Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1922-01-26


We, as city people, see In high ana
speculatively manipulated prices
spoiIage. waste, scarcity, the results
Of defective distribution Of farm prod.
ucts. Should 1t not occur to us that
we have a common interest with the
farmer In his attempts to attain de-
gree Of efficiency In distribution cor
responding to his efficiency In produce
ton? Do not the recent fluctuations
In the May wheat option. apparently
unrelated to normal interaction OF
supply and demand, offer d timely
proof of the need Of some such stabil-
izing agency as the grain growers have
In contemplation
It is commended that IL their pro
posed organizations be perfected and
operated, the farmers will have LII
their hands an instrument that will be
capable Of dangerous abuse. We are
told that 1t will be possible to pervert
1t to arbitrary and oppressive price
fixing from its legitimate use Of order
Ing and ,stabilizing the flow of farm
products to the market, to the mutual
benefit of producer and consumer. /
have no apprehensions on this point.
In the first place, a loose organiza-
ton, such as any union of farmers
must be at best, cannot be so arbl-
| trarily and promptly controlled as a
| great corporation. The one is lunl-
berlng democracy and the other an agile
| autocracy. In the second place, with
| all possible power of org snization, the
farmers cannot succeed to any great
extent, or for any considerable length
/ of time, In fixing prices The great
law of supply and demand works In
various and surprising ways, to tie
undolng of the best laid plans that
attempt to foil 1t. In the third place,
their power will avail the farmers
| nothing IL 1t be abused In our time
and country power is of value to Its
possessOr only so long as 1t Is not
abused 1t is fair to say that / have
seen no signs in responsible quarters
Of disposition to dictate prices.
There seems, on the contrary, to be
commonly beneficial purpose to realize
a stability that will give an orderly
and abundant flow of farm products
to the consumer and ensure reasonable
and dependable returns to the pro
Queer.
In view of the supreme Importance
to the national well-being of pros
porous and contented agricultural pop
ulation. we should be prepared to 90
long way In assisting the farmers to
get an equitable share of the wealth
they produce, through the Inaugural
J ~, - g.,
!, continuous and increasing stream Of
farm products. They are far from get
ting fair share now Considering
his capital and the long hours of labor
put in by the average farmer and his
family, he Is remunerated less than
! any other occupational class, with the
possible exception of teachers, reli-
: gious and lay. Though we know that
3 the present general distress Of the
! farmers Is exceptional and Is linked
: with the Inevitable economic readjust-
I ment following the war, 1t must be
: remembered that, although represent
!, Ing one-third of the industrial product
. and half the total population of the
) nation, the rural communities ordi-
8 narily enjoy but fifth to q quarter of
J, the net annual national gain. NotWith-
7 standing the taste of prosperity that
b the farmers had during the war, there
!. Is today a lower standard of living
9 among the cotton farmers of the South
r than In any other lrsuit in the country.
I In conclusion, Ii seems to me that the
It farmers are chiefly striving for gen
I orally beneficial indignation of their
business, of the same kind and charac-
ter that other business enjoys. Il II
t should be found ON examination that
8 the attainment OF this end requires
b methods different from those which
n other activities have followed for the
l. same purpose should we not sympa
y theticalIy consider the plea for the
le right to cooperate, If only from ouI
g own enlightened self interest, In OBJ
Is tanning an abundant and steady flow OF
u farm products?
is In examining the agricultural situa
e. ton with view to its improvement
Z, we shall be most helpful II we main
70 tain a detached and judicial viewpoint
a. remembering that existing wrongs ma!
a. be chiefly an accident of unsymmetri
st cal economic growth instead of a crea
o. ton of malevolent design and consplra
"a cy. We Americans are prone, as FRO
a. lessor David Friday well says in hi
rs admirable book, Profits, Wages Rnt
OF Prices" to seek criminal Intent be
L. hind every difficult and undesirable eco
lie nomic situation" can positively as
70 sert from my contact with men 0
large affairs, including bankers, that
rs as whole. they are endeavorine t
Sc fulfil as they see them the obligation
OF that go with their power. Preoccupie'
a. with the grave problems and heav,
ly teaks of their own Immediate affairs
re they have not turned their thoughtful
t. narsonaI attention or their consttue
n. five abilities to the deficiencies of agri
ne cultural business organization. Agri