The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1922-02-02

must be AT best, canno;
trarily and promptly cont = 20 arb.
great corporation. The ono ! asa
bering democracy and the othon lun.
autocracy In the second Ma ~, az agile
all possible power OF orc ,ot lave, with
farmers cannot succeed g. "n, the
extent, or for any consider0S my great
or time, In fixing prices TN. iengh
law OF supply and demand -, - great
various and surprising wave "oths 10
undoing of the best laid ~ 70 the
attempt to foll II. In fba ,h ptans that
their power viii avail tho so pace
nolling II 1t be abused. In o.. .'nen
and country power is OF ya,ns time
possessor only so long as Il . lh
abused. Ii is fair to saw that not
seen no signs in Responsible ! havfI
OF n disposition to dictate S.arler
There seems, IN the contrary - lives
commonly beneficial purpose - = .oa ~
q stability that viii Civ, an as ssiiael
and abundant flow of farm nsau seriyI
10 the consumer and ensure reasonos,s
and dependable returns 10 tho nO
Queer. ~. s pro-
In view Of the supreme imnor,o,
to the national well.being 90 s
porous and contented agricultural nm
ulation, we should be prepared - !.
long way In assisting the forno..
get an equitable share of the wea,@
they produce, through the ,narr~.a
ton OF reforms that will procnra
continuous and increasing stream !,
farm products. They are FAR from %,
ting a fair share now. Consldor,a.
his capital and the long hours Of ,ahos
put in by the average farmer ana HE
family, he is remunerated less th,,
any other occupational class. with ,ha
possible exception OF teachers ra,,
gious and lay. Though we know ths,
the present general distress OF ths
farmers is exceptional and Is lInkaa
with the inevitable economic readmst.
ment following the war. Il must h.
remembered that, although represent.
ing one-third OF the industrial product
and half the total population OF the
nation, the rural communities ord.
narfly enjoy but fifth to quarter Of
the net annual national gain. Notwitb.
standing the taste Of prosperity that
the farmers had during the war, there
Is today lower standard OF living
among the cotton farmers of the South
than I'm any other pursuit in the country
In conclusion. IL seems to me that the
farmers are chiefly striving for a gen.
orally beneficial Indignation OF their
business. Of the same kind and charac.
ter that other business enjoys II
should be found on examination ila'
the attainment Of this end reQe
methods different from those M
other activities have followed for
same purpose should we not sw
thetically consider the plea 10.
right TO cooperate, IL only from u,e,
own enlightened self interest. In OBJ
tanning an abundant and steady flow Of
farm products?
In examining the agricultural sltua
ton with a view to its Improvement
we shall be most helpful II we main
tain detached and judicial viewpoint,
remembering that existing wrongs may
be chiefly an accident Of unsymmetri-
cal economic growth instead of crea-
ton OF malevolent design and conspira-
CIV. We Americans are prone, as Pro
lessor David Friday well says In his
admirable book, Profits. Wages and
Prices" TO seek "crimlnal intent be-
hind every difficult and undesirable eco.
nomic situation can positively as
sert from my contact with men OF
large affairs, including bankers, that
as whole. they are endeayoring 20
fulfill as they see them the obligations
that 90 with their power. Preoccupleo
with the grave problems and heavy
tasks OF their own Immediate AFFAIRS
they have not turned their thoughtfui
personal attention or their construc-
tive abilities to the deficiencies OF agri'
cultural business organization. Aer,
culture Il may be said, suffers from
their preoccupation and neglect rather
than from any purposeful exploitation
by them. They ought now to begin .
respond TO the farmers dlfieullles
which they must realize are their Owns
CONTINUED next week.