfl
! FOREST CITY, N. C. I
SEABOARD AIR LINE RAILWAY
Arrival and Departure of Passenger Trains at
Forest City, N. C. I
Lv. No. Between
6:42 a 34 Rutherford ton-Raleigh
and Wilmington.
xl0:30a 109 Ellenboro-Rutherfordton
xll:20a 110 Rutherfordton-Ellenboro
12:17p f 15 Monroe-Rutherfordton
4:51p 16 Rutherfordton-Monroe I
7:00p 31 Wilmington-Raleigh I
and Rutherford ton
x Daily except Sunday. „ B
No. 16 connects at Morrroe with No. 6 for Norfolk.
Washington and New York, and No. 11 for Atlanta
West. ■
Schedules published as information and are not guarantee®
G. W. LONG, Jr., Ticket Agent, E. W. LONj;®
Forest City, N. C. Charlotte,
Thursday, Jan, Ift