Graham guardian., 1922-02-03
II

thinking. and uniting HS never 0erore
To eradicate these inequalities they
are subjected 10 stern economic lee
lures, and are met with the accusation
that they arc 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 Of the
Clayton Antitrust Act, which pur.
ported to permit them to combine with
immunity, under certain conditions
Admitting that, nominally, this eX.
emptinn was in the nature OF u special
privilege, though think Il was So in
appearance rather than In fgrrt;-ASre
find that the courts have nullifed II
by judicial Interpretation. Why should
not the farmers be permitted to ac'
compllsh by cooperative methods what
other businesses are already doing by
cooperation In the form OF lncorpora
tlon? II II. be proper for men to form
by fusion OF existing corporations or
otherwise, q corporation that controls
the entire production Of commodity
or a large part Of It, why is 1t not
proper for group # farmers TO unite
for the marketing OF their common
products. either in one or In several
selling agencies? Why should It be
right for q hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct 25 or 80 or 20
per cent OF an Industry, and wrong for
hundred thousand cooperative
farmers to control Il no larger proper
ton Of the Wheat crop, or cotton, or
any other product?
The Department OF Agriculture is
often spoken Of as a specia! concession
to the farmers, but in its commerciai
results, 1t Is Of ms much beneft TO the
BUYERS and consumers Of agricultural
products as to the producers, or even
more. d. not suppose that anyone
opposes the benefits that the farmers
derive from the educational and re.
search work 0f the department, or the
helm that Il gives them In working oul
improvcd cultural methods and prac,
tees, In developing better yielding va
rletles through breeding and selection
I'm introducing new varieties from re.
mote parts Of the world and adapting
them TO our climate and economic con
diiion. and In deylsing practical meas
ures for the elimination or control OF
dangerous and destructive animal and
plant diseases, insect pests, and the
like. All these things manlfestly tend
10 stimulate and enlarge production,
and their general beneficial effects are
obvious
II Is complained that, whereas the
Inv restricts Federal Reserve banks
TO three months time for commercial
raper, the farmer Is allowed six
months on his notes. This is not Q
special privilege, but merely such
recognition Of business conditions ss
makes II possible for country banks
TO do business with country people.
The crop fnrmer has only one turn
over n year, while the merchant and
manufacturer have many. Incidental
ly. note HAT the Federal Reserve
Board hns Just authorized the Fed
ernl Reserve banks to discount export
paper for a period Of six months, to
conform to the nature Of the buSi.
ness.
The Farm Loan banks are pointed
10 MS an Instance of special govern.
ment favor for farmers Are they not
rather the outcome of lapdable efforts
to equullze rural and urban condi-
tions? And about all the government
does there is to help set up nn ad
mInistratlve organization and lend a
little credit at the start. Eventually
the farmers viii provide all the capl.
tai and carry all the liabilities them.
selves. 1t Is true that Farm Loan
bonds are tax exempt; but so are
bonds OF municipal light and traction
plants and new housing Is TO be ex.
cmpt from taxation. In New York, for
ten years.
On tho other hand, the farmer reads
of plans for municipal housing prof.
ects that run into the billions. Of hun
drcds OF millions annually spent nn
the merchant marine: hc reads thai
the railways are being favored with
Increased rates and virtual guarantees
OF earnings by the government, with
the result to HIN Of an increased toll
on all that he sells and all that he
buys He hears Of many manifesto
lions of governmental concern for par.
tlcular industries and interests Res.
cuing the railways from Insolvency Is
undoubtedly for the benefit Of the
N ushaIn httt kx.hot 90 no
Of more general benefit than encour.
sgcment OF ample production Of the
principal necessarles OF life and their
even flow from contented producers to
satisfied consumersl
While II may be conceded that
special governmental aid may be nee,
essary In the general interest. we must
al, agree that II Is difficult to see why
agriculture and the production and dis
tributlon of farm products are not nc.
corded The same opportunities that are
provided for other businesses; espe.
cially as>the enjoyment by the farmer
of such oppa, tunltles would appear 70
hr even more contrihutory 10 the gen
rrul good than in the case OF other
industries. The spirit Of American
democracy Is unalterably opposed,
alike to enacted special privilege and
to the special privilege OF unequal op.
portunIty that arises automatically
from the failure 70 correct aIaring
economic inequalities. l am opposed
to the injection OF government into
business, but | do believe that 1t Is an
essential function of democratic gov
ernment to equalize opportunity so
far as II Is within Its power TO do so,