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Show BAD ADVERTISING J I Every person familiar with agricultural conditions in the West will agree with much that is said on the subject in political addresses to farmers. The farmer has had tough sledding since the post-war deflation. His dollar is not back to a parity with the industrial dollar dol-lar if some way can be found for the government to help him back on his feet that will not do more harm than good, there will be general support for the plan throughout the country. But, of course, the farm industry is not on the verge of colapse, as every farmer knows. Does it really help the farmer to tell the country, including investors whose money is still needed for farm development that the collapse is on us? Does it make it easier to get loans at a reasonable interest rate by frightening the people who have money to lend? A Missouri country banker remarked the other day that he was urging an eastern correspondent to send some money to the West for investment. "Why should I do that?" his friend replied. "Don't I keep hearing that the West is in terrible shape?" At the Omaha convention in 1892 the newly organized Populist party announce'd in its platform that it met "in the midst of a nation brought to the verge of moral, political and material ruin." The country didn't go to the dogs, but the bad advertising the old "Pops ' gave the prairie states undoubtedly hindered their recovery from the depression that then existed. Politicians naturally figure it is good business for them to exaggerate exag-gerate conditions so as to appeal for farm support- But is such exaggeration ex-aggeration good business for the farmers A business man who is solvent doesn't think it helps him tc tell the world he is going broke. Is the farmer in any different pos- i'.ion? Kansas City Times. |