54 DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



upon the farmer and nation for a service the actual results of 

 which are very questionable. 



The fast-increasing tax rates are a matter which farmers 

 should look carefully into, as these bear down very heavily 

 upon our country people. The farmer's property is all in 

 sight, and his improvements seldom fail to catch the eye of the 

 assessor. There will be much discussion of taxes within the 

 next few years and a probable change in our laws. Single tax 

 will be advocated by those who believe that its operation will 

 cure most of the ills of humanity. The graduated income tax 

 will also be brought forward. Both these systems have points 

 of merit. We must, however, certainly have a system of taxa- 

 tion that does not bear down so heavily upon improvements to 

 our property. Labor and time-saving devices are becoming 

 more and more essential to the farmer, yet he hesitates to put 

 in any of these because of the danger of increasing his taxes. 



One other point which bears heavily upon the future of agri- 

 culture is that of the attitude of the business man who has 

 become interested in the farmer's problems. Far too often the 

 farmer treats his interest as an intrusion into affairs which do 

 not concern him; far too often the business man does not see 

 the farmer's point of view, and there is in consequence a 

 feeling of distrust. There should be a better understanding 

 between business men and the farmer, for certainly their 

 interests are very closely connected. It would seem that if 

 these business men who are anxious to assist agriculture would 

 recognize that there are two big factors in building up agri- 

 culture they might devise some helpful plan. 



Farmers need money. There should be a more elastic system 

 of short-term credits, and the banks should be willing to give 

 the limit of credit to all deserving farmers, and then the 

 bankers should go one step further, and do all they can to get 

 the farmers' crops marketed at a profit. 



In closing this report I cannot help but call the attention of 

 this Department to the big problem of a sure development of 

 agriculture in New England, for we here should look upon these 

 States as a unit. We should plan for a closer co-operation 

 between the departments of agriculture of this section, and by 

 frequent meetings and discussions lay out a plan for the de- 



