Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-02-01

er u the funny pages In the hands OF
sleek urban confidence men, who sell
him acreage IN Central Park or the
Chicago city han. The leaders OF the
farmers thoroughly understand this,
and they are lntelllgently striving TO
lntegrate their Industry so that II VIII
be on an equal footing with other busi
nesses.
As an example OF migration, take
the steel industry, In which the model
Is the United States steel Corporation,
with It's iron mines. its coal mines, Its
lake and rail transportation, Its ocean
vessels. It's by-product coke ovens, It's
blast furnaces, its open hearth and
Bessemer furnaces. its rolling mills, It's
tube mills and other manufacturing
processes that are carried to the high
est degree Of finished production com
patlble with the large trade II has
built up. All this Is generally conced-
ed 20 be 10 the advantage Of the con
sumer. Nor does the steel corporation
lnconsiderately dump its products on
the market. On the contrary. Il so
acts that II Is frequently a stabilizing
influence. as Is often the case with 9th
er large organizations II Is master OF
its distribution as well as OF It's pro-
ductlon. III prices are not satisfactory
the products are held back or prOduc-
ton Is reduced or suspended. IL Is not
compelled 10 send a years work to the
market at one time and take whatever
II can get under such circumstances.
II has one selling policy and Its own
export department. Neither are the
grades and qualities Of steel determln-
ed nj the caprice OF the buyer, nor does
the latter hold the scales. In this SIN
Gle Indignation OF the steel corporation
Is represented about 40 per cent Of the
steel production II America. The rest
Is mostly In the hands OF few large
companies In ordinary times the
steel corporation. by example, stabilizes
all steel prices. II this Is permissible
(lt Is even desirable, because stable
and fair prices are essential to solid
and continued prosperity why would
Il be wrong for the farmers to utilize
central agencies that would have SINH
lar effects on agricultural productsf
Something like that Is what they are
aiming at.
Some farmers favored by regional
compactness and cOntigulty, such as the
Observation-Disclosures Of California, al
ready have found a way legally to
merge and sell their products Int
orally and In accordance with seasonal
and local demand, thus improving
their position and rendering the con-
sumer a reliable service Of ensured
quality, certain supply, and reasonable
and relatively steady prices. They
have not found II necessary TO resort
TO any special privilege, or to claim
any exemption under the antitrust
legislation Of the state or nation. With
out removing local control, they have
built up a very efficient marketing
agency. The grain, cotton, and to-
bacco farmers, and the producers OF
hides and wool, because OF their num-
hers and the vastness OF their regions,
and for other reasons, have found
Indignation a more difficult task;
though there are now some thousands
OF farmers cooperative elevators,
warehouses, creameries, and other en-
terprIses Of one sort and another, with
n turnover OF a billion dollers a year.
They are giving the farmers business
experience and training, and, so far
as they 90, they meet the need OF
honest weighing and fair grading; but
they do not meet the requirements Of
nationally adjusted marketing in any
large and fundamental way.
The next step. which will be a pat
tern for other groups, Is now being
prepared by the grain-raisers through
the establishment Of sales media which
shall handle grain separately or col
lectively, as the individual farmer may
elect. II Is this step-the plan OF the
Committee OF Seventeen-which has
created so much opposition and Is
thought by some 10 be In conflict with
the antitrust laws Though there Is
now before congress a measure de-
signed 10 clear up doubt on this point,
the grain-producers are not relying on
any immunity from antitrust legisla-
ton. They desire. and they are en-
titled. 10 coordinate their efforts .ust
as effectively as the large business IN.
terests of the country have done. In
connection with the selling organiza-
lions the United States Grain Growers
Incorporated Is drafting a scheme Of
financing lnstrumentalltles and auxill-
airy agencies which are Indispensable
to the successful utilization Of modern
business methods.
II Is essential that the farmers
should proceed gradually with these
plans. and aim 10 avoid the error OF
scrapplng the existing marketing ma
chInery. which has been so laboriously
built up by long experience. before
they have a tried and proved substl-
tute or supplementary mechanism.
They must be careful not to become
enmeshed In their own reforms and
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