The Idaho recorder., 1922-02-10

view Of the farmers strlvings for bet.
endorsement to any specific plan. and
still less to applaud the yagarles Of
some OF their lenders and groups.
Neither should we, on the other hand,
allow the froth Of bitter agitation,
false economics. and mistaken radical.
ism 10 conceal the facts OF the farm
ers' disadvantages. and the practicable.
lty of eliminating them by well-con.
sIdered measures. II may be that the
farmers viii not show the business
sagacity md develop the wise leader
ship TO carry through sound plans; but
that possibility does not Justify the
obstruction Of their upward efforts.
We, as city people. see in high and
speculatlvely manipulated prices,
spoiage, waste scarcity, the results
OF defective distribution Of farm prod
ucts. Should 1t not occur to us that
we have common interest with the
farmer In his attempts to attain de
gree OF efficiency In distribution cor.
responding to his efficiency in produc-
tion? DO not the recent fluctuations
In the May wheat option, apparently
unrelated to normal interaction OF
supply and demand, offer timely
PROOF or the need OF some such stabl-
izing agency as the grain growers have
In contemplation?
1t Is contended that, II their pro.
pesed organizations be perfected and
operated, the farmers will hnve In
their hands an instrument that win be
capable OF dangerous abuse. We are
told that 1t will be possible to pcrvert
1t to arbitrary and oppressive price
fixing from It's legitimate use of order
Ing and stablllzIng the flow Of farm
products TO the market, to the mutual
benefit of producer and consumer.
linve no apprehenslons on this point.
In the first place, loose organlza-
tlon, such as aIfy union OF farmers
must be at best. cannot be so arbl.
trarlly and promptly controlled us
great corporation, The one IL lum-
berlng democracy and the other an agile
autocracy, In the second place. with
all possible power Of org nlzatlon, the
farmers cannot succeed 10 any great
extent, or for any considerable length
OF time, In fixing prices. The great
law Of supply ana demand works In
various and surprising ways. to the
undolng Of the best laid plans that
attempt 20 foil II. In the third place,
their power viii avail the farmers
nothing II Il be abused In our time
md country power is of value to rs
possessor only so long as It IL not
abused II Is fair 10 say that | haye
seen no signs In responsible quarters
OF disposition to dictate prices.
There seems, on the contrary, 10 hc
commonly beneficial purpose 70 realize
a stability that will plvs an orderly
aud abundant flow OF farm products
TO the consumer und ensure reasonable
and dependable returns to the pro.
ducer.
In view Of the supreme Importance
10 the national well-belng OF pros.
porous ana contentea agricultural pop.
nlatlon, We should be prepared to 20
long way In assisting the farmers to
got an equitable share Of the wealth
they produce. through the lnaugurn.
tion OF reforms that viii procure a
continuous and Increasing stream OF
farm products. They nre far from get.
ting fair share now. Considering
his capital ana the long hours of labor
put In by the average farmer and his
family, he Is remunerated less than
any other oecupatlonai class. with the
possible exception of teachers, rcll.
gious and lay. Though we know that
the present general distress of the
farmers IN exceptional and IL linked
with the inevitable economic rendlust.
meut following the war, II must be
remembered that. although represent.
Ing one-thlrd of the Industrial product
and half the total population Of the
nation, the rural communities ordl.
narlly enjoy but fifth 10 quarter OF
the net annual national gain, Notwlth.
standing the taste OF prosperity that
the farmers had during the war. there
is today lower standard of living
among the cotton farmers OF the South
saoh az HhS Nthti Phi III tue country,
In conclusion. Il seems 10 me that the
farmers are chiefly striving for n gen.
orally beneficial integratlon OF their
business, of the same kind and charac.
ter that other business enjoys. Ii Il
should be found ON examination that
the attainment OF this end requires
methods different from those which
other activities have followed for the
same purpose should we not sympa.
thetlcally consider the plea for the
right 10 cooperate. II only from our
own enlightened self Interest, IN ob.
taining an abundant and steady liow OF
farm products7
In examining the agricultural situa.
tion with a view To Its Improvement,
we shall be most helpful II We main.
tain detached and judicial viewpoint,
remembering that existing wrongs may
be chiefly an accident OF unsymmetri'
cal economic growth Instead Of q crea,
tlon OF maievolent design and consplra.
cy. We Americans are prone, as Pro
fessor David Friday we'll says In his
admirable boak. Profits. Wages and
Prices" To seek criminal intent be