Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-09
Scientific study.

ILlru, the ItepuOl-CAn party pl9O8eS
tural prices and farm production
costs, both at home and abroad, with
a view to reducing the frequency OF
abnormal fluctuations here. Stabiltza-
ton will contribute to eVerybody's
confidence. Farmers have COM
planned bitterly of the frequent and
violent fluctuations in prices of farm
products. and especially in prices Of
tions-such fluctuations-.n the prod
ucts Of other industries. In a general
way prices of farm products mus go
up or down according to- whether.
there is a plentiful crop or short
one. The farmers raw materials are
the fertility of the soil, the sunshine
and the rain; and the size Of his
these raw materials n the skill with
which he makes use of them: He
can pot control his production and.
adjust\Nt, to the demand as Gun the
manufacturer. But he can see no
good a why the prices Of his
products should f%luctuate SO violently
from week to week, and sometimes
from day to day. We must get q bet
ter. understanding o. the factors
which influence agricultural prices,
with a view to avoiding these violent
fluctuations and bring about average
prices, which shall bear a reasonable
relations to the cost of production.
We do not offer any quick remedies
intthis matter, but we do pledge our
selves to make a thorough study of,
the disease. find out what caused it,
and then apply the remedy which
promises a cure.
To Stop Pricc-Fixing. \
Fourth, we promise to put an end
to unnecessary price-fixing. Of farm
products and to ill-considered efforts
arbitrarily to- reduce farm product
prices. In times Of national crisis,
when there Is a known scarcity Of
any necessary product, price control
for the purpose Of making a fair dis
tribution Of the stores on hand may
be both necessary and wise. But
we know that there can be no re-
peal Of natural laws-the eternal
fundamentals. The history of the
last three thousand years records the
folly of such efforts. If the price
Of n farm produLt, for example. is
arbitrarily fixed at a point which
does not cover the cost of produc-
ton. the farmer is compelled, to re-
lar crop. This results in a shortage
which in turn brings about higher
prices than before, and thus intensi-
flies Nthe danger from which it was
sought to escape. In times past,
many nations have tried to hold down
living costs by arbitrarily fixing prices
of farm products. All such efforts
national disaster.
Vain and Useless
Government drives against food
prices such as we have experienced
during the past two years are equally
vain and useless. The ostensible pur.
/ pose of such drives Is to reduce the
price the consumer pays for food,
The actual result Is .unjhstly to de-
press for a time the prices the farm
er receives for his grains and live
duction in the price the consumer
pays. Such drives simply give the
Spectator and the profiteer addition
al opportunities to add to their exac-
tions, while they add to the uncer-
tainty and discouragement under
which the farmer Is tailoring during
this period Of reimbursement.
Fifth, we favor the administration
of h farm loan act 10 as to help
men who farm to secure farms OF
their own, and ;to>give to them long
time credits needed to practice the
best methods of diversified farming.
We also favor the. authorization
9fsAssociations to provide the neces-
dairy machinery sto furnish personnel
credit to the man, whether land
for lack Of working capital: The
highest type Of rural civilization Ii
that in which the land is farmed by
the men who own 1t. Unfortunately
as land increases in value, tenancy
also increases.
An Increasing EVIL.
This has been true throughout his