Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-02-08

- s'..~s ~ .SsAS As0Ahs, kuc t6tIUCi uuot
sell. regardless Of market conditions,
at the time Of the tnuturity of crops,
he cannot suspend production In toto.
He must 60 on producing II he Is to 60
on living, and II the world Is to exist.
The most he can do 10 to curtall pro.
duction little or alter its 70, III, and
that--because he ls In the dark as to
the probable demand for his goods
may be only to jump from the trying
pan into the fire. taking the consumer
with him. "''.-'r't' 80 1880. " ''S+'T, &
Even the dairy farmers, whose out.
put is not seasonal, coinptain that they
find themselves at disadvantage In
the marketing Of their productions,
especially raw milk, because Of the
high costs Of distribution, which they
must ultimately bear.
Now that the farmers are stirring.
thinking. and uniting as never, before
to eradicate these inequalities they
are subjected to stern economic lec-
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 6 cf the
Clayton Antitrust Act, which pur-
ported to permit them to combine With
Immunity. under certain conditions.
Admitting that, nominally, IthiS ex.
emption was in the nature Of a special
privilege. though I think It Was 50 In
appearance rather than In fact
find that the courts have mllifed 1t
by judicial Interpretation. Why should
not the farmers be permitted to ac-
compllsh by cooperative methods what
other businesses are already doing by
in the form of incurpora.
tion2 II 1t be proper for men to form,
by fusion Of existing corporations or
otherwise, corporation that controls
the entire production Of commodity.
or large part Of 1t, why Is II not
proper for group Of farmers to unite
for the marketing of their common
products, either in one or In several
selling agencies2 Why should II be
right for hundred thousand corporate
to direct 25 or Sc or 20
per cent Of an industry, and wrong for
a hundred thousand cooperative
farmers to control no larger proper
tlon Of the wheat crop, or cotton, or
any other product7
The Department Of Agriculture Is
often spoken Of as q specin, concession
to the farmers, but In Its commercial
results. 1t Is Of as much benefit to the
buyers and consumers Of agricultural
products as to the producers, or even
more. do not suppose that anyone
opposes the benefits that the farmers
derive from the educatlOnalIAa re-
search work Of the department.or the
help that II gives them In W'pYEIE. 9ut
improved cultural methods and prac-
tees, In developing better, yielahg5ya-
rictics through breeding andIselecti0n,
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 1t possible for country banks
to do business with country people.
The crop farmer has only one turn
over a year. while the merchant and
manufacturer have many. Incidental.
ly, 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 busl.
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 iaudable efforts
to equnlize rural and urban condi.
tions2 And about all the government
does there Is to help set up an ad.
minstrntive organization and lend a
II tie credit at the start Eventually
tile 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 80 are
bonds ot municipal light and traction
plants. and new housing Is to he ex-
empt from toxation. In New York; for
ten yeurs.
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 merchan. marine; he reads that
the railways are being favored with
Increased rates and virtual guarantees