Farming: A Hard Row To Hoe

 

You people must be getting your input from President Reagan and the Department of Agriculture. The truth of the matter is that the greedy bankers dangled money in the farmer's face, saying, "If you don't buy that land right now, it'll be gone forever." The machinery dealer dangled interest-free deals and trades, saying, "Now you need larger machinery to farm that much ground." The governmental lackey dangled from money in the farmer's face, saying, "Look, here is a roster of 60 of your neighbors who took from me, why not you?" Then came 1985 and 1986, and readers can finish the story themselves.

EDITOR-NOTE:

We weren't surprised that our story about the Iowa farmer who shot his wife, his banker, and himself ("An American Tragedy," May) brought a most impassioned response from readers. As spring warmed the farm country in the Midwest, tractors continued to be diverted from the fields to the auctioneer's block. And readers debated whether farmers like Dale Burr are simply paying the price of being bad businessmen or were manipulated by bankers and government land officials.

Our article on AT&T's new corporate headquarters ("The AT&T Building in Manhattan," May) contributed to the increasing skepticism about whether the company will ever be much more than a long-distance giant. The Wall Street Journal (May 12) and Business Week (May 19) both pointed to continuing weaknesses in AT&T's new computer and information businesses. Our piece suggested -- not so subtly to readers, apparently -- that the company's champagne tastes don't fit very well in the new competitive environment of telecommunications.