Farm Programs About the Same

HELLO FOLKS — The total rainfall for here during the month of July was 3.1 inches. That was considerably less than at Albert Lea and Austin. I understand Austin had about six inches.

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IT IS NOT what men eat but what they digest that makes them strong; not what we gain, but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read, but what we remember that makes us learn; and not what we preach, but what we practice that makes us Christians. – Francis Bacon.

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I DON'T write much about farm programs these days. The reason is that they have become so obnoxious with their political meddling that I feel they do more harm than good. An idea can be perfectly good, but before the 'cooks' get done, it is so messed up with political meddling that is it hardly recognizable, and probably as worthless.

I think it is about time the various farm organizations start using their back-bones instead of their wish-bones and agree to get the government out of the pricing business and decide to do their own supporting of farm commodities. These organizations have grown stronger in recent year and with a bit of help from our Congressman in the form of a revolving fund to help support commodities, to prevent disaster prices, these organizations can very well do more for the farmers than the government could ever hope to do.

If labor had gone to the Government to get the benefits that have received over the years they would find themselves in the same 'pickle' the farmers are in.

With the farmer's setting their own support prices they would not set them at levels that would create or perpetuate surpluses.

With no surpluses there would be no depressed prices. The consumer would not be irritated by having to pay tax money to support and store food they can't eat.

Hence, there would be better rural urban relations. Our farm economy and therefore our total national economy would be healthier and the "Gross National Product" would be higher, if the famers handled their own program, and they rightly should.

The whole history of farm programs proves that they have been a dismal failure.

It all harks back to the old adage: "If you want a thing done right, do it yourself."