The Interstate Farmer (Muskogee, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 9, Ed. 1 Sunday, November 15, 1914 Page: 3 of 16
sixteen pages : ill. ; page 14 x 9 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
\
, t
Tk© Dry-Fanning Congress
Wichita Sessions Most Successful Hut Its
History—Meets at IDeiniver Next Year
The Ninth International Dry-Farm-
ing Congress and Exposition, held at
Wichita, Kansas, October 7 to 17,
was the most successful in the his-
tory of this great organization. Near-
ly one hundred and twenty-five thous-
and people attended the Congress and
Exposition. The following account
is by Douglas Malcolm.
As a bright contrast to the de-
vastated fields and unharvested crops
of our unfortunate kin folks across
the Atlantic, the wireless message
from President Wilson which set in
motion the Ninth Annual Dry-Farm-
ing Congress at Wichita presented
a silent tribute to the national re-
liance upon the American farmer,
rather than upon the American force,
of arms. Within three days after
the receipt of his message, over 40,-
000 Americans fired with zeal for
conquest were mobilized within the
exposition grounds, and during the
period from October 7th to 17th,
nearly three times that many visited
what is considered the largest and
most varied examples of soil con-
quest which the United States ever
assembled together.
Accompanying this congress from
October 12th to the 15th was the an-
nual meeting of the International
Congress of Farm Women—an or-
ganization which some day will be
as formidable a factor in the life of
the average farm woman in her cam-
paign for better homes, as the votes
for women organization are in the
life of her metropolitan sister. To
one who has not followed the pro-
gress of this dry farming movement
since the first meetings were held
nine years ago, the eagerness with
which thousands of farmers from all
over the world reach out after its
teachings is astonishing. Years ago
it outgrew the word "dry" so that
now, although moisture conservation
is the keynote of inception it is more
of a "better" farming congress. Ev-
ery phase of rural achievement from
raising short horns to an address by
Mrs. Elbert Hubbard on "The Farm
Beautiful" was not only discussed,
but constructively outlined. Perhaps
no part of its work however had a
more penetrating lesson for the gen-
eral U. S. farmer from Florida to
Oregon than the lectures by Dr. T. N.
Carver, head of the Rural Orgoniza-
tion of the U. S. Department of Ag-
riculture, -tnd Professor of Economics
at Harvard University on the subject
of "Marketing and Rural Credit."
"All our improved methods will be
of small value if some one other than
the farmer gets the results," mention-
ed Prof. Carver.
"Since the capital is coming to play
such an important role in agriculture,
the cost of credit is coming to be an
important factor in the cost of grow-
ing crops. This again, effects agri-
cultural expansion precisely as does
the price of farm products. That is
to say, poor credit facilities and a
high interest rate will depress agri-
cultural production as surely as a
fall in the price of farm products.
"How can a farmer possibly get
credit on easy terms unless he has
a good basis for credit? This ques-
tion is asked more frequently than
any other by skeptics on the subject
of rural credit. Of course, there is
only one answer: He can not. But
it is too often assumed by people
who pride themselves on their hard-
headedness, and who fail to distin-
guish between hardness and impen-
ertability, that the only good basis
for credit is property or collateral.
Real financiers have always seen
deeper than this, but many of the
rank and file of those who deal in
securities, credit, and collateral, are
not financiers of any kind, either
great or small, though they imagine
that they are. They are sometimes
unable to see beyond the things
which clutter their desks and fill
their pigeon holes. To such men,
the suggestion that character may
be a satisfactory basis for credit
doubtless seems rather humorous."
Along almost similar lines Dr. E.
Dana Durand, former director of the
Census Bureau, but now Professor
of Economics at the University of
Minnesota, warned the country of the
dangers which careless farming was
making eminent.
"Because the population in this
country tends to overrun the food
supply, it means an everlasting hust-
ling if we get food enough," stated
the former Census head.
"We have had no reason to wor-
ry about the population outstripping
agricultural products until within the
last ten years, when conditions have
reached the danger signal point
where we may become an importing
instead of an exporting nation. We
have got to be active and keep our
wits or we will be falling behind
in the race. In 1912 the production
of cereals increased only 2 per cent,
cattle and hogs fell off, but the
population increased 21 per cent.
"For the first time in 1912 we im-
ported more food products than we
exported, and it looks more and
more like we might continue. If it
had not been for immigration the
increase in population would have
been only 14 per cent. And nine-
tenths of the immigrants went into
non-farming occupations. What are
we going to do? Increase the acreage
of land or get more out of the land?
If I stood here and asserted that
all of the land which is not under
cultivation is in the west, you prob-
ably would believe I was stating a
fact. The truth is, however, that
there is a great deal of land in the
east not under cultivation and it
will have to be brought under culti-
vation. In a single state in the west
there are 10,000,000 acres unused on
account of the non-existence of mois-
ture. We will get more per acre out
of the land if we put more labor
and more brains into the working
of it. In Europe they put more
of their land in food products. They
get more out of an acre of land than
we do, but the average quantity pro-
duced by a man in Europe is less
than that of a man in Kansas. It
is all right to make three blades of
grass grow where one grew before
if it does not take three men to do
it.
"The main thing for us to do is
to restore the balance between the
food supply and the population. We
must induce more people to go on to
the farms by legislation or some oth-
er way. We may have to force im-
migrants on to the farms by law.
We lead the world in mining, manu-
facturing and other industries, but
not in agriculture."
Along these lines went the trend
of thought throughout the meetings.
Almost every subject upon which a
thinking farmer reads was brought
out. Better government was one of
the big topics discussed, and Chas.
S. Gleed, director of one of the big
American railway systems, in an ap-
peal for a good political system,
said:
"No line of business or class of
peaple could prosper unless agri-
culture was prosperous and that ag-
riculture could prosper unless politi-
cal conditions were satisfactory."
"It is essential that a genuine
representative government should be
preserved, instead of the pure demo-
cracy which some desired. The ma-
jority must rule in a general way,
but a majority can be as tyrannical
as an individual, and it is therefore
necessary to offset one majority by
another, and to make it possible for
the minority to succeed by a divis-
ion of the majority. The people
have all the power and all the au-
thority as a practical matter, yet
they must delegate most of their au-
thority as a practical to representa-
tives."
He made an earnest plea for the
checks and balances which the fore-
fathers of America established to pre-
vent an undue concentration of pow-
er, which he said would eventually
lead to the evils of monorchical gov-
ernment. He urged equality, sim-
plicity and practicability of laws and
the preservation of an independent
judiciary as a measure for insuring
"Safety First."
At the Woman's Congress, the key-
note was "To make farm wives hap-
pier and their children more con-
tented."
Mrs. Ada Wortman of Beatrice, Ne-
braska, in speaking of the social life
of the farm described her experience
as a farm owner and a farm man-
ager. She said that in some ways—
"The 'men' of the neighborhood
had discouraged the natural courses
that women would follow in making
life on the farm more interesting
than in the city. The city woman
does not realize what an enjoyment
there is on the farm.
In the neighborhoods where the
farm women are active, there is no
need for the cry of 'Back to the
Farm' for things can be and are
made just as interesting as any in-
ducements ever thrown out from the
'gay' white way."
By the organization of clubs by
which to secure high class reading
matter, the boy who was anxious to
go to the city to live, would soon
find a reason for remaining out of
the already overcrowded city's of-
fices and factories. Good books will
do more toward keeping the boy on
the farm than any other method that
could be named.
Mrs. Alberta Kepper of Winfield,
Iowa, in discussing the "help mate"
maintained that—
"Today, as never before, we feel
the possibilities of united interests,
and a harmony of ideals are in the
home. Then there comes sympathy
into this hardened old world. Not in
a day can we hope for this ideal to
come into flower over all theworld.
There must be a time for ripening
of thought, a time for development
that man and his helpmate may at-
tain greater happiness when they go
hand in hand, guided by the star of
hope. Their achievements must be
shared, and their glory must be
appreciated by both no less than
their sorrows, but when the wife is
a good counsellor, a friend and com-
panion, the birthright of the woman
and the world in general, reaps its
reward."
"Housekeeping as an occupation
should be ranked as high as any vo-
cation or profession," declared Mrs.
G. H. Randlett, a South Dakota del-
[Continued on Page 6]
WE PAY MONEY FOR
YOUR SPARE TIME!
Several hours of your day are
worthless to you because you can't
cash in on them. We have spare
time work for one man or woman
in each locality. Write today.
TRI-STATE MERCANTILE CO.
611 Barnes Bldg. MUSKOGEE, 0KLA.
A NEW WAY
To Get Your Clothes Free
Make Big Money During Spare Tlm«
Something: Different,bigger,more liberal
than an v offer ever mad«. Low«r prices
- better clothes-bigger cash profits
Express paid on everything.
Double Pay
FREE clothes and cash besides. We don't
ask you to use your cush profits for your
own clothes. Ours is a no w and better plan.
An Extra Present with every order. Not
a prize scheme. Choose what you want,
work for it and get it besides your Cash
Profits. Complete Outfit FREE, 66
real cloth samples, 60 Fashion Plates,
"nside wholesale prices. Get the big
money. Your name on a post card
prices. Get tbe bl|
__ name on
brings everything FREE.
rSPENCER MEAD CO.,Depl 935 .Chloago
STARTS PLATING BUSINESS
The Plating Business is booming. Every Home, Store, Office. Factory,
Garage, Restaurant, Repair Shop have plating to be done. Unlimited
demand—enormous profits. Fortunes have been made in Plating.
Let us start you in the Electro Plating Business. Furnish you with
complete outfit. Ready for business in a few minutes. Start any-
where—makes no difference. Be your own boss—keep all of the
profits. It's a rushing, dignified, money-making business. It's so
easy, no experience, verv little expense, wo show you how. A few
dollars invested should bring
Complete Outfit
—Ready to Start
Wo furniflh everything complete. Teach you the bunine*s, give
all valuable recipes, formulae, trade secrets, FREE. Customers
delighted. One trial and they bring back more—tell their friends.
The dollars come rolling in. Profits increase daily. This is your
opportunity—start in the plating business—a small corner in your
homo at first—a permanent, profitable, money-making busmens of
your own. Don t complain about hard times—get busy—now—
costs nothing to investigate. Just send postal—your name and
address will do—we'll show you how to make money quick.
GRAY & CO. Plating Works, 501 Gray Bldg. CINCINNATI. OHIO.
liars invested should bring
$10 Profit A Day
OLEMAN AIR-O-LITE
Fill It Once a Week—Clean It Only Once a Year.
Here's the simplest, cleanest and most easily operated lamp of
them all-the Coleman Air-O-Lite. Gives you less trouble, re-
quires less care than any other. No wicks to trim, no chimneys
to clean, no greasy oil lamps to till. No batteries or engines or
wires to fuss with. No smoke, no soot, no odor. Nothing to
clog up or get out of order.
A Penny a Night for the Finest Light
No need to ruin your eyes with poor light. Enjoy every evening.
Read, study, play, sew, etc., under light that's clearer and bright-
er vet more natural, more eye-resting than electricity. gas or
acetylene. YOU can have such sight-saving light—800 candle
power—in anv room at only 1-8 cent an hour. Just write us tor
full particulars about The Coleman Air-O-Lite. a beautiful shaped
and tinished portable table lamp that makes and burns its own
gas, gives more light than 20 oil lamps. Is always ready and al-
ways reliable, is guaranteed for a years. Absolutely
safe, conforms to underwriter's rules, no danger even if tipped
over, burns drv without exploding. Wont blow out. ( an t spill.
Write for tree literature containing prices, descriptions and
showing many beautiful styles of ornamental Air O'Llte sntvaes.
MAKE LOTS OF MONEY
THIS WINTER
Selling Coleman Lamps to your neigh-
bors. Call on them evenings and dem-
onstrate. Show it and it sells itself.
Experience not necessary. Easy, pleas-
ant work with big protits. Have agents
making as high as $10 and ISO per week
now. You can do as well.
Field hardly touched. Exclusive terri-
tory. We back you up. assist you and
show you how to win. Success assured
from the start. Send to-day for cata-
logue and wholesale price list.
The Coleman Lamp Co.
232 North St. Francis Ave., Wichita. Ki.
1036 Summit Street, Toledo. Ohio
270 East 6th St., Paul, Minn,
430 Akard St., Dallas, Texas,
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Drummond, W. I. The Interstate Farmer (Muskogee, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 9, Ed. 1 Sunday, November 15, 1914, newspaper, November 15, 1914; Muskogee, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc97926/m1/3/: accessed April 27, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.