The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1922-01-26

Without trying 10 catalogue the re-
medal measures that have been sug-
gested IN his behalf the principal pro
posals that bear directly on the I'm
provemeut ~ his distributing and mar
ketins relations may be summarized as
z llows e.
First. storage warehouses for cot
ton. wool. and tobacco. and elevators
FOR grain. Of sufficient capacity o. meet
the maximum demand on them al the
peak 81 the marketing period. The
farmer thinks that either private capt
tai must furnish these facilities, OF the
state must erect and own the eleva-
tors and warehouses
Second. weighing and grading 81
agricultural products. and certiiication
thereof. 10 be done by impartial and
di~interested public inspectors (this is
already accomplished 10 some extern
nv the federal licensing If weighcrs
and S~aders). o. eliminate uuderpay-
ing. orercharGiug. and unfair grading,
and 10 facilitate the utilization II the
stored products as the basis ~ credit.
Third a certainty Of credit sufficient
To enable the marketing ~ products
In an orderly manner.
Fourth the Department Of AEricul-
ture should collect tahul1te. Summa-
rye and regularly and frequently pub
lish anC distribute TO the farmers. full
information from all the markets Of
the world. 50 that they shall be as well
informed Of their selling position as
buyers now are Of their buying posi-
tlon
Fifth: freedom 10 lntegrate the bust
ness Of agriculture by means OF con
solldated selling agencies. co-ordinat-
ing and cooperating In such way as TO
put the farmer on an equal footing
with the large buyers OF his products,
and with commercial relations In other
industries
When a business requires specialized
talent. II has 10 buy II. So VIII the
farmers and perhaps the best way for
them 10 get II would be TO utilize some
Of the present machinery of the larg-
est established agencies dealing In
farm products. OF course. IL he wishes,
the farmer may go further and engage
In hour-milling and other manufactures
Of food products. In my opinion.
however. he would be wise TO stop
short Of that. Public interest may be
opposed 70 all great integrations; but,
In Justice. should they be forbidden to
the farmer and permitted to others
The corporate form Of association can
not now be wholly adapted to his OBJ
jects and conditions. The loOser CO
operative form seems more generally
suitable Therefore. he wishes TO be
free. IL he finds II desirable and feas-
ible 10 resort 70 cooperation with his
fellows and neighbOrs. without run
ming afouk OF the law To urge that
the farmers should have the same lib
erty to consolidate and coordinate
their peculiar economic functions
which other Industries In their fields
enjoy. Is not, however. To concede that
any business Indignation should have
legislative sanction 10 exercise monop
olistic power The American people
are as firmly opposed TO industrial as
to pOliticar autocracy. whether at
tempted by rural or by urban Industry
For lack Of united effort the farmer:
as a whole are still marketing theil
crops by antiquated methods. or by nj
methods AT all. but they are surrounded
BY a business world that has beer
4 H4Ltl Ah lAAE AhNA ah+'''N' 49,
tirelessiy striving for efficiency This
efficiency is due In large measure Il
big business. to united business. 10 In
tegrated business The farmers nov
seek the benefits Of such largeness, I'm
ion and Indignation.
The American farmer Is modern o
the moderns In the use Of labor savin;
machinery. and he has made vas
, strides I'm recent years In scien'in
tillage and efficient farm management
but as business in contact with othe
businesses agriculture is zone hors
shay" in competition with high powe
automobiles. The American farmer
the greatest and most intractable o
individualists. While Industrial pre-
duction and all phases OF the huge com
mercial mechanism and Its myriad at
cessories have articulated and cO-ordl
mated themselves all the way from mai
| ural raw materials TO retail sales, tn
business OF agriculture has gone on !
much the one man fashion Of the back
woods of the first part OF the nine
teenth century. when the farmer wa