Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-30
UNFAIR TO FARMER
Not Getting His Share of
Profits, Says Prof. Bailey.
TIME SOMETHING IS DONE
Country Life Must Be Made Pro-
gressive and Satisfying.
MIDDLEMEN GETTING BENEFIT
Country Life Commissioner Advo-
Gates Federal and State Legisla-
ton to Equalize Conditions.

SANGERF1ELD, N. Y, July 30.-Ihe
whole people is beginning to feel that
something must be done to make country
life as progressive. effective and perma-
nently satisfying as city life. We can
not be a great people If one half of our
society is more highly developed than the
other half
Thus declared Prof. L. II. Bailey OF
the country life commission appointed by
President Roosevelt shortly before the
expiration of his term, in an address to-
day before the Sangerfield Country Club
here. Prof. Bailey outlined the program
which he thought should be followed in
attaining the desired end.
1.-The so-called country life movement
is slowly forming opinion that some
thing really fundamental must be done to
put rural society where it belongs" con-
tinued Prof. Bailey.
ITO make farming profitable Is no
longer a question merely Of raising more
produce. We have passed that point We
now have knowledge and experience
enough to enable US greatly to increase
our yields, IL only We put the knowledge
into practice.
Farmer Not Getting His Share.
But the farmer, speaking broadly,
does not get his share of the proceeds of
his labor, notwithstanding the increase in
the price of farm products. A merchant
in a small city may want as high as 20
per cent commission to sell produce, and
then retain the privilege of returning to
the grower all the product that spoils on
his hands or that he is unable to sell; he
invests little capital, taxes no risk. and
makes more than the man who buys his
land, prepares the crop months in ad-
vance and assumes every risk from
seed time to dinner table.
Now, l recognize the service OF the
middleman to society. But there is hard-
ship and injustice to the producer in much
of the present system, and We are under
obligation, as public men, to see that
these determinations are removed,
whether in the middleman trade itself,
rates of express companies and other
carriers or stock market gambling.
THE middleman question cannot be
solved by any combination Of farmers.
because it is not an agricultural ques-
ton. 1t is as much problem for con-
sumers as for producers. We do not yet
know whether the existing system OF
intermediary distributors Is necessary TO
future society, but we do not see any
other practicable way at present. But
the abuses must be checked and the mid
dleman must be brought under some
means OF control.
Governmental Protection Demanded.
Now. it is the business of every gov
eminent to protect its people. We are
beginning to protect the people from the
overlooking of railroads. from unfair
combinations in trade and from the ty-
ranny of organized politicians. 1t is just
as much the business of the government
to protect its people from the rapacity Of
dishonest and tyrannous middlemen.
II am glad to see the Farmers Union
and other organizations attacking the
middleman abuses. but no organization
can permanently handle the question un-
less the organization is all the people
The present agitation ouuht to compel
Congress to enact a law to correct the
evils and the organizations should then
keep such touch on the situations that
the laws will be enforced.
but the enactment Of a law, even of
good law, Is only another step in the
solution. There must be continuing
process of government with which to
work out the reform and to settle each
case on it's merits.
There are three steps In the control
OF the middleman: "a An aroused pub
lie conscience on the question; CD
good fundamental law for interstate
phases and similar state laws for local
phases; CD good commissions or other
bodies to which any producer or any con-
sumner or any middleman may take his
case.
No Harm to Honest Traders.
"Of course, some Of the middlemen and
associated trades will contend that all
this interferes with business and with
private rights, but no man has a private
right to Cypress or swindle another.
There is little danger that the legitimate
business of any honest middeman land
there are hosts of honest and dependable
middlemem will be interfered with.