Tombstone epitaph. (Tombstone, Ariz.) 1887-current, 1922-01-22
~

Now. what Is the farmer asking?
Without trying 10 catalogue the re-
medal measures that have been sug-
gested in his behalf. the principal pro-
posIls that bear directly on the i'm
provement 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 10 meet
the maximum demand on them at the
peak Of the marketing period. The
farmer thinks that either private capt.
fal must furnish these facilities, or the
state must erect and own the eleva-
tors and warehouses.
Second: weighing and grading OF
agricultural products. and certification
thereof. 10 he done by impartial and
dislnterested public inspectors (th,s IL
already accomplished to some extent
by the federal licensing Of weighers
and graders). 20 eliminate underpay-
ing. overcharging. and unfair grading,
and Ia facilitate the utilization Of the
stored products as the basis Of credit.
Third: certainty OF credit sufficient
10 enable the marketing OF products
in an orderly manner.
Fourth: the Department OF Agricul-
ture should collect, tabulate, sunma-
rize, and regularly and frequently pub
lish and distribute TO the farmers. fall
Information from all the markets Of
the world. - that they shall be as well
informed OF their selling position as
buye<-s now are OF their buying posi-
ton.
Fifth: freedom 20 !ntegrate the bust
ness Of agriculture by means OF con-
solldated selling agencies, co-ordinat-
ing ana 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 K. So will the
farmers; and perhaps the best way for
them 10 get ii would he 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 go further and engage
In flour milling and other manufactures
Of 1905 rrOcrcIs. In my opinion,
however. he would be wise TO stop
short OF that. Public interest may be
opposed 10 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 10 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
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 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.
For lack Of united effort the farmers
as a whole are still marketing their
crops by antiquated methods. or BY no
methods at all. but they are surrounded
by q business world that has been
modernized 10 the last minute and Is
tirelessiy striving for efficiency. This
efficiency 10 due In large measure to
big business, to united business, to In.
tegrated business. The farmers now
seek the benefits Of such iargeness, un-
ion and Indignation.
The American farmer Is q modern Of
the moderns in the use Of labor saving
machinery, and he has made vast
strides In recent years In scientific
tilIage and efficient farm management,
but a. business In contact with other
businesses agriculture Is Q zone horse
shay" In composition with high power
automobiles. The American farmer IL
the greatest and most intractable Of
individualists. while Industrial pro-
duction and all phases Of the huge CON-
merciai 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
woods Of the drst part Of the nine
tenth ~nnfurv Uhe0 fha earun~p ~~s