The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-10-28
FARMERS AND POLITICS

The Alexandria, S. D., Herald, which
is in close touch with the farm inter,
ests of its community, in an editorial
reprinted in a recent issue of the Jour
nal, strikes the core Of the farmers
economic ills, but reaches an errone-
Gus conclusion concerning the remedy.
The editorial reads:
IAN organization of farmers in each
of the wheat producing states, holding
every bushel of their grain until they
receive a price that Will pay them a
fair profit above the cost OF produc-
tnon, would do far more 10 help the
farmer than the organization OF a po-
litical party. The farmers economic
ills Will never be cured by the admin
istration OF political treatment"
There is no argument against the
statement that a &C animation OF farm
ers which will hold Their crops for fair
prices ultimately will solve the farm
ers' economic ills. But under present
laws the farmers cannot form such
combinations without mourning a pen
atty. Section ! Of the antitrust law
reads:
Every contract, combination in the
form Of trust or otherwise. or conspir.
acy, in restraint OF trade or commerce
Is hereby declared to be H..
legal. Every person who shall make
any such contract. or engage in any
such combination or conspiracy, shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor,
and, on conviction thereof, shall be
punished by a fine not exceeding
$4,000. or by Imprisonment not ex.
ceeding n year. or by both fine and
Imprisonment in the discretion OF the
court.
AS If this provision did not get close
enough to the farmers. section 2 Of
the law provides:
Every person who shall monopolize,
or attempt TO monopolize, or combine
or conspire 10 combine with any other
person or persons to monopollze any
part of the trade or commerce. .
shall be deemed guilty OF a INSIDE
meanor and on conviction thereof
shall be punished by a fine not ex.
ceeding $4,000, or by Imprisonment or
by imprisonment not exceeding one
year, or by both fine and imprison-
ment in the discretion of the court.
Until these provisions of the law are
amended 1t is easily seen that farm.
ers who enter into agreements to
withhold their crops from the market
in order to secure a fair profit above
the cost of production are liable 10
indictment, fine and Imprisonment
That repeal Is an administration of
political treatment" which is essen.
tial before the farmers can combine
to carry out the suggestion of the
Herald. The raisin growers Of Cali
fornia have such an organization, and
though the association employed the
most expert lawyers so t frame the
articles of the association that thu
members would not be liable under
the sections of the law quoted above
the present attorney general has
caused indictments to be returned
aaginst the association and its Off
GERS for violation of these provisions
There is now a bill. known as hous,
bill 1881. pending in the present con
gress. which was introduced by re
publicans and has been supported b,
republicans and vehemently opposed
by democrats. which permits farmer.
to form cooperative associations TO
collective bargaining and which re
peals the two provisions Of the Law
quoted above SO far as the farmer
are concerned. II this bill become
q law farmers can combine to bargain
for the sale Of their crops withou