AGRICULTURE

The important place which agriculture holds in the economic and social life of the Nation can not be overestimated.  The National Government is justified in putting forth every effort to make the open country a desirable place to live.  No condition meets this requirement which fails to supply a fair return on labor expended and capital invested.  While some localities and some particular crops furnish exceptions, in general agriculture is continuing to make progress in recovering from the depression of 1921 and 1922.  Animal products and food products are in a more encouraging position, while cotton, due to the high prices of past years supplemented by ideal weather conditions, has been stimulated to a point of temporary over production.  Acting on the request of the cotton growing interests, appointed a committee to assist in carrying out their plans.  As it result of this cooperation sufficient funds have been pledged to finance the storage and carrying of 4,000,000 bales of cotton.  Whether those who own the cotton are willing to put a part of their stock into this plan depends on themselves.  The Federal Government has cooperated in providing ample facilities.  No method of meeting the situation would be adequate which does not contemplate a reduction of about one-third in the acreage for the coming year.  The responsibility for making the plan effective lies with those who own and finance cotton and cotton lands.

The Department of Agriculture estimates the net income of agriculture for the year 1920-21 at only $375,000,000; for 1924-25, $2,656,000,000; for 1925-26, $2,757,000,000.  This increase has been brought about in part by the method already referred to, of Federal tax reduction, the elimination of waste, and increased efficiency in industry.  The wide gap that existed a few years ago between the index price of agricultural products and the index price of other products has been gradually closing up, though the recent depression in cotton has somewhat enlarged it.  Agriculture had on the whole been going higher while industry had been growing lower.  Industrial and commercial activities, being carried on for the most part by corporations, are taxed at a much higher rate than farming, which is carried on by individuals.  This will inevitably make industrial commodity costs high while war taxation lasts.  It is because of this circumstance that national tax reduction has a very large indirect benefit upon the farmer, though it can not relieve him from the very great burden of the local taxes which he pays directly.  We have practically relieved the farmer of any Federal income tax.

There is agreement on all sides that some portions of our agricultural industry have lagged behind other industries in recovery from the war and that further improvement in methods of marketing of agricultural products is most desirable.  There is belief also that the Federal Government can further contribute to these ends beyond the many helpful measures taken during the last five years through the different acts of Congress for advancing the interests of the farmers.