Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-05
.LOWDEN SPEAKS
TO DAlRYMEN
Makes Plea For Orderly
System of Marketing
Farm Products.

Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 5.-n ). the
farmer is to continue to feed man
kind, he must he paid for his services
and we must provide warehouses Tor
the surpluses in bountiiul years,
Frank u. Lowden, former governor
of Illinois, told the Nebraska Dairy
mems association in convention here
today.
The farmer believes in the value
Of what he produces and knows that
it is Indispensable to the world if civ
ilization is to go on" he said. When
he sees that the total value OF an
unusually large crop is less in the
markets of the world than the value
of a. small crop, he knows that some
thing is wrong in our methods, of dis
tribution. He docs not need to- be
familiar with higher mathematics to
feel sure that twelve million bales 81
cotton ought to be worth more than
six million bales; for each OF the
ScrViceable sooner CT. later in clothing
the world.
"H2 has seen much improved nm
ancial conditions come to one great
section o. the country because Of an
abnor1nally short crop of that staple.
He cant. persuade himself that the
boil weevil Is a beneficent agent OF
mankind. and yet ne Is compeileu 10
admit that the cotton states are in
debted to THAI little insect for their
improved financial condition. !;
Profit Necessary.
w know that no commodity will
be long produced below the cost OF
production, and therefore it ougn,
never be necessary to market any
farm commodity below such cost;e 70,
II that commodity can be stored eand
held the world will have 10 paw the
cost some day.
These problems have been met
and solved. in a large measure, IT
Holland and Denmark and among the
fruit growers OF California, by the or.
gantzation of farmers cooperative
societies. These societies do not at.
tempt to arbitrarily fix prices. The,
do study the probable demand and
ATTEMPT to adjust production to meaa
that demand. -
Instead of throwing the entire sea:
sons crop upon the market within
a rev short weeks, they provide 70,
orderly marketing of their products
n tendency of this Is to stabilize
the market. And stabilizing the mar.
ket OF any product is in the ENC pes,
for the consumer and the producer
alike. 1t Is a good thing 70,
anyone when any useful commodit,
is sold for less than the cost, for un.
der the memorable laws of economic,
curtalled production will follow unit
prices abnormally nigh are the re,
suit. Any commodity that is pro.
duced ~profitably year after year Will
In long series of years be produced
more cheaply than where there arr
violent fluctuations
May Mean Loss. '
when the price of wheat on Wed
nesday of one week is ten cents NOR.
a bushel than it was on the Tuesda,
OF the week before, this law of sup,
ply and demand may mean the differ.
ence between a profit or loss upon &
whole years work Of the farmer.
While in every other industry W,
are abreast Of the most advanced ma
tions-in commerce, in manufacture
in banking and merchandizing-ther,
is not a nation in the world that can
not teach America something abou
farming. This has been because o
the great abundance Of fertile land
in this country. so that we could ex
haust one field and then move OF
west and take up virgin land.
IF our farm is worn out it is GU,
own fault. and iif we do not restor,
1t within a reasonable time it is no
only u fault but it is an act of pos
tive treachery to the generations tina
shall come after n.y. .; Gel.