Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1920-10-15

consumer but detrimental to the producer of pro-
ducts If mills and packing plants were owned and
operated by the state the government would have to
the price that farmers should receive for
wheat hogs and steers as we'll as price that
must pay for -four, pork and beef. The farm
of Northwest have had experience with
fixing of prices during the War the govern
the price of wheat, and it will be remem-
bered that in response to the demands of the consum
class in the industrial centers for cheap food
in defiance of the insisance of the farmers for
their labor and outlay, the price was
considerably below what the government officials
have themselves declared be the cost of produc
ton.
Why did the government yield to the consumers
rather than the fixing the price of wheat
May not the explanation be found in the fact that only
onethrd of the people of the country live farms
and two-thirds in cities and villages? Government in
republic by politicians, and always will be,
only by appealing the people for votes
that may secure or hold public office in re-
public. Being dependent the majority for approval
the politician must do the bidding of the majority
surrender his place who will. 1t to be
pected that government composed Of men elected by
the people would the interests of onethrd of the
people in defiance of the interests of twothirds The
conclusion irresistible that the yield
to the demands of the consuming classes for sateowned
and stateoperaed marketing facilities they would but
jump from the frying pan into the fire.
The better way to eliminate marketing abuses is
to establish collective bargaining: let the farmers sell
their products collectively instead of individually Labor
has for insisted the right of bargaining col
ectvey with the employer through unions in the sale
of their product labor and should not be heard to
deny the farmers the right it has for decades claimed
for itself.
The lemon and orange growers of California
years ago faced the situation that
of the Northwest face today. Theirs being highly
perishabe commodity, their situation was worse than
that of the grain growers Their fruit rotting
the trees while people in the large consuming centers
paying high prices for oranges and lemons. The
fruit growers formed association through which
sell their collectively; through that association
they have eliminated their former troubles they have
reduced in fact nearly wiped out the former wide
gin between the producer and the consumer, is
proved by the fact that oranges bring
much in the orchards of California they the
retailer in the wholesale houses of Minneapolis and St.
Paul. making proper allowance freight charges and
cost of handling
The milk producers of the territory tributary the
Twin Cities have adopted the collective bargaining prn
ciple The potato growers of northern have
effected organization collectively in the mar
ketng of potatoes The national Bureau organza-
ton is perfecting organization through which will
be sold the wheat from farmers and other local
tors directly to the mills and to Europe.
By securing memberships in the chambers of COM
merce and boards of trade marketing associations
introduce into the marketing situation degree
petition that will compel commission merchants and
brokers to do business legitimate margin go
of business Live stock marketing associations
give the packers the choice of paying fair prices for
cattle and hogs go without them and close down.
For years. it conended that collective bargain
ing in the sale of farm products violation
laws against combination in restraint of trade. AS
result of pressure that brought to bear by
of milk, the Offices of the milk producers
alton indicted by grand jury in Hennepin county
But during the last regular legislative session. through
provision the Christensen cooperative
law collective bargaining in farm products speci-
needed to legaze operations in interstate
Such legislation proposed that has already
passed the House of Representatives and pend
ing the Senate the Yostead Collective
gaining Act.
With the passage of state and national legislation
themselves will have been removed.
Organized labor has protested against wage-fxng
by law it has denounced proposed legislation in that
direction violation of the Fifteenth Amendment,
an effort to re-esabsh slavery. Surely those who
zealousy guard their liberties will not be heard
what they will have for those products which
fruits of their labor and surely they will not help
place the agricultural producers the shackles of
oppressive prcefxing policy, which would be the
inevitable result of government ownership opera
ton of the and nstrumentalities of marketing
farm products.