The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-09
rEs'CRoP STORAGE PLAN.
52vsnneh business Men Do Sot Think
it Is Practicable.

it Ia Practicable
The sub-treasury plan OF President Liv-
lBg5ton of the farmers alliance does not
fad any advocates among the various
branches of trade in this city, as MORNING
NEWS reporter learned yesterday after
number OF interviews with representative
business mon on the Bay.
President Livings.On's scheme, briefly
put, is for the government to store, in gov
ernWent warehouses, the staple product of
the farms, at no expense TO tie farmer
except that of storage and insurance,
the cropS to be kept there year, when
the farmer may sell from month to
month according to the demand, the gov
eminent to issue to the farmers negotiable
certificates to 50 per cent. of the products
stored. The plan Mr.. Livingston proposes
to apply, also, to pig iron, or any staple
product; in short, 10 any agricultural or
manufactured product OF nonperishable
character.
A prominent cotton factor and leading
financier, when asked what he thought of
the scheme, replied that it Is Utopian IL
might, he thinks, work in Russia, but not
IN this country before the millennium,
and he puts that at least 1000 years
in the distance. In this free
country such a paternal system of
government Is inconsistent with free insti-
buttons. The people are able to control their
own private affairs without RELOCATING them
to federal control III any such manner,
and any such surrender to paternal con-
troll can be seriously considered by only
few Missionaries.
1T is a crazy scheme" said another lead
ing cotton factor. "a government con-
Quoted under such laws would require a
king to enforce them. To prevent fuctua-
tons the government would have to fix
prices, and only monarchical edicts could
enforce them. No country in
the world ever tried such
crazy scheme There is nothing like it in
history, sacred or profane, aud the nearest
approach to parallel it was when Joseph
stored all the corn in Egypt in the kings
warehouses, and that was justified by the
approach of a seven years famine. In that
case the corn was purchased outright, and
not put IN government warehouses on an
so per cent. Certificate
1T is supremacy ridiculous" said another
business man, land it would be impossible
TO carry it into effect. 1t is q proposition
that cannot seriously be entertained 1t is
no more of the governments business to
exercise paternal care of the crops than it
Is to regulate any of the private business
relations between citizens. The laws of
supply and demand regulate themselves,
and it is the sheerest folly to advocate any
further interference by the government"
F.
~ don't care to be quoted on the subject, as
those who would favor such a visionary
scheme would most likely look upon those
who differ with them as their enemies But
it is a ridiculously absurd scheme, and
would be hurt I'll to the farmers themselves
if it were within the bounds OF possibility to
carry out any such Utopian plan"
The business men DO not seriously con-
slider such foolish and impracUicable
schemes" said a leading naval stores man.
1--WE have not disc used it, and it is talked
Of when we have nothing else to talk about,
because it is the curious idea of an imagi-
native brain. 1t never can be adopted, and
it is not worthy of serious notice or con-
slderatio1. 1t is practically impossible for
Any such legislation to be enacted in free
country
''No such plan is practicable" said a
we'll known banker and business man. at
has nothing to recommend it, and every
tning about it to render it Objectionable
1t would not help the farmers nor any one
else. 1t would be the fecund parent of
Over-production if it could be given even a
trial. Supply and demand cannot be
regulated by the government turn
ing store keeper for the
farms, the mines ana the factories. 1t
would be the wiser plan for the farmers to
use their influence for practical legislation.
The currency needs expansion, for while the
population has steadily increased for the
past ten years, during tnat time the volume
of currency has not increased. Wise legsla-
ton, looking to a conservative expansion of
the circulating medium, is what the farm
ers want, but the 80 per cent. certificate
from a government clearing house on the
products of the farm, workshop, furnace,
factory and mine is not the solution of the
problem, and the abSurdity of the scheme
alone lends interest to it,"
CITY RR RVITTh-