The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1922-03-03
Equal Responsibility for Their
Support Rests Upon the
Farmers and. Merchants.
MUST ASSIST EACH Other
Prosperity Of Community Depends
Upon Each Of These Two Glasses
Buying Products and Goods
Of Each Other.

The first essential in the develop
ment of any business is the possession
of market. The manufacturer must
have q market for his products or he
cannot succeed, no matter how valu-
able those products may be or how
efficiently his plant may be operated.
The wholesale merchant and the re-
tail merchant may have the choicest
stocks of goods, but they may as well
60 out of business If they have not a
market where they can dispose of their
stocks. The farmer may produce
bumper crops, but they will rot upon
the ground If he cannot find O. market
for them. The wage earner's skill and
muscle bring him no returns unless
there is q market for his labor.
The question Of markets is the big
one in every line Of business and in
every community the question is q
vital one. In each community, which
must be taken to include not only all
the people who live in the town but
the farmers who live in the surround
ing country as well, there are two
sides to the market question. The bust
ness men Of the town must have q
market for the things which they have
to sell. Otherwise they cannot con-
tinue in business At the same time
the farmers must have a market for
the things which they raise or they
may as well 60 out Of business.
When Either Fails Both Suffer.
The merchants of the town can pro-
vide market for the products Of the
farmers and the farmers can provide
a market for the goods which the mer-
chants have to sell. As long as each
class of citizens provides market for
the other class all is well and the goose
hangs high, but when either class fails
to provide a market for the other the
goose is cooked, not only for the class
which is deprived of the market but
for the other as we'll.
| The farmer has right to expect the
town which is his natural trading point
to provide market for his products,
and the town Is not performing Its
| proper function as the trading center
| S>>
that such a market is provided. The
responsibility Of looking after the full
fillment of this obligation rests largely
upon the merchants of the town. The
farmer Is a producer and he must dis
pose of his products before he can be-
come a consumer. 1t is, therefore, not
only right but necessary from a bust
ness standpoint that the merchants
should aid the farmer in turning his
products into money. Otherwise the
farmer naturally will have no none!
to spend in the stores of the town.
Obligation on Farmers.
On the other hand, the merchants O.
the town have a right to expect tn
farmers to provide a market for tn
merchandise which they have to sell
and the farmers are not doing thei
duty to their community II they do no
provide such a market. In this case
also, it is not only right but it is nee
essary to the prosperity Of the farmer
that they should aid the merchants Il
turning their merchandise into cast
otherwise 1t is obvious that the mel
chants will have no money with whic
to buy the products of the farmers.
This is a doubleAbarreled propositio
, and the obligation rests equally upo
both the merchants and the farmers
maintain the markets which are esser
tial to both classes Of citizens. An
town which would import from point
hundreds Of miles distant the fari
, products which 1t could buy at HON
would be pursuing very short-sighte
policy, for 1t would be making 1t In
possible for the farmers In its terri
. tory to buy the goods of Its me
, chants. As matter Of fact no tow
does this unless 1t Is forced by unusu'
conditions to do SO. A town may |
, located in a community which Is NJ
: productive enough to meet the loo
demands, and In that case It Ia force
to import farm products but the tow
which IL compelled to do this Is
a disadvantage from q commerce.
standpoint unless II Is essentially
). manufacturing town, In which case
h products are sold to other commur
|, ties and bring In enough cash to offs
:. that which Ia sent away to purcha
farm products.
J. Must Have Outside Business.
l. In the average community, howevt
$ the town Is dependent for Its pre-
l. perity upon the money received fro
Il the farmers In the ordinary channe
n of trade. rather than upon that
tanned from the sale Of Its own pro
= ucts. In the average town the me
!. chants cannot make money and CO
:, tinue In business II they are deper
!, ent solely upon the people Of the toy
"a for their business.
~ No business can last long with u
y erything going out and nothing comi
= In" and 1t is equally true that no bu
- ness can be operated on the princil
- of Everything coming In and no
= ing going out" To maintain the b
ance which Is necessary to the main
~ nance of prosperity in a commun
I. there must be an even trade betwe