The Washington herald., 1920-02-29

What better use for this. my little
rhyme,
In honor OF this extra gift of Time,
Than make II render thanks for It.
and say
How glad I am to have this added
day
To give increase to love and goodiy
cheer
For all my struggling feiiow-mor-
And pledge myself to use its hours
To bring about Goodwin upon the
Earth.
Copyright. 1890. by The Mcclure Newspaper
its are earned by the simple pro-
cess OF marking UP the price of the
goods on the shelf to the cost of re-
placements am not at all sure
that We shall not find a great meas
ure Of remedy, both to the producer
and the consumer, now that the tide
OF imitation must soon turn, and
there may be a process Of marking
down the price of the goods on the
shelf instead of marking them UP.
'In this connection, II is worth
noting that although agricultural
products increased yet the total
commodity production of the United
States has decreased by nearly seven
or eight per cent during the past
eighteen months. At the same time
deposits in our credit banks have
decreased by nearly twenty per cent
No one can defend this terrible in
crease .of imitation since the ar
mistice.
Predicts Price Reduction.
"It Is scarcely possible for dealer
in commodities to have escaped this
magic wand of profits. II We have a
wise and steady reduction in infia-
ton, Ii will be a skillful dealer who
escapes a reduction in the scale of
profits. Whatever the result of this
process may be to the distributor,
II will reduce the margins between
the producer and the consumer. 1t
may also reduce the numbers Of the
persons engaged. Great wisdom Will
be required on the part of our gov
credit that this defiation shall take
place progressively and with care,
in order that there shall be no sud
den breaks with their resulting de-
moralization, unemployment and
misery. One of the most effective
measures in reduction of the cost
of distribution has been co-opera-
tive distribution among producers.
I'VE have some successful market
ing co-operatives. They have proved
their value both to the producer and
the consumer. We have however,
never had the development of COOP
Grafton to the extent that European
farmers have attained. To reach its
best results, cooperation must grow
on parallel lines by the consumers.
As cooperative marketing does not
reduce initiative or competition. i
have never seen the bogie of social
ism in il.
Suggests Standardization.
There are other directions by
which the costs of distribution can
be constructively reduced on behalf
of the farmer and consumer. For
instance, many of our products are
unstandardized; IL they were stand
ardized they could be sold by con-
tract instead of by doubtful inspecS
tion on delivery.
I'VE need an exhaustive economic
and practical investigation into our
great national boards of trades,
with view to extending their le-
gitimate functions or preventing
their abuse. The economic value to
the farmer of having a daily ma
tional price created by the ebb and
flow of absolutely untrammeled
trade in central markets has never
been fully appreciated. In commo-
dities where such trading is wholly
or partly unorganized. neither the
farmer nor the consumer has any
protection as to determination OF
the right price and the margins be-
tween consumer and producer widen
at once.
Wider margins between producers
and consumers Is always a measure
of hazards. When there is free and
public market these hazards de-
crease. The abuses of exchanges
lie. of course, in the possibility OF
manipulation OF their processes to
create artificial prices for specula-
tion. 1t is within their own
powers, and there is a growing tend
ency among them to eliminate these
abuses. The war proved a great
laboratory Of experience in these
needs study and review.
Mechanical Devices Aid.
Another field of interest in agri-
culture to engineers lies in it's me-
chanical equipment. Our American
engineers have replaced manual Ia
Dor by machines to a remarkable
degree. This mechanical develop
ment has raised the whole eco
nomic and social status of our
farmers to a point far above his
European cousin. There is yet a
great field of engineering for fur
ther assistance TO the whole in
dustry.
1T is in all these directions that
believe lies the best field fol
restoration of balance between
agriculture and industry. We want
our industries to develop, but we
want agriculture to keep pace. Sc
long as we can feed our industrial
population the greater industry
grows the greater is our whole
community.
The organization and the pro-
cesses of production and distribu.
tion are of centuries of develop
ment. This economic organism has
come to have an extreme delicacy
in it's adjustment, in its response
to stimulus. to effort. to the ability
and CHARACTER of all of the varied
members of our community. Sud.
den disturbance and the introduc.
tion of 'fsms" into this delicate
organism can only bring us diff
culties-can only Nduce our pro-
ductivity and tax our entire stand.
ard of living.