News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-02-01
III

are subjected to stern economic lee
lures, and are met with the accusation
that they are demanding, and are thu
recipients of, special privileges. lie
us see what privileges the government
has conferred on the farmers. Mucf
has been made of Section 6 Of the
Clayton Antitrust Act, which pur
ported to permit them to combine witt
immunity, under certain conditions
Admitting that, Anominally, this ex
emptiDn was in the nature of a special
ivilege,-though / think it was so in
| appearance rather than in fact,-we
| find that the courts have nullified il
| 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 incorpora-
! ton? If it be proper for men to form,
by fusion of existing corporations or
| otherwise, corporation that controls
| the entire production Of a commodity,
or a large part Of it, why is it not
proper for a group Of farmers to unite
for the marketing Of their common
products, either in one or in several
selling agencies? Why should. it be
right for hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct % or 30 or 40
per cent of an industry, and wrong for
hundred thousand cooperative
farmers to control a no larger proper
ton of the wheat crop, or cotton, or
any other product?
The Department Of Agriculture is
often spoken of as a special concession
to the farmers, but in its commercial
results, it is of as much benefit to the
buyers and consumers of agricultural
products as to the producers, or even
more. | do not sEppoSe that anyone
opposes the benefits that the farmers
derive from the educational and re-
search work of the department, or the
help that it gives them in working out
improved cultural methods and prac-
tices, in developing better yielding va
retics through breeding and selection,
in introducing new varieties from re-
mote parts of the world and adapting
them to our climate and economic con
dition and in devising practical meas
Ures for the elimination or control of
dangerous and destructive animal and
plant diseases, insect pests and the
like. All these things manifestly tend
to stimulate and enlarge production,
and their general beneficial effects are
obvious.
1t is complained that, whereas the |
law restricts Federal Reserve banks
to three months time for commercial |
paper, the farmer is allowed six |
months on his notes. This Is not a
special privilege, but merely such a
recognition of business conditions as
makes it possible for country banks
to do business with country people
The crop farmer has only one turn
over a year, while the merchant and
have many. Incidental
". I note that the Federal Reserve
Board has just authorized the Fed
eral Reserve banks to discount export
paper for a period Of six months, to
conform to the nature of the bust
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
10 equalize rural and urban condi-
lions? And about all the government
loes there is to help set up an ad-
organization and lend
little credit at the start Eventually |
he farmers will provide all the capt.
al and carry all the liabilities them
selves. 1t Is true that Farm Loan
ponds are tax exempt; but so are
,onds of municipal light and traction
llants. and new housing is to be eX-
mpt from taxation, in New York. for
en- years.
On the other hand, the farmer reads
4 plans for municipal housing prof.
cts that run into the billions, of hun
reds of millions annually spent on
he merchant marine; he reads that
he railways are being favored with l
rates and virtual guarantees {
( earnings by the government, with c
he result to him of an Increased toll {
n all that he sells and all that he Y
uys. He hears OF many manifesto ! G
ons of governmental concern for par a
cular industries and interests. Res |,
ning the railways from insolvency is o
for the benefit of the a
Duntry as a whole. but what can be L
I more general benefit than encour- t,
cement of ample production Of the
rincipal necessaries Of life and their a
zen flow from contented producers to Ct
,tIsfied consumersp m
While it may be conceded that b.
,ecial governmental aid may be nee N
;sary in the general interest, we must ii
/ agree that it Is difficult to see why ef
,riculture and the production and dis bl
ibution Of farm products are not ac- te
,rded the same opportunities that are Sc
divided for other businesses: espe- 10
ally as the enjoyment by the farmer
such opportunities would appear to ID
even more contributors to the gen m
al good than in The case 81 other ,u
iustries. The grit Of American s.,
mocracy is unalterably opposed, hn
he to enacted suecial privilege and | a