The Raymer enterprise., 1922-01-26
III

LII
Now that the farmers are stirring,
thinking, and uniting as never before
to eradicate these inequalities. they
are subjected to stern economic lee.
lures, and are met with the accusation
that they are demanding. and are the
recipients Of. special privileges. Let
US see what privileges the government
has conferred on the farmers. Much
has been made Of Section 8 Of the
Clayton Antitrust Act. which pur-
ported to permit them to combine with
immunity, under certain conditions.
Admitting that. nominally. this ex-
emption was in the nature Of a special
privilege,-though I think It was so 10
appearance rather than In fact.-we
find that the courts have nullified It
by judicial Interpretation. Why should
not the farmers be permitted to ac-
complish BY cooperative methods what
other businesses are already doing by
cooperation In the form Of lncorpora.
tion1 II 1t be proper for men to form,
by fusion Of existing corporations or
otherwise, a corporation that controls
the entire production Of commodity,
or a large part Of 1t, why b It not
proper for group Of farmers to unite
for the marketing Of their common
products, either In one or in several
selling agenciesi Why should II be
right for q hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct 25 or 30 or 40
per cent Of an industry. aud wrong for
hundred thousand cooperative
farmers to control 4 NO larger proper.
tion Of the wheat crop, or cotton, Or
any other producti
The Department Of Agriculture u
often spoken Of as nspecial concession
to the farmers, but In its commercial
results, It is Of % much bens6t to the
buyers and consumers Of agricultural
products as to the producers, or even
more. do not suppose that anyone
opposes the dement's that the farmers
derive from the educational and re-
search work Of the department Or ~
help that 1t gives them In working set
Improved cultural methods ana pfoc'
tlces, In developing better yielding Va
rieties through breeding and selection,
In introducing new varieties from ~
mote parts Of the world and adapting
them to our climate and economic con.
ditlon, and In deyislng practical meas
ures for the elimination or control Of
dangerous and destructive nimal and
plant diseases, insect pests, and the
like. Ali these things manlfestly tend
to stimulate and enlarge production,
and their general beneficial effects are
obvious.
It Is complained that, whereas the
law restricts Federal Reserve banks
to three months time for commercial
paper, the farmer ID allowed six.
months on his notes. This Is not q
special privilege. but merely such q
recognition Of business conditions as
makes II possible for country banks
to do business with country people.
The crop farmer has only one turn
over year, while the merchant and
manufacturer have many. incidental.
", note that the Federal Reserve
Board has Just authorized the Fed
eral Reserve banks to discount expert
paper for period Of SIX months, b
conform to the nature Of the bua.
ness.
The Farm Loan banks are pointed
to as an instance Of special govern
ment favor for farmers. Are they not
rather the outcome Of laudable efforts
to equallze rural and urban condi.
tionsl And about all the government
does there is to help set up m ad-
minIstrative organization and lend q
little credit at the start. Eventually
the farmers will provide all the capt.
tai and carry all the liabilities them
selves. 1t is true that Farm Loan
bonds are tax exempt; but ~ are
bonds Of municipal light and traction
plants. and new housing Is to be ex-
empt from taxation, In New York, for
ten years.
On the other hand, the farmer reads
Of plans for municipal housing prof.
ects that run into the billions, Of hun
dreds Of millions annually spent On
the merchant marine; he reads that
the railways are being favored with
increased rates and virtual guarantees
Of earnings by the government, with
the result to him Of an increased toll
on all that he sells and all that he
buys. He hears Of many manifesto
tions Of governmental concern for par
ticular industries and interests. Res
culng the railways from insolvency q
undoubtedly for the bene6t Of the
country as whole, but what can be
Of more general benent than encour.
agement Of ample production Of the
principal necessaries Of life and their
even Aow from coatented producers TO
satisfied consumers1
While It may be conceded that
special governmental aid may be nec-
essary In the general interest, " must
all agree that It ID difncult to ~ why
agriculture and the production and dis
tribution Of farm products are not &C.
corded the same opportunities that are
provided for other businssses; espe-
cially as the enjoyment BY the farmer
Of such opportunities would appear u
BE- even more contributory to the -
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