EDITORIAL 



AGRICULTURE THEN 



The Farmer Takes a Seat 



V \A *j HAT is the most outstanding accomplishment of 

 ^vV 1/ organized farmers efforts since 1920? John T. 

 Q Q McCutcheon of the Chicago Tribune, gives you 

 the answer in the accompanying cartoon. 



For 12 long years and more, Agriculture, figuratively, 

 if not literally, waited on the rest of the country. Fol- 

 lowing the post war deflation, farm prices remained sub- 

 stantially below parity. Industry, finance, business and 

 labor, were in the saddle. Agriculture pleaded in vain for 

 a seat at the table of privilege. But it was denied. Protec- 

 tion for all or protection for none became the farmers' 

 battle cry. The only plan promising to bring equality 

 was twice vetoed. 



Then came 1929 and the deluge. It's all history. Any 

 one close to the farm and its problems during the past 15 

 years knows the story back- 

 wards. The stock market crash. 

 Europe unable to buy our 

 products when further credit 

 was withdrawn. The farmer 

 without a backlog of savings, 

 out of the market as a buyer. 

 Ruinous farm prices. Fac- 

 tories closed. Unemployment. 

 Fear. Busted banks. Bread 

 lines. Relief rolls. And then 

 realization. 



We must raise farm prices 

 and the farmer's economic 

 status, everyone agreed. Sel- 

 fish, hard-boiled industry saw 

 the point. The Triple A 

 Act, the com loan program, 

 gold revaluation and lower 

 farm interest rates got votes 

 in the cities. 



Organized agriculture had 

 won the fight. It received 

 recognition. And it is get- 

 ting more and more. Both 

 parties are pledged to carry 

 on an effective farm program 

 to restore and maintain fair 

 prices for farm products. 

 Promises are flying thick and 

 fast. 



Agriculture is being waited 

 upon. How different from 

 the twenties. 



"Fire Prevention Week" Oct. 4-10 has more than average 

 meaning to one who has seen a cherished home destroyed by 

 fire. The insurance money seldom compensates for the loss. 

 Cooler weather and the lighting of fires in stoves and 

 furnaces increases the danger of fire loss. Before cold 

 weather comes check the chimney and smoke pipes. Re- 

 move the fire hazards. Keep a fire extinguisher, ladders and 

 pails handy. Avoid smoking about the barns. Clean up 

 and burn inflammable rubbish. Most fires are preventable. 

 Do your part to keep down fire loss. 



e^' 



y«r> ^•aa«Mt (• f>*td youttmH th« m*at A»n«r«rf ga»al 



Congratulations 



I UR fledgling contemporary, the estimable CLIC, 

 bustling house organ for Country Life Insurance 

 Company, is crying for recognition of the Com- 

 pany's remarkable achievement. In case anyone in the wide, 



wide world hasn't heard the 

 news . . .sshhh! . . . the 

 Company recently passed the 

 $100,000,000 insurance in 

 force mark. And all in 7I/2 

 years, which, according to 

 hard driving Manager Larry 

 Williams, cuts all previous 

 life insurance records in half. 

 Here is truly a great vic- 

 tory for farmer co-operation. 

 The RECORD congratulates 

 the management, agents, em- 

 ployees, but more particularly 

 the Farm Bureau members of 

 Illinois. Their loyalty, sup- 

 port and personal sense of 

 responsibility for the Com- 

 pany's success made it pos- 

 sible. And this goes for the 

 no less remarkable growth in 

 business and service of Il- 

 linois Farm Supply Company, 

 Illinois Agricultural Mutual, 

 Farmers Mutual Reinsurance, 

 Producers Creameries, live- 

 stock marketing and other 

 co-operative affiliates. So 

 long as the spirit "All for 

 one, and one for all," dom- 

 inates, as it does today, con- 

 stant gains in strength and 

 service to Illinois farmers 

 may be expected. 



■^/Y^^t&rfw^" 



Fire Prevention Week 



\/V~\ ^^ °^ *^^ tragedies of our earlier years was the 

 §^ I destruction of the fine old farm home we lived in 

 \_y as a small boy. Fire came mysteriously one day 

 while everyone was away and burned it to the ground. A 

 few years later a tornado ripped through that section of Will 

 county, leveled the barn and corncrib and broke off the 

 trees between which we swung our hammock and dozed 

 many a summer Sunday afternoon after a week of hard 

 work in the field. These changes together with the loss of 

 the cherry orchard which died a natural death have trans- 

 formed the old homestead. The new buildings look cold 

 and out of place. The farm never will be the same. 



Small vs. Large Crops 



\J^^^ ARMERS have insisted from time to time that 

 ^^— /^ short crops invariably bring greater returns than 

 ^J^ bumper crops. The New York State College of 

 Agriculture in a recent study tends to substantiate this view. 

 Short supplies of cattle and potatoes it was found, brought 

 greater gross returns than large. Small crops of corn, oats, 

 wheat, and rye returned about the same gross income as 

 large crops. On the other hand larger crops of hogs, barley, 

 hay, and fruits, brought greater gross income. The fact that 

 a smaller crop takes less from the soil and costs less to har- 

 vest and market, gives the farmer all the advantage when he 

 avoids price-wrecking surplus production. 



34 



L A. A. RECORD 



