FARMERS: Simplicity

Secretary of Agriculture William M. Jardine recently left Southampton’s white-flanneled sands for Emporia, Kan. At Long Island’s social capital Mr. Jardine had learned to chitchat, and last week he attended a garden party of some 60 prairie editors who quizzed him on baptism and similar subjects. No religio-infantile authority, Mr. Jardine shifted the conversation to a region where he felt at home—farming, and even then delivered no farm relief oration, but, on the contrary, brought agriculture down to a game as simple as parchesi.

The point was that in 1922 the purchasing power of farm products fell from 205 to 116 points. All other products fell simultaneously from 241 to 167 points. “So,” explained Mr. Jardine, “when we hit the bottom other industries stood at 167 points and agriculture stood at 116. … At this time, after passing through three or four of the very worst years American agriculture ever has known, we have come back from the low point of 116 in 1922 to 147 in 1925, whereas nonagricultural products have dropped from 167 to 165. . . .”

Ingenious editors meditated. Suppose, for example, future Republicans came into office with farming at 250 points, left office with the score a miserable 100. OUT WITH THEM!