Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-12-08
rHE FARMER.

A communication from S. G. Rubinow, appear
ing IN this issue, calls attention to certain conditions
which need to be considered not only by the farm
ing population of the state, to whom the observa-
tons are particularly directed, but by our people
generally. We are in an era OF exploitation in the
tield OF marketing, especially the marketing of agri-i
cultural products. The need for modification and
reform in existing methods is generally recognized,
and because Of the recognition of this need there
are continually springing up organizations for the
protested purpose of lettering marketing conditions,
and these organizations make their appeal chiefly to
farmers, and frequently to farmers and business
men alike. The merit of these is varied, but it is an
undoubted fact that many of them exist only for
the purpose of providing revenue for the solicitors
and other agents who are employed in obtaining
members. Some of the plans proposed are wild
and visionary on their face. Some are plausible,
and some have demonstrated merit; but the glib or
ganizer, experienced in his work, is able to present
even he'least worthy of these in a form which
makes it attractive, and which often enlists the
farmer III an enterprise entirely valueless to him and
to his community, and useful only to the organizer
who is receiving his commission on the business
which he does.
Mr.. Rubinow does we'll to call attention to this
state of affairs and thoughtful people, we believe,
will concur entirely with him in his conclusion that
greater care ought to be exercised in doing business
with persons claiming to represent marketing and
other cooperative organizations. The Farm Bu-
reau, as he says, is an organization of an entirely
worthy and useful kind. 1t is organized on a basis
winch gives confidence IN Its strength and in the
good faith with which its operations are carried on.
Its members are associated together in a form which
enables them to keep closely in touch with all the
details Of its business, and whatever may be said Of
other organizations, this one undoubtedly has the
first demand on the support of the farmer and the
business man, who in all cases must cooperate with
the farmer. .-
In just one particular would The Herald take
issue with Mr.. Rubinow, and that is in his sugges-
ton that a public safety commission ought to pass
on the soundness of these various, enterprises which
are presented for public support. In the opinion of
The Herald this would be entirely ilmpracticable.
No body of men representing the state is competent
to pass judgment on private business enterprises
in whose organization there is no evidence Of fraud
or bad faith. Some organizations arc professedly
speculative, and if presented as such are entirely
legal and the state has no authority to prevent their
presentation on their actual merits. For an Off
cial body to attempt to draw the line between those
organizations which are really meritorious and
those which are questionable, provided the element
of fraud is eliminated, seems to be entirely out of
the question: The individual must rely on his own
good sense in such matters, and if his good sense
is operating as it should he will refuse to enter into
contracts with strangers in relation to enterprises
of which he has no means of being Informed. He
will at least obtain information as to the enterprise
and, as Mr.. Rubinow suggests, inspect the record
of those who are managing it.