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Show II HOUSTON'S PESSIMISM. Hlflj Secretary Houston continues to be HE 'onr m05t conspicuous public pessimist. II In spite of the fact that on his own II showing all the crops excopt the corn III crop are as big as'evcr or bigger, tho 111 Secretary of Ariculturo looks gloomily 111 upon the future of the farmer. The I M trend cityward cannot be stopped, he I m -thinks, until rural life can be mado I I fully cflicicnt, profitable, healthy, H I pleasurable, and attractive, and before I I a larger disposition to remain on tho I W farm develops. T.f the farmers cannot III weep for themselves they can find a III perpetual source o tears in Secretary I w Houstou. Every few weeka his H I lamentations may be heard sighing H 9 across America's -barren fields. I 1 In every line of human endeavor H m there is a desire for greater efficiency, SH profits, health and pleasure. The farm-Hlfj farm-Hlfj crs arc not alone iu desiring that the Hme world-shall lake a step forward in these HuS Fortunately the report of Secretary Hf I Houston contains facts that do not ac- II cord with the melancholy spirit of his ll editorial comment. The crop estimates 119 indicate that the city trend of popula-Intf popula-Intf . tion has not so seriously, interfered with HIS production on the farms but that lH TC oan Pr0,,ce larger crops each year. IH The optimist is apt to think that this l ,s a proof that the trend toward the HI cities is not as great as many have Wtm imagined. The wheat production is HI estimated at 753,000,000 bushels, the HI largest ever recorded in this country. BH There were increased areas sov.m to HP wheat, oats, barley, rye and com, and Hl we have bountiful crops of all these HI; cereals except corn, which will make HB; tho poorest showing in twenty years. HI Eeu the corn crop docs not seem II to discourage tho farmers. Almost H. every day tho newspapers in various II; parts of the country are bragging about IBj the price' which this year's corn crop II wiU bring. It is freely predicted that Iff the farmers will make more out of their IB; -oro as a result of the high prices than II over before. Moreover, the farmers II probably will get as much or nearly as l much for their other crops as they If: have in any recent years, and the grand lp total of revenue for farmers may be Hj! higher than at any time in the history IP of the nation. One would thiuk. there-HI there-HI fore-, that Secretary Houston, having i he interest of the farmer at heart, II would be iji a most cheerful statu of Iff mind. When, another spell of gloom flu: comos over him, we suggest that ho go II Jl ut among the farmers and talk with HlM '1h.mii about the money (hey are rccciv- H f&r their various crops. We arc con- Htfl iident that he will find the farmer of Hi :i cheery optimist. HU Tbn Secretary rightly suggests that H f nc of the most important needs of the HI farmer is the improvement and the ex- Hfl tension of roads. Wo doubt, however, I whether his plan to secure more good I roads will meet with the approval of I the sparsely settled districts. The Sec- I retury believes that the Federal Gov-ornment Gov-ornment .should apportion its money for I good roads oh the basis of total popu- I lation, farm i)opulation, nrpn, taxable H valuation and mileage If by this ia I meant that the areas with the greatest I population should be aided hy tho Fed- I oral Government in preference to thoto I areas which have utnal population, it I would eccm as if the Government would j I be supplying the greater amount of I I money for districts whero good roads m already are numorous and denying; linancial assistance where good roads fl aro moat needed. |