The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-01-27

If defective distribution OF farm prod
uctS. Should it not occur to us that
we have common interest with the
farmer in his attempts to attain a de-
gree Of efficiency in distribution cor
responding to his efficiency in pr"duc-
ton: DO not the recent fluctuations
in tie .May wheat option. apparently
unrelated to normal interaCtion Of
Srpply and demand, Offer a timely
proof Of the need Of same such stabiI-
izing agency rs the grain growers have
in contemplation?
1t is c"ntendnd that, If their pro-
poscd organizations be perfected and
operated. the farmers will have in
their hands an instrument that will be
capable Of dangerous abuse. We are
told that it will he possible to pervert
It to arbitrary and oppressive price
fixing from It's legitimate use Of order
ing and stabiliZing the flow OF farm
products 10 the market, to the mutual
benefit Of producer and consumer. l
have 10 apprehenSiOns on this point.
In the first place, loose Cr@anZa-
tion. such as any union Of farmers
must be at best, cannot be so arbi-
trarily and promptly controlled as a
great corporation. The one is Il !uH-
bering democracy ard the other an agile
autocracy In the second place. with
all possible power of org ;niZa:i0n, the
farmers carnot succeed to any great
extent. or for any considerable length
of time in fixing prices. The great
Law Of supply ana demand works in
various and surprising ways, to the
undOing Of the best laid plans that
attempt to foil it. In the third place,
their power Will avail the farmers
nothing if it be abused In our time
and country power is Of value to It's
posscssor only so long as Il is not
! abused. 1t is fair to say that | have
seen no signs in responsible quarters
Of a disposition to dictate prices.
! There seems, on the contrary, to be a
commonly beneficial purpose to realize
a stability that will give an orderly
and abundant flow Of farm products
TO the consumer and ensure reasonable
and dependable returns to the pro-
! ducer.
In view Of the supreme importance
to the national wcll-being Of pros
perous and contented agricultural pop
ulation. we should be prepared to go
long way in assisting the farmers to
get an equitable share of the wealth
they produce, through the Inaugural
ton Of reforms that will procure a
continuous and increasing stream OF
farm products. They are far from get
ting a fair share now Considering
his capital and the long hours of labor
put in by the average farmer and mis-
family. he is remunerated less than
any other occupational class, with the
possible exception Of teachers. reli-
gious and lay. Though we know that
the present general distress of the
farmers is exceptional and is linked
ment following the war, it must be
remembered that, although represent
ing one-third Of the industrial product
and half the total population Of the
nati"n. the rural communities ordi
Marty enjoy but fifth to quarter OF
the net annual national gain. NOtwith
standing the taste Of prosperity that
the farmers had during the war, there
is today a lower standard OF living
among the cotton farmers Of the South
than ia any other pursuit in the country
In conclusion. it seems to me that the
farmers are chiefly striving for gen
erally beneficial integration OF their
business. OF the same kind and charac-
ter that other business enjoys. If 1t
should be found cn examination that
the attainment of this end requires
methods different from those which
other activities have followed for the
same purpose should we not sympa'
thetically consider the plea for the
richt to cooperate, If only from our
own enlightened self interest, in OBJ
! tanning an abundant and steady flow OF
farm products?
In examining the agricultural Situa
tion with view to its Improvement,
we shall be most helpful il We main
tain detached and judicial vjawpnirt
remembering that existing wrongs may
he chiefly an accident Of unsymmetri-
! cal economic growth instead of a crea-
ton of malevolent design and conspira-
cv. We Americans. are prone, as Pro
fpssor David Friday we'll sGrs in MS
admirable book. Profits. " ses and
Prices" to seek a criminal intent be-
hind every difficult and undesirable eco
nomic situation" | can positively as
sert from my contact with men ot
large affairs, including bankers. that,
as a whole. they are endeavoring t"
! fulfll as they see them the obligations
that go with their power. Preoccuped
with the grave problems and heavy
tasks Of their own immediate affairs.
they have net turned their thoughtful
, nersonal attention or their construc-
five abilities to the deficiencies Of a@rl-
cultural business organization. Agri-
culture, it may be said. suffers from
( and ,,oo1ppt IN ~