The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-01-26


vets. SAssA Y net eecsr to - that
We have q Common interest with the
farmer n his attempts to attain q de-
gree Of s1e;snsy In distribution. cor
responding - his efbcieney In prsdse-
tisn7 Do net the recent fluctuations
In the Nay wheat optien, apparently
unrelated 70 Hsrmal iAtsractisa of
supply asl demand, sffer tiDSE
DFssf Of tSs nssd Of some such staSR-
hing agency as the grain growers have
ia contemplation?
Il Is ceAteldeA that, IL their pro-
Dsssa sssani7atsons be perfected snd
operated, The farmers will have n
their hands Al instrument that win be
capable Of dangerous absse. We are
told that 1t will be possible to pervsSt
Il 10 arbitrary and oppressive price
a1tag Iren 10 legitimate use Of order.
Ing a11 stahiHzilg the few Of farm
protsets t. tie market, to the mutuA
bsseAt Of producer and consumer.
have - aDpreAelsions on this point
II Ne Arst place, Q loose srgaAisa-,
ten, sseh as any union Of farmess
must - at best, cannot be - arbe-
traray a.d promptly controlled ~ Q
great corporation. The one Is q lun-
beri.g democracy and the ether an aSlle
satecsaey. n tie second place, With
ak Dsasfhle pswer Of org 1nization, the
farnefs eaA,ot succeed to any great
exteAt, or for aAy eonaiderable lea40
Of tine, In nKtng prices. The great
Aw Of supply and demand works In
various and surprising ways, to the
undoiAg Of the best laid plans that
attempt to foN II. In the third place. :
their power win avail the farmers
nothing II It be abused. In eur time
and esuatry power = q valus 70 It'd
psssesser onH - long - 1t. u use !
saussd. Il Il fair to say that I AASe
seen - sis1s in respsnsible quarters
Of q disposition to dictate prices.
There seems, on the contrary, to % y
commonly henehcial purpose to realize
. stability that win giy, an srdelH
anA ABUNDANT dew Of farm predsfts
to the consumer and ensure reasssatie
and dependable returns to the ~
Queer. 80
In view Of the supreme impsrtalee
to the national well-being Of prse-s
perous and eontented agricultural pe1-
slation, we should be prepared 70 -
q long way In assisting the farmers -
ret an equitable share Of the weakh
they produce, through the inaugufa-
ton Of reforms that win procure
continuous and Increasing stream 81
farm products. They are far from o.
ting a fair share now. Considern1
his capital and the long hours OF lafee'
put in by the average farmer and ~
family, he IL remunerated less thar
any other occupational class, with II
possible exception Of teachers, rest,
gious and lay. Though We know thae
the present general distress Of TIE
farmers Is exceptional and ID linked
with the Inevitable economic read3usf
ment following the war, It must bs'
remembered that, although represent
lnr sne-third Of the Industrial prvductr
and half the tesal population sf H.
natisn, the rural communities orG,;
aarily enjey but a nfth to a quarter OF
the net annual national gain. Nstwith.
standing the taste Of prosperity that
the farmers had during the war. there
is today Q lower standard Of AvmG;
ansag the cotton farmers Of the Ssutn'
than n any ether pursuit in the esantHy.l
In csnclusIsn, It seems 70 me that thG.
farmers are chiefly striving for . teA-
srally beneficial integratisn Of Their
husness. Of the same kind and charae.
ter that other business enjoys. II ~
shou3i he feuld on e1aminatteA tha4
The attainment Of this, end rsQtfSee'
uatS>ds Sanerent fren those which
otAar activities have followed Ter the
same purpose should We net synpa,
thetieaNy consider the plea Tor thss
risAt to cooperate, II only frsn euf
ov. eaRghtened self interest, v o.
tanning an abundant and steady nsw Of
IDI1 PfSSSSsS' u
N examining the Agricultural dtuad
tisn with q view to it, inprsvenent
"a shah - most helpful II We AStn-
t.,. detached and judicial vtswDslpfr
remembering that existing wrongs MAJ
he chiefly an accident Of unsynmstri.
cal economic growth instead OF q etea.'
tis, sf naIevolent design and csaspna'r
~. We Americans are Drspe, - 1re-i
fes,sr David Friday well says In ~
admirable beck, PROFITS, Wages and,
Phcss," to seek a criminal intent De,
hind every difncult and undesirable ees-
nsusic situatien." can positively as
sert from my contact with msa of
large affairs, including bankers. that,
as q whole, they are~endeavoring te'
fulsu Al they see them the obligations
that 70 with their power. Preoecupaes
With the grave problems and heavy
tashs Of their own immediate af1afrs,
they have net turned their th0ushtful
persoual attention or their construe.
tive abilities to the deficiencies Of asrt
cultural business organization. Apt
culture. II may be said, suffers from