Evening Star Newspaper, December 7, 1925, Page 24

24 THE EVENING S TAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1925. —_— e e . Ny A NDAY, USRI s e e PRESIDENT URGES AGRICULTURE !a.s 1880 was an agricultural expansion. | dertaking, and as the emergency is|production. If these were admitted ‘Business management, through financ- TO STAND ON OWN RESOURCES Holds Much Can Be Accomplished by Co-operatives, But Takes Firm Position Against Any Price Fixing by Government. (Uontinued from First Page.) facilities were afforded, the President believes. The leaders in the co-operative movement have, with the advice of the Secretary of Agriculture, prepared a bill embodying these principles which will be present- ed to the Congress for enactment and which he will support In explanation of this bill, which he said ho thought was adequate to meet the sftuation, the President said the farmers would have the active and energetic assistance of the Gov- ernment in meeting su lus pro- duction problem wrough consul- tation and conference the best ex perts of the country would be em- ployed as the needs require and meth ods of storage, credit and marketing devised,” he sald. The agencies cre- ated would have at their disposal the active co-operation of the great or- ganizations of the departments Agriculture, Commerce and Federal banking. Their representatives at home and abroad would be engaged in locating and st domestic and forelgn mental s this proposal Tests on the principle that it is help- ing the farmer to help himself. at, in ef, was taken as the President’s program for so-called farm relief legislition. While he be. lieves it would be a great mistake to underestimate the difficulties under which the farmers labor and the hard times many of them had had, he feels that the future of agriculture in th country looks exceedingly bright and secure. and storage Praise of Farmers. In this heart-toheart talk with such a large gathering of real agri- culturists the President did not con fine himself to the ills of this indus- try or to an expression of his opin fons as to the best means of extend ing relief. He was loud in his praise for the farmers of the Nation. He reminded those about him that in America the farm has long since ceased to be associated with a mode of life that could be called rustic. He sald that farming has become a great industrial enterprise, requiring a broad knowledge in its management, a technical skill in its labor, intricate machinery in its processes anc trained merchandising in its market- ing. “Agriculture in America,” Mr. Cool- fdge said, “has been ralsed to the rank of a profession. It does not draw any artificial support from industry or from the Government. It rests squarely on a foundation of its own. It is independent. It is our farm life that is particularly representative of the true nobility of this c of our high standard of citizenship.” Service of Farmers In tracing the development of agri- culture in the United that it was the people of the stamp and character of those found upon our farms who were mainly instru- mental in founding American institu- tions. He said it was the loyalty and perseverance bred of the hor the American farmer that supported George Washington through seven years of conflict; that helped Lincoln save the Union, and which gave so generously of manhood and woman- hood and money and materials in the | World War. Touching upon the great growth of agriculture in this country the Pr dent recalled the increasing inter- change of population between the city and the country, which he said has been brought about principally by the growth of the automobile. “For the past 15 vears urban population has been increasing,” he said, “while farm population and’ the number of farms have slightly decreased.” Increase in Production. The real question though. in his opinion, is not the numbers employed but the amount of production. Ac- cording to figures supplied by him, in the last 45 years, which, he sald, marks our great industrial development, the index number of production rose from 100 to 237, while that for pbpulation is estimated to be but 226, showing | that production has outrun population. Also, while the number of farms and people engaged in farming was slight- 1y less in 1924 than in 1910, produc. tion in 1923 and 1924 was 15 per cent greater than in 1910. Admitting that price is just as important as produc- tion, the President continued in his quoting of statistics to show that the value of the farm produce for 1924 excluding crops fed to animals, was about $12,136,000,000; that the estl mates for the present year are about the same. In 1900 the amount was $3,549,000,000. people on farms was about cent greater than in 1900, while the amount of money received for farm products was about 350 per cent greater. But as the general price level of all commodities had greatly advanced, measured in purchasing Power the amount received was only about 20 per cent greater. The President then reterred to the inflated prices for agricultural prod- icts and the depression that followed he slump in 1921, and the heroic ef- forts on the part of the American farmers to pull through In conclusion, the P that the r its ident declared 1 wealth of our country, productive capacity, its great anufacturing plants, its far-reaching | its mighty commerce rallroad system and its agriculture did not come into being all at once, but as the result of & vast multitude of small increments brought about by long, slow and la- Yorious to In our economic discus- #lons,” he said, “we must remember 1hat we cannot stop with the mere ac- juisition of wealth. The ultimate re- sult to be desired is not the making of money dustry, thrift and self-control are not rought because they create wealth, but Jecause they create character. These mre the prime products of the farm.” Text of Addre: The President spoke as follows No_one can travel across the vast #rea that lies between the Alleghenies und the Rockies without being thar- oughly impressed with the enormous expansion of American agriculture. Other sections of our country, acre for acre, are just as important and Just as productive, but it is in this region that the cultivation of the land holds its most dominant position. It §s to serve the farmers of this great open country that teeming cities have risen, great stretches df navigation have been opened, a mighty network of rallways has been constructed, a fast increasing mileage of highways has been laid out, and modern inven- tons have stretched their lines of communication among all the various communities and into nearly every home. Agriculture holds a position in this country that it was never before eble to secure anywhere else on earth. | “It is the development which has aken place within this area, mostly hin the last 75 years, which has given agriculture a new standing in the world. By bringing the tillage of the soil under a new technique it has given to the people: on the farm a Tew relationship to commerce, in- dustry and soeiety. The ownership of Jand has always been a mark of privi- Jexte and distinction, but in other times und places the laborious effort of furming, the hard work of cultivating | the soll—which was done almost en- tirely by hand—the comparative iso- jation of rural existence, was tradl- of | funda- | States he said | lite of | In 1924 the number of | 10 per | but the making of people. In- | tionally an unattractive life assigned to the serf and the uncultured peas- ant. It still partakes of that nature in most countries. But in America the farm has long since ceased to be asso- ciated with a mode of life that could be called rustic. It has become a great industriul enterprise, requiring # broad knowledge in its management, a technical skill in its labor, intricate machinery in its processes, and trained merchandising in its market- ings. Agriculture in America has been raised to the rank of a profession. It does not draw any artificial support from Industry or from the Govern- ment. It rests squarely on a founda- tion of its own. It is independent. Rests on Own Worth. “The place which agriculture holds today in this country, superior to that which it ever held beforc in time of peace in this or any other land, is by reason of its very eminence one of in- | creasing exactions and difficulties. It does not require much talent or any | &reat foresight to live on an inferior | scale, lUimited and impoverished, nor | does it evoke much eulogy, but to maintain freedom and independence, 10 rise in the economic scale to the ownership and profitable management of a great property amid all the perils ‘(r[ our competitive life, requires a high | degree of industry and ability. Those | who achieve that position f a com- | munity will always be entitled to the highest commendation. Whatever | other obstacles the American people have had to meet and overcome, of | every station in life, they have never | permitted themselves to be hampered by a condition of dependence. As what they have had was secured not by favor or by bounty, but by their own efforts, no one else has had _any power to deprive them of it. Unin- cumbered by any special artificial | support, they have stood secure on | their own foundation. America is not without a true nobility, but it is not | supported by privilege. It rests on worth. “It is our farm life that is particu- larly representative of this standard of American citizenship. It is made | up of many different types and races; it includes many different modes of thought and living. Stretching from the North, with its months of frost, | to the Gulf, with its perpetual Sum- mer, it embraces a wide variety of production. But it is all a_partaker of the same high measure of achieve- ment and character. It rises in its importance above the products of the land and puts a stamp of its own upon the quality of our people. It is not merely for a supply of food that we 100k to the farms, but as a never- failing source, if others become ex- hausted, from which we can always re- plenish the manhood and womanhood of the Nation. It is for this reason that our whole country entertains the greatest solicitude for the welfare of the people who make up our agricul- [ tural population. The importance of their continued success and progress can not be overestimated. It affects | not only the material prosperity but | reaches beyond that into the moral and spiritual life of America. | Living From the Soil. | “It was the people of this stamp and character who were mainly instru | mental in founding American institu- tions. It was well on into the nine- teenth century before the great in- dustrial development of our country In the old days there were ome professional men and there were the clergy who exercised in a high degree an inspired leadership not only in the religious and educational but to a marked extent in the political iife of their d But the people were of the farm. Their living came from the soil. Their sturdy industry, their determination to be free. resulted in no small part from their occupation {and mode of life. Wherever there is a farm there is the greatest oppor- tunity for a true home. It was the loyalty and perserverance bred of the home life of the American farmer that supported Washington through seven vears of conflict and provided the necessary self-restraint to translate his victory into the abiding institu- tions of freedom. It is the spirit of those homes that our country must | forever cherish. World Tide for Liberty. “But the*gratitude of America, and | I think of the whole world, is due not only to “the embattled farmers” who stood at Concord bridge and “fired the shot heard round the world,” but to those tlllers of the soil of the great prairie States, prophets and ploneers of freedom, who rose to power in time to make it possible for Lincoln to save the Union, and also to the in- formed, improved, and well-equipped agriculture of our own day, which, while giving generously of their own manhood and womanhood, put forth those stupendous efforts which pro- vided food, cotton, wool and othe. materials that turned the tide for the use of liberty in the great war. It is the existence of this superb power, both of resources and of people, which has its home in the great open coun- try, that has made possible not only the independence and freedom of our own land and the extension of liberty throughout the world, but has fur- nished the foundation on which has been built the great expansion in the industriel and”commercial life of the Nation. Our statesmanship can be dedicated to no moreavorthy purpose than the perpetuation of this high standard of American farm life, “All of these results would appear to lead to the inevitable conclusion that to a very large extent the un- derlying support to the strength and character and greatness of America has been furnished by the strength and character and greatness of its agriculture. Our country has been de- veloped under the influence of & new spirit. In the early beginnings of organized society the main form of | wealth which was plentiful consisted of land. It was almost the sole source of production. Always in theory, and usually in practice, all land belonged to the Crown. It was the custom for the ruler to bestow upon his retainers not only landed estates, but to provide in addition the serfs who were attached to the soil, in order that they might supply the necessary labor for its productivity. The workers in the fleld were held in servitude, while their masters usual- ly lived away from the land, some- times in their castles, sometimes in towns and cities. This was the es- tablished condition all over the Old World. The posilotn of the country thus became stationary. It was in the cities and towns, where opportu- ity came for exchange of ideas and educational advancement, that there started that progress toward free- dom and self-government which marked the beginning of the modern age. The importance of the cities and towns became predominant. Even after freedom was granted to the serfs, the tillers of the soil never be- came a great influence. Thelr in- terests were always subordinated to the stronger, more aggressive life of the industrial population and of the ruling classes. Different Type of Farmers. “But America never fully came under this blighting influence. It was a different type of individual that formed the great bulk of our early ettlers. They gained their livelihood by cultivating the soil, but there was no large and ovérmastering city on industrial population. The expansion of our country down to almost as late 1 A large, nasoriy oL our inhabiants were engaged in that occupation. They not only tilled the sofl, but they owned it. They not only directed the Government, but they made it. The fertile lands and generous homestead laws under American institutions all worked together to produce an en- tirely new poosition of place and power for agriculture. When there was add- ed to this the marvelous inventions of farm machinery which have come into modern life it made it possible to es- tublish here the first agricultural em- pire which did not rest upon an op- pressed peasantry. This was a stu- pendous achievement. Following this came the vast bus ness growth which brought. great changes. The town and industrial pop- ulation for the first time began to ex- ceed that of the farms. From the sur plus of food products requiring for- elgn markets we began to reach some. thing like & balance between domestic production and consumption. Hefore 1910 50 wise a man as James J. Hill expressed the opinfon that in the near future we should be importers of wheat. “Under normal conditions Mr. Hill might have been correct, but the World War intervened. The enor- mous demand from abroad brought the high prices which so stimulated| production that it reached a new rec- ord in amount and value. Without this service, famine undoubtedly would have prevailed over wide area This resulted in a great inflation wnd in an overproducetion, reaching its summit in 1919, which was followed by the inevitable deflation of and 1921, The best economic authority tells us this was inevitable. Whether it was or mot, it came. It afflicted both agriculture and industry. The values of manufacturing plants and thelr stocks on hand went down, their| orders were canceled, their operations ceased, and the buying dapacity of their wage earners being greatly re- duced, the consumption of food prod- ucts declined, causing a fall in prices that reached back to the farm. The resulting losses have never been fully recovered either in industry or agri- culture, but starting from the low point of 1920 and 1921 both have made progress and from every indication appear to be entering an era of pros- perity. Suffered Drastic Deflation. “It has seemed to me desirable to consider thus briefly the development of our American agriculture, in order that by a better understanding of the method of its progress and the posi- tion it now holds we may better com- prehend its needs and better esti- mate what the future promises for it. Every one knows that the farmer, Wwho is often least able to bear it, went through the most drastic deflation Considered as a whole, hia position has steadily improved since 1921. I do not mean that land values or prices have reached their former level. That was not to be expected. But I do mean that, generally speaking, the present business of farmimg as a whole is beginning to be profitable. Of course, there are exceptions to be made of localities, individuals and crops. Some people would grow poor on a mountain of gold, while others would make a good living on a rock We cannot bend our course to meet the exceptions; we must treat agri culture as a whole, and if, as a whole, it can be placed in a prosperous con- dition the exceptions will tend to eliminate themselves. “There have been discussions which seem to indicate some fear that our agriculture is becoming decadent, that it has already reached its point, and that, becoming unprofitable, it is likely to diminish. Nothing in the appearance of the country or of its people as I have traveled over it has seemed to indicate any deterfora- tion, nor do I find anything in the farm census and reports that warrants this conclusion Some Population Decrease. “It is true that there is an increas- ing interchange of population between the city and the country. With the coming of the automobils many of the city people are moving out into the country, and with the Increasing use of machinery some of those formerly employed on the farm have been re leased for employment in the indus tries. For the past 15 years urban population has been increasing, while farm population and the number of farms have slightly decreased. This has reversed the condition that existed before that period. But this is only a part of the story. “The real question is not the num- bers emploved but the amount of pro- duction. If that should appear to be inadequate to meet our requirements for food and raw materfals, if the morale of the farmers should be brea ing down, the situation might be seri ous. Such does not appear to be the fact. In intelligence, in education, in the general standards of living, farm life was never so well equipped as it is today. In the past 45 vears, which roughly marks our great industrial de- velopment, the index number of pro- duction rose from 100 to 237, while that for population is estimated to be but 226, Production has outrun pop- ulation, according to the statistics of the Harvard service. While the num ber of farms and people engaged in farming was slightly less in 1924 than in 1910, production in 1923 and 1924 was 15 per cent greater than in 1910, Fewer people but more production means each person on the farm will receive more. Value of Products. “It is not only production, however, but price that is important to the farmer. The vame of his produce for 1924, excluding crops fed to animals, was about $12,136,000,000. The esti- mates for the present year are about the same. ‘This compares with $3,549,000,000 in 1900. According to estimates, the number of people on farms in 1924 wus about 10 per cent greater than in 1900. The amount of money received was about 350 per cent greater. But as the general price level of all com. modities had greatly advanced, mea: ured in purchasing power the amount received was only- about 90 per cent greater. This means that 110 per cent of people engaged in agriculture re- ceived 190 per cent more in 1924 than they did in 1900. While it is true that there was a great decline in farm prices in 1920 and 1921, and an even greater decline in the purchasing pow- er of farm produce compared with other commodities, yet since that time farm prices have risen more rapidly than other commodities, so that the purchasing power of farm produce has risen also. The tendency appears to be to bring agriculture as a whole back to the same relative economic position_that it occupied before the war. While general production, prices and living conditions on the farm are improving, there is little ground for fear that agriculture is becoming de- cadent; yet some areas are still de- pressed; debts and taxes still remain. “Although it is gratifying to know that farm conditions as a whole are encouraging, yet we ought not to cease our efforts for their constant improvement. We cannot claim that they have reached perfection any- where, and in too many instances there is still much distress. Various suggestions of artificial relief have been made. Production has been am- ple, but prices compared with the war era have been very much reduced, although they are now considerably improved. The proposals made have, therefore, had the purpose of increas. ing prices. Price Fixing Dangerous. “One of the methods by which this has been sought, though put forward chiefly as an emergency measure as I understand from its proponents, wis to have corporations organized through which the Government would directly or indirectly fix prices or en- gage in buying and selling farm prod- uce. This would be a dangerous un- highest | not so aeute, it seems at present to have lost much of its support. No matter how it is disguised, the mo- ment the Government engages in buy- ing and selling, by that act it is fix- ing prices. Moreover, it would ap- parently destroy co-operative associa- tions and all other marketing ma- chinery, for no one can compete with the Government. Ultimately it would end the independence which the farm- ers of this country enjoy as a result of centuries of struggle and prevent the exercise of their own judgment and control in cultivating their land and marketing their mroduce. “Government control cannot be di- vorced from political control. The overwhelming interest of the con- umer, not the smaller interest of the producer, would be sure to dominate in the end. I am reliably informed thut the secretary of agriculture of a great forcign power has recently fixed the wages of farm lubor in his coun- try at less than $5 & weck. The gov- ernment price is not always a high price. Unless we fix corresponding prices for other commodities, & high fixed price for agriculture would sim- ply stimulate owrproduction that would end in complete collapse. “However attractive this proposal was at first thought, careful consid- eration of it has led to much opposi- tlon on the part of the farmers. They realize that even the United States Government is not strong enough, elther directly or indirectly, to fix prices which ‘would constantly guar- antee success. They are opposed to submitting themselves to the control of u great Government bureaucracy. They prefer the sound policy of main. taining their freedom and their own inltlative as individuals, or to limit them only as they voluntarily form £roup associations. They do not wish to put the Government into the farm. ing_business. “Others have thought that the tariff rates were unfavorable to the farmer. If this should be a fact, it ought to be corrected. Let us examine our imports. Last year their gross value was $3,610,000,000, but $2,080,000,000, or 57610 per cent, came in wholly free of duty. This free list was con- structed especially to favor the furmer, and contains more than 50 articles which he purchases, lixe fer- tilizer, leather harnesses, farm ma. chinery, coffee, binder twine, barbed wire and gasoline. Levies to Protect Farmers. . "Of the $1,580,000,000 of goods pay- ing imports, $780,000,000 was upon azricultural products, Tevied solely to protect the farmer, including animal and dairy products, grain, flax, wool, sugar, nuts, citrus fruits and many othe: If any farmer wants to get an accurate and full list of his prod- ucts which are protected and his pur- chases ‘'which come in free, let him £o to his public library and consult official document No. 33, comparing the last three tariff acts. Thus 80 per cent of our imports either come A}n free or pay a duty to protect the farmer. This must be further in- creased by 0,000,000 more of im- ported luxuries like diamonds, fine rugs, silks, cut glass, jewelry and ma- hogany. These items cannot affect the prosperity of the farmer. This brings the total of imports up to $8 per cent which are either free, or luxuries, or protected to help the farmer, and leaves only 12 per cent of our im- ports upon ‘which the agricultural industry pays any part of the tariff. Tariff Paid by Cities. “But. on the other hand, our in- dustrial and city population pays the tarlff on the $780.000,000 worth of ag- ricultural imports and also partici- pates in the $500,000,000 worth of im- ports outside of luxuries. While the farmer pays part of the dutles on 12 per cent of our imports which do not benefit him, industry and commerce pay part. of the duty on 36 per cent of the imports which do not benefit them. But if we take all that armer buvs for his household and rarm op- eration and subtract trom it articles dutiable to protect the tarmer, the free list, luxuries, we should hive left less than 10 per cent of his ex- penditures. This means that less than 10 per cent of farm purchases are at an increased cost which is adverse to the farmer. Admitting that the price of these purchases is increased by the full amount of the duty, this meant that the total adverse cost to tha farmer on account of the tariff fs only between 2 per cent and 3 per cent of his purchases “Many economists consider that even this calculation as to the contrl- bution of our farmers to the tariff is overestimated. As their expendi- tures include many items for labor and service, on which there is no duty, the proportion of total cxpenditure on Qutiable articles outside the three lists above mentloned is not 10 per cent, but only 3 per cent or 4 per cent of his total expenditures. Thus, even assuming that the farmer pays tariff on this ratio of goods, his ex. penditures would only be Increased by one-third of 3 per cent or 4 per cent, or not over 1 1-3 per cent. Benefit to Agriculture. “On the other side. protection is a great benefit to agriculture as a whole. The $780,000,000 of agricultural prod- uce imported last year had to pay $260,000,000 for the privilege of com- ing in to compete with our own |Stap envying oumersof’ ‘Studebaker Pbyerfiuml}ilimfr_nish_ Home-Made, but Ends | Coughs In a Hurry il ol dable A family supply of dependable coush e If you have a gevere cough or chest, cold, soréness, throat tickle, hoarseness or - difficuld breathing, or if your child wakes up at night witl croug and you want quick help, try this reliable old home-made cough remedy. An druggist can supply you with 215 ounces of Pinex. Pour this into & pint bottle and fill the bottle with plain granulated sugar syrup. Or use clarified molasses. honey, or corn s?r;ldp, instead of sugar syrup, if desired. This raufie makes a pint of really remarkable cough remedy. It tastes good, and in spite of its low cost, can be depended up- on_to give quick and lasting relief. You can feel this take hold of a cough instantly. It loosens and Taises the phlegm, stops throat tickle, and soothes and heals the irritated membranes of the throat and bronchial tubes with such ease and promptness that it is Teally astonishing. Pinex is a special and_highly concentrated compound of Norway ine extract, and is probably the st known means o? overcoming se‘llg're coughs, throat and chest colds. There are many worthless imi- tations of this mixture. To avoid disappointment, ask for “234 ounces of Pinex” with full directions and don’t acoept anything else. Guaranteed to give absolute satisfaction or money promptly re- funded. The Pinex Co., Ft. Wayne, Ind. . 21N free of duty they would no doubt greatly increase In volume, reduce present farm prices and result in much lower standards of living on our farms. We are also exporters as well as importers. Protection greatly alds diversification and so eliminates an unprofitable surplus. Under our tariff our flax acreage has increased from 1,641,000 in 1921 to 3,093,000 in 1925. Much of this would otherwise have been devoted to wheat, increasing the surplus and further demoralizing that market. The same principle holds in relation to sugar, wool and other agri- cultural products. “‘It has been thought that protection does mnot help agricultural products. Any study of dairy products, flax, wool and the many other commodities will demonstrate that it does. Even wheat, where we are exporters, shows its effect. If we take Buffalo, to se- cure a point of common contact, Amer- ican No. 1 dark northern is 25 cents to 35 cents higher than Canadian, N 2 dark hard Winter is 37 cents to 4 cents higher and No. 2 red would be 45 cents to 46 cents higher. Contract wheat for future delivery in Chicago has been usually as high as future de- liveries in Liverpool, although the dif- ference in freight is about 20 cents a bushel, which means that our wheat is now about that much above world price levels. The question is compli- cated with different grades and quali- ties, some of which do not show the same differences. Supplying Home Markets. “But the largest benefits accruing to the farmer come from supplying him with home markets. What the farmer raises must either be sold at home or sent abroad. Our per capita consumption of butter, sugar, meats. eggs, milk and tobacco is far above those of forelgn countries. When the depression of 1920 came and 5,000,000 of our wage carners were unemployed, their consumption of the more expen: sive agricultural supplies, such as animal products, fell 18 per cent below what it had been before and what it became again when employment in- creased. This was more than the amount of our exports. Prosperity in our industries {5 of more value to the farmer than the whole export market for foodstuffs. Protection ha$ con- tributed in our country to making em- ployment plentiful with the highest wages and highest standards of liv ing In the world, which is of ines timable benefit to both our agricul- tural and industrial population. Gen- eral economic stability is of the utmost importance to the farmer and a de- pression in industry with the attend- ant unemployment would do the farm- er an incalculable injury. Giving Financial Aid. “If the price fixing and tariff revi ion do not seem to be helpful, there are other proposals that do promise improvements. For financing the farmer we are developing the farm loan and intermediate credit bank: These have put out about $1,200,000, 000 of loans at moderate rates to about 350,000 farmers. In addition, there is the general banking svstem, National and State. All of these agencies need to give more informed attention to farm needs. They need more energy in administration. They should be equipped to supply not only credit, but sound business advice, and the farmers to a much better ex- tent should learn to use all these fa- cilities. “For a more orderly marketing cal- culated to secure a better range of prices the co-operative movement promises the greatest success. Al- ready they are handling $2.500,000. 000 of farm produce, or nearly one- fifth of the annual production. The disposition of surplus produce has been discussed. If by this is meant the constant raising of a larger sup- ply than is needed, it is difficult to concelve of any remedy except re- duced production in any such com- modity. But there are, of course, ac- cidental surpluses due to more favor- able weather conditions, which are unavoidable and which ought to be managed so that they can be spread over a year or two without depressing prices.” The {nitlative of the farmers themselves, with such assistance as can be given them by the Government ithout assuming responsibility for The stopper is an innocent bystander who laughs when he hears, “Willie, draw the water into the bowl” and “John, I do wish you wouldn't waste the hot water.” ing and through the co-operative movement, would appear to be a wise method of solving this problem. Of course, I should be willing to approve any plan that can be devised in ac- cordance with sound economic princi- ples. Must Have Business Basis. “To have agriculture worth any thing, it must rest on an independent business basis. It cannot at the same time be part private business part Government busine: 1 believe the Government ought to give it every assistance, but it ought to leave it the support, the benefit and the busi nesg of the people. The interest which the National Government takes in agriculture is manifest by an apy priation of about $140,000,000 s which is nearly onefifth of our total expenditure, exclusive of the Po Office, prior to the war. 1 do not need to recount what is being done for edu catlon and good roads, for opening up our waterways, or the enormous ac- tivities of the Department of Agricul- ture which reach to almost every farmer in the land The most fmportunt development of late years has been the co-operative movement. With the economic in formation furnished by the depart ment, which was of such great value to the hog and potato industries for the last year or two, with better ware house and storage facilities and a better credit structure, much can be done to take care of the ordi sur- plus. With a production_influenced by information from the department, with adequate storage, supplied with necessary credit and the orderly mar- keting effected through co-operative action, agriculture could be placed on & sound and independent business basis. While the Government ought not to undertake to control or direct, it_should supplement and assist all efforts in this direction. The leaders in the co-operative movement, with the advice of the Department of Agri- culture, have prepared what is believed o be an adequate bill embodying these principles, which will be presented to the Congress for enactment. 1 pro- Pose actively and energetically to as. slst the farmers to promote their wel- fare through co-operative marketing. Problmem of Surplus. “Under the working out of the pro. visions of this bill the farmers would have the active and energetic assist- ance of the Government in meeting the problem of surplus production Through consultation and conference the best experts of the country would be employed as the needs require and methods of storage, credit and mar. keting would be de ed. The agencles created woul ave at the disposal the active co-operation of the great organizations of the Depart- ments of Agriculture, Commerce and Federal banking. Their representa tives at home and abroad would be engaged in locating and supplying domestic and foreign markets The fundamental soundness of this pro- | posal rests on the principle that it is | helping the farmer to help himself, Already the co-operative effort | raisins and other products has with marked success by this plan “Tt would be a great mistake to un derestimate the difficulties under which the farmers labor. They are entitled to all the sympathy and help which the Government can give them But T feel they are also entitled to consider the encouraging features of their situation. Human nature is on their side. We are all consumers food. The more prosperous we be. come, the more we consume of the higher-priced product: In the past, farm prices have ways tended to get the better of industrial prices. In the period from 1820 to 1860 there | was a general rise of all commodities, }hul farm prices increased | per cent more than other commodi- ties. After the Civil War, from the seventies to 15896, there was a decline in all commodities, but farm prices declined less, so that their purchas- ing power actnally increased. From 11896 to 1913, according to the Bureau {of Labor Statistics, the Fot farm prices rose § that of other pric cent. the price of in met adopting per cent while rose but food products which and | cussion of the high cost of acute about 1911 problem of economis nd remained Transformation of War. “With the coming of the great ¢ flict an_entire transformation tc place. The price of all rose and the price of was a_ great temptat Farmers bought more land high prices. Then came the world_depression which left | volved in great debts and e | with shrunken land values. Far duce decreased in price faster other commodities. These debts shrunken values still remain as great burden. On top of them the war taxes, which the Nation greatly reduced, but which the | communities still tend to increase | “Tt is this burden which is caus distress, but history ain ing signs of repeating itself. In | the price of farm produce renched low point. According to the Deps ment of Agriculture, however, the of this four-year period sees the p of farm _products substantially creased. Much of the debts and ta | remain, ‘but with the prices now ceived the present husiness of ing is very much improved ad rose n Thy to expa at many vh ) the relative trend of prices | farm products and other lis of tremendous sig: | surplus lands of the country The industrial popu the farm popu is expanding. e { hausted | outstripping Manufacturing is must come to the food and their raw materials we can produce more | food are incre: | prese of agrict ccure, “T} roductive capacity, its gre | sturing plants, its far-reca road system, its zhty comme and its agriculture did not come i being all at once, but is the re a vast multitude of small brought about by long laborfous toil Whatever dividuals n vy do, whole and its gre stry, transport agriculture can ir method. The percentage of vearly turns upon all the property of country is low, but in the it is a stupendous sum. 1 past experfence is to be di | notwithstanding its prese | agriculture as | tion, commerce rease by no ot brought about the complaint and di Hving, which every cne will recall became a adjustment un. solved when the World War began. on sok commodities ere nd very terrible in dy wo. than ud are ing show 921 its art end i xes farm ies | The ex- sing much faster than nto ar h aggregat With applicator attached to cork, just brush “Heet” over the pain area | whether in arms, elbows, neck, shoul- ' body. swollen joint, muscle or nerve. dex number | ders, hands, knees, feet, legs, back or Instantly, you feel this harm- per | less, glorious, penetrating heat draw It was this great increase in|the pain right out of the aching or Be- ut one questio America insists on plenty of water— both hot and cold. This is the land of the free and the home of the shower bath. Here water—and plenty of it— is a requirement for the pursuit of happiness. Men like to turn on the faucet and let ’er run. Spring stops cramp their style and the stopper is spare equipment. So there has never been but one hot water question—make it convenient and plentiful and HOLD DOWN THE COST. Today Welsbach has answered this question in a startling way. A Welsbach water heater keeps a supply of hot water always on tap. It works with less attention than your eléc- tric light. Youdon’t even have to press a button. On the cost side, it is so contrived that you can use the hot water liber- ally or sparingly. The supply is unlimited, the should lead perity. industry in future pros 1 our economi iber that we « with the mere acquisition The ultimate not fhe m: making of ypec ard self-control cause they they create ci prime produ 1t is this | itous to 115 in elie s and v Dhiains, i sun, and stars,” It brir L intimate ith the life discussions we stop) ith. is the Industry, thrift ot sought be. alth, but because Fhese are the farm. We who we know Nation is s0 must reme| annot we desired result to be king of mone pendene s cha and abidi er made | Guard Against “Flu” between | modit “I belleve that the past history o | With M\lsterole usually start { ment you get by 1 Muste the good ¢ ned mu | To Mothers: Musterole is also made in milder form for babies and small children Ask for Children's Musterole. Jars & Tubes Rheumatism Lumbago Aching foint; sides, “Heet” scatters the congestion and estabhshes a cure. “Heet” contains two soothing, pene trating ingredients, too expensive to use in ordinary liniments or anal- gesics. *“Heet" is a clean, fragrant liquid; doesn't stain, blister or irri- tate the skin. Drudgists guarantee each 60-cent bottle. temperature unvarying and thg total cost is probably less than you’re paying now. Add up the convenience, subtract the small cost and you have a balance that yields dividends of comfort at every turn of the faucet. If you dislike discomfort, mail the coupon for details WELSBACH COMPANY, 439 Seventh St., N. W., Washington, D. C. Welsbach AUTOMATIC STORAGE GAS WATER HEATERS