The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1922-03-10
Nv

Now. what Is the farmer asking
Without trying to catalogue the n
medal measures that have been sug
gested In his behalf, the principal pro
posals that bear directly on the i'm
] provement Of his distributing and mar.
keting relations may be summarized al
follows-
First:l storage warehouses for cot.
ton. wool, and tobacco, and elevators
for grain, Of sufficient capacity to meet
the maximum demand on them at the
peak Of the marketing period. The
farmer thinks that either private CAPT.
tai must furnish these facilities, or the
state must erect ana own the eleva-
tors and warehouses.
Second: weighing and grading q
agricultural products, and certlHcation
thereof, to be done by impartial and
.disinterested public inspectors (this %
already accomplished to some extent
by the federal licensing Of weighers
and gradeS), to eliminate underpay.
Ing. Overcharging, and unfair grading.
and to facilitate the utilization Of the
stored products as the basis Of credit.
Third: a certainty Of credit sufficient
to enable the marketing OF products
In an orderly manner.
Fourth: the Department Of Agricul.
ture should collect, tabulate, summa.
rize. and regularly and frequently pub.
fish and distribute to the farmers. full
information from all the markets Of
the world, so that they shall be as well
Informed Of their selling position as
buyers now are Of their buying posi-.
tfon.
Fifth: freedom to integrate the bust.
ness Of agriculture by means Of con-
solidated selling agencies, co-ordinat.
ing and cooperating In such way as to
put tie farmer on an equal footing
with the large buyers of his products,
and with commercial relations In other
industries.
When business requires specialized
talent, 1t has to buy Il. So will the |
farmers; and perhaps the best way for
them to get 1t would be to utilize some
OF the present machinery Of the lars-
est established agencies dealing In |
farm products. OF course, II he wishes.
the farmer may 60 further and engage
In four-milling and other manufactures
Of food products. In my opinion,
however, he would be wise to stop
short Of that. Public interest may be
opposed to all great integrations: but.
IN justice, should they be forbidden to
the farmer and permitted 10 others1
rhe corporate form Of association can.
not now be wholly adapted to his oh.
|ects and conditions. The looser co.
operative form seems more generally
Therefore, he wishes to be
rec, Il he finds It desirable and feas-
bic, to resort to cooperation with his
elbows and neighbors, without run
ling afcul Of the law. To urge that
he farmers should have the same lib
rty to consolidate and coordinate
heir peculiar economic functions.
rhich other industries in their fields
njoy, is not, however, to concede that
ny business Indignation should have
legislative sanction TO exercise monop.
listic power. The American people
re az firmly opposed to Industrial az
. political autocracy, whether at.
smpted By rural or by urban industry.
For lack Of united effort the farmers
= a whole are still marketing their
rops BY antiquated methods. or by no
lethods at all, but they are surrounded
= a business world that has been
odernized to the last minute and 10
relessly striving for efficiency. This
flciency Is due In large measure to
g business. to united business, to In
grated business. The farmers now
'ek the benefits Of such largeness. nm
u and Indignation.
The American farmer IL modern Of
e moderns 10 the use Of labor saving
achinery, and he has made vase
rides In recent pears In scientific
lage and efficient farm management. y
It as business In contact with other :
Isinesses agriculture IL q sens horse e
ny" In competition with high power 0
tomobiles. The American farmer d .
. greatest and most intfacfable Of \
iividualists. While industrial pro- O
ctinn and all rhasee az the hu~e eon. {,