FARMERS TO THE FRONT 57 



say that the prosperity of the country depends on the 

 well-being of the agricultural class? Simply that 

 that class is the largest in the community, that all 

 others depend on it, that our farm produce is our 

 greatest national asset, and that a bad condition 

 here is a national calamity. Foreign trade, railroad 

 earnings, the price of stocks, bank deposits, wages, 

 and of course the welfare of all the industries di- 

 rectly dependent on the farm, are all affected by the 

 condition of agriculture. Prices are largely regu- 

 lated by the ability of the farmers to buy. Thus, all 

 our business and industry are based on the farm — 

 it is the foundation on which the whole structure 

 rests. Is it not clear that it is to the interest of all 

 that that foundation should be solid and substan- 

 tial ? 



Look at the matter in another way. The farming 

 class is the greatest consuming class in the country. 

 When it. through stress of circumstances, is driven 

 to rigid economy, sales fall off, stocks accumulate 

 in factory and store, prices decline, collections are 

 bad, there is less available capital to loan, money 

 gets tight just when it is most needed, and we all 

 feel the pinch. Luxuries are dispensed with. There 

 are fewer pianos and organs in the houses of the 

 farmers, fewer pictures on the wall, fewer books and 

 newspapers bought. The farmer and his family 

 make the old clothes do for another year instead of 

 buying new ones. Farms are allowed to run down, 

 either because their owners can not afford to keep 



