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Show I 1923 PROSPECTS I FORMMLTIE STATEMENTS OF AGRICULTUR-I AGRICULTUR-I AL CONDITIONS AND PROS- PECTS FROM SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE WALLACE. H ' Twolvo months ago most of the six billion farmers of tho United States wore starting on tho long hard H climb out of tho valloy of economic H . depression. They have not yet at- t.ined the heights which arc bathed in tho grateful sunshino of prosperity. prosper-ity. Some, indeed havo fallen by tho way. Others nr0 still in vthe valloy, Nevertheless, as wo stop a bit and iook backward wo can see that very considerable ground has been gaind by tho great majority, and wo can enter tho New Year with renewed hope and with that courage which comes from tho realization that wo are really making progress. A year ago, when speaking of tho prospects for farming in 1922, I said that while there w.s no reason to expect boom times for tho farmer in tho near future, there was promise of better times, both for tho farmer and for thoso whoso business is large-ly large-ly dependent upon him. Tho year has brought fulfillment of that promise. Speaking generally, times are better, much better, than a year ago, both for agriculture and for industry. Crops have been good, on the whole. Prices of tho major crops are mostly" considerably higher. While there has been a corresponding correspond-ing advance in the prices of tho things tho farmer must buy, tho to- , " tal Bum -which farmer will receivo . for the-jcrops of this yearfs' greater by a -billion and a half dollars or ' more than that which they received for tho crops of last year. This will certainly mean better times on tho farm, and farm folks will bo ablo to easo up a little on tho grinding economy they wero forced to practice prac-tice tho preceding year Tho labor cost of producing the crops of 1922 was still further reduced. re-duced. IThero wero some substantial substan-tial reductions in freight rates. Much helpful legislation has been enacted, and more will bo this winter. Interest In-terest rates aro lower and tho credit strains has been eased. This has made it possible, for many farmers themselves in condition to win refund their obligations and get who were rather heavily involved Jto through. There are still some dark spots. In some sections weather conditions were unfavorable and crops wero short, and farmers in these sections aro having n very hard time of it. Freight rates are still too high, especially for thoso who must pay for a long haul to market Taxes are-high, but this is largely large-ly duo to tho increase in local taxes, over which farmers themselves must exercise control. There has been gratifying growth in farmers' cooperative' marketing associations, and more of them aro being organized on a sound business basis. Aside from tho help which has been given by legislation arid by admin-j istration activities, strong economic I forces are nt work to restore a more I normal relation between agriculture and other industries. I Tho peril in tho agricultural depression de-pression is more keenly realized by other groups than ever before, and on every hand a sincer0 desiro is being evidenced to do what can bo done safely to help tho farmer bet-: pWijfrl8 condition. Everything considered, we havo g6od reason to expect still better things for agriculture in tho year' 1923. |