The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1922-01-12
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NOW, what is tue IdTlileT dShlHS
without trying To catalogue the re-
medal measures that have been sug-
gested in his behalf, the principal pro-
posals 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 to meet
the maximum demand on them at the
peak Of the marketing period. The
farmer thinks that either private CAPT
tai must furnish these facilities, or the
state must erect and own the eleva-
tors and warehouses.
Second: weighing and grading Of
agricultural products, and certticatlon
thereof. to be done by impartial and
disinterested public inspectors (this is
already accomplished to some extent
by the federal licensing Of weighers
and graders), to eliminate underpay.
ing. overcharging, and unfair grading,
and to facilitate the utilization of the
stored products as the basis Of credit.
Third: certainty OF credit sufficient
to enable the marketing of products
in an orderly manner.
Fourth: the Department of Agricul.
ture should collect, tabulate, summa.
rize, and regularly and frequently pub
fish and distribute to the farmers, full
information from all the markets OF
the world. so that they shall be as well
informed of their selling position as
buyers now are of their buying posi-
ton.
Fifth freedom to ntegrate the bust
ness of agriculture by means of con.
solldated selling agencies. co-ordnat
ing and cooperating in such way as &c
put the farmer on an equal footing
with the large buyers OF his products
and with commercial relations In Other
industries.
When business requires specialized
talent, 1t has TO buy II. So will the
farmers; and perhaps the best way for
them to get it would be to utilize some
OF the present machinery of the larg
est established agencies dealing il
farm products. or course. If he wishes
the farmer may go further and engage
in four-milling and other manufactures
Of food products. In my opinion
however, he would be wise to stoI
short OF that. Public interest may be
opposed to all great integrations but
in Justice, should they be forbidden tt
the farmer and permitted to others
The corporate form of association can
not now be wholly adapted to his oh
jects and conditions. The loosen co
operative form seems more generally
suitable. Therefore, he wishes to BE-
free, IL he finds II. desirable and feas
ible, TO resort TO cooperation with hi
fellows and neighbors, without run
ming afoul OF the law. To urge thai
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 thai
any business indignation should havt
legislative sanction to exercise monop
olistic power. The American people,
are as firmly opposed to Industrial al
TO political autocracy, whether at
tempted by rural or by urban industry
For lack Of united effort the farmers
as whole are still marketing theil
crops by antiquated methods, or by ne
methods at all, but they are surrounded
by q business world that has beer
modernized to the last minute and Il
tlrelessly striving for efficiency. Thii
efficiency Is due In large measure tt
big business, to united business, to in
tegrated business. The farmers nov
seek the benefits Of such largeness, un
ion and Indignation.
The American farmer Is a modern o.
the moIerns in the use of labor savinJ
machinery, and he has made vas
strides in recent years In scientific,
tillage and efficient farm management
but as a business In contact with othel
businesses agriculture Is zone hors,
shay" In competition with high power
automobiles. The American farmer Il
the RTedlcSl duu InOol iulTdCldDlc "
lndividuallsts. While Industrial pro
duction and all phases Of the huge com
mercial mechanism and its myriad nc
cessorles have articulated and co-ordi
mated themselves all the way from nat
ural raw materials to retail sales, thu
business OF agriculture has gone on II
much the one man fashion Of the back
woods OF the first part Of the nine
teenth century, when the farmer wal
self sufficient and did not depend upon
or care very much, what the grea
world was doing. The result is tina
the agricultural group Is almost a.
much at a disadvantage in dealI-x will
other economic groups as the Jay farm
er Of the funny pages in the hands