The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-02-07

Now, what Is the farmer asking
Without trying TO catalogue the re-
medal measures that have been sug
gested In his behalf, the principal pro-
pesals that bear directly on the I'M
prevement Of his distributing and mar
keting relations may be summarized as
follows
First: storage warehouses for cot
ton, wool and tobacco, and elevators
for grain, Of sufficient capacity to meet
the maximum demand on them at the
peak Of the marketing period The
farmer thinks that either private CAPT.
tai must furnish these facilities, or the
state must erect and own the eieva-
tors and warehouses.
Second: weighing and grading Of
agricultural products, and certifcatton
thereof. to be done by impartial and
disinterested public inspectors tthis IL
already accomplished to some extent
BY the federal licensing Of weighers
and graders), to eliminate underpay-
ing, overcharging, and unfair grading,
and to facilitate the utilization Of the
stored products as the basis Of credit
Third: certainty of credit sufficient
to enable the marketing Of products
In an orderly manner.
Fourth the Department Of Agricul-
ture should collect. tabulate, summa-
rize. and regularly and frequently pub
lish and distribute to the farmers. full
Information from all the markets of
the world. so that they shall be as well
informed Of their selling position as
buyers now are Of their buying posi-
ton.
Fifth: freedom to integrate the bust
ness of agriculture by means of con-
solidated 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 q business requires specialized
talent, 1t has to buy 1t. SO will the
farmers; and perhaps the best way for
them to get 1t would be to utilize some
Of the present machinery Of the larg-
est established agencies dealing In
farm products. OF course, II he wishes.
the farmer may 60 further and engage
In hour-milling and other manufac tures
Of food products. In my opinion,
however, he would be wise to stop
short Of that Public interest may be
opposed to all great integrations; but,
In Justice, should they be forbidden to
the farmer and permitted 70 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, II he finds 1t desirable and feas-
ible, to resort to cooperation with his
fellows and neighbors, without run
ming afoul of the law To urge that
the farmers should have the same lib
their peculiar economic functions
which ether Industries in their fields
enjoy, Is not, however, to concede that
any business Indignation should have
legislative sanction to exercise monop-
olistic power. The American people
are as firmly opposed to Industrial as
to political autocracy. whether at
tempted by rural or by urban industry
Fer lack Of united effort the farmers
al q whole are still marketing their
crops by antiquated methods, OF by no
BY q business wsrld that has been
nodernized to the last minute and is
tirelessly striving for efficiency. This
efficiency IL due In large measure to
big business, to united business, to in
tsgrated business. The farmers now
seek the benefits Of such largeness, un-
ion and Indignation.
The American farmer Is a modern of
the medsrns In the use Of labor saving
machinery, ana he has made vast
strides In recent years In scientific
but as q business I'm contact with other
businesses agriculture In a zone horse
shay" I'm competition with high power
automobiles. The American farmer Is
the greatest and most intra ctable of
individualists. While Industrial pro
duction and all phases Of the huge com
nercial mechanism and its myriad &C
cessories have articulated and co-ordi-
mated themselves all the way from nat
ural raw materials to retail sales, the
business of agriculture has gone on In
much the one man fashion Of the back
weeds Of the nrst part Of the nine
tesntA century. when the farmer was
self SUFFICIENT and did not depend upon,
Or care very much. what the great
weird was doing. The result In that
tie agricultural group Ii almost as
much 1t q disadvantage In dealing with
other economic groups as the jay farm
Or Of the funny pages in the hands OF
slsek urban confidence men. who sell
him acreage In Central Park or the
Chicago city hall. The leaders Of the
farmeq thoroughly understand this.