The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-07-26
FARMERS MUST COOPERATE
Business Men Take Crops and Handle
Them Through Organization Until
Consumer Ia Reached.

Practically every business interest
In the commercial world co-operates
to greater or less extent except the
farming interests. 1t Is true that In
isolated instances farmers do cooper
ate in certain directions but as a
whole the farmer faces the business
world as an individual. In addressing
the Tri-state meeting, Mr.. R. A. WIKI
inson brought out many good points
on the subject of cooperation among
farmers. In part he said:
I'm olden times everything was pro-
duced on the farm, but the change in
conditions when machinery was intro
duced, made it possible to produce
more food than was needed on the
farms. To make a market for this
manufacturing was encouraged. This
manufacturing became organized and
demanded protection, which it received
through the tariff, which it received
self for the purpose Of protecting the
profits. In considering the selling
price the cost Of production was con-
sidered and to this a sum was added
sufi to make a good return on
the investment. The farmer has been
selling his products. for what these
organizations and interests were will
ing to pay as modified by supply and
demand. There has been no considera-
ton of the cost of production and
profits in setting the price on farm
ct, 01rf1
not the farm products bring enough
to cover cost Of production, plus a
fair margin of profit? Wheat, for in
stance, in the last five years varied as
much as SOC bushel, while the bread
which is made from 1t has commanded
the same price regardless of the farm
er's return. The cost OF production on
the farm has not varied to this ex-
tent
THE way to bring about this better
condition is for the farmer to con-
slider his farm as a business PROPOSE
ton, that he consider the cost of pro-
duction, which will bring him to q
study OF farm ement-consider-
alton Of details. It would also mean
=
that marketing will be given as much
atIent1on as producing. At present
what the FARMER receives bears but lit
tie relation to what the consumer
pays. The businessmen who take the
crop from the farmer and handle 1t
until 1t reaches the hands of the con-
sumer are organized to pay as little
as possible ana TO charge as much as
= ssA1e - Des''.
for the Ia'mer 70 go up against
TINS ORGANIZATION single handed shows
q most Colossal sen concert. only
way 70 mea TINS com blns-1on Is
through comslnatlon'' mat IS Tor the
farmers 70 gam ONE, or III other words
cs'-opsEalY
The tics Of Sthe steel trust Is
steel al s. ~ the railroads is
railroad nspolitics Of the farmer
should pc farming. To do this, they
must o'ganIze. In North Dakota the
farmer pays seventh-nInths OF the tax
es and exerts less than se{en-hun-
dredths OF the power in government.
In the legislative policy OF the country
the tanner is never considered. No
matter how much the legislation af-
fecss The interests OF the farmer, he is
not casa INTO the council. Wnen any
measure Is Drought up snat aHects the
ihsh acsurer OF tne transportation
aseney - ehe eommercla. inserests-
'ney arg consuiteo-tnelr intsrests are
cons ueieu'