Show MR 0 LWE oa 1 bafit FOR rud I 1 KE twelve months ago most ot of the six million farmers of 0 the united states were starting on the long hard climb out odthe of the valley of 0 economic depression they havo have not yet attained the heights which are bathed in the grateful ua sunshine of prosperity some indeed have fallen by the way others are still in the valley nevertheless as we e stop a bit and look backward we can see that very considerable ground has been gained by the great majority and we can enter the new year with renewed hope and with that courage which comes from the realization that we are really making progress A year ear ago when speaking of 0 the prospects for or farming in 1922 1 I sald said that while there was no reason to expect boom times tor for the farmer armor in the near future there was promise of better times both to for r the farmer and for those whose business is largely dependent upon him the year has ha brought fulfillment of that promise speaking generally times are better much better than alan a year ago both tor for agriculture and for industry crops have been good on the whole prices of the maor major crops are mostly considerably higher while there has hag been a corresponding advance in the prices of the things the farmer must buy the total sum which farmers will receive tor for the crops of this year is greater by a billion and a halt half dollars or armore more than that which they rece received ivel to tor r the crops ot of last year this will certainly mean better times on the farm and farm arm folks will be able to ease case up a little on the grinding economy they were forced to practice the preceding year the labor cost of producing the crops ot of 1922 was still further reduced there were some substantial reductions lit in freight rates much helpful legislation has been enacted a and nd more fillba billbe this winter interess rateb ates are lower and the credit strain has been eased this has made it possible for many farmers who were rather heavily involved to refund their obligations and get themselves in condition to win through there are still some dark spots lu it some sections weather conditions were unfavorable and crops were short aud and farmers in these sections are having a very hard bard time of it freight rates pre re still too high especially tor for those who must pay tor for a long haul to market taxes are high hut but this is largely due no to the increase in local taxes over which farmers themselves must exercise arcise control there there has been gratifying growell in farmers cooperative marketing associations and more of them are being beine organized on a sound business basis aside ide from the help which has been given by legislation and by administration activities strong economic forces are at work to restore a more normal relation between agriculture and other industries the peril in the agricultural depression Is moro more keenly realized by other groups than ever before and on every hand a sincere desire Is being evidenced to do what can be done to help tho farmer better his condition everything considered we havo have got reason to expect still better things thing a for agriculture in tho the year 1923 |