The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-01-12
PAGE THREE

S.JtOuldllA ely udulDuldLGQ prices
spoilage, waste, scarcity, the results
Of defective distribution of farm prod
ucts. Should it not occur to US that
we have a common interest with the
farmer III lis attempts to attain a de-
gree of efficiency in distribution cor
responding to his efficiency in produc-
ton? Do not the recent fuct,'"tiOns
in the May wheat option apparently
unrelated to normal interaction Of
supply and demand, offer a timely
proof of the need Of some such stabil-
izing agency as the grain growers have
in contemplation?
1t is cOntended that. if their pro-
posed organizations be perfected and
operated, the farmers will have in
their hands an instrument that will be
capable Of dangerous abuse. We are
told that it 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, I
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 arbi-
trarily and promptly controlled as g.
great corporation. The one Is I'm.
berIng DEMOCRACY and the other an agile
P.tQcracy, In the second place, with
Al possible power Il org nization, the
farmers cagnot succeed to any great
extent, or for any Considerable length
Of time, in fixing prices. The great
.4T Of supply and demand works il
Various and Surprising ways, to tie
undoing Of the best laid plans that
attempt TO foil il, In the third place,
their power will avail the farmers
nothing if it be abused In our time
and country power is Of value to its
pCssessOr only so long as it IS not
abused; i Is fair T. say that I have
seen no signs in responsible quarters
Of a disposition TO dictate prices
There seems, on the contrary, to be a
commonly beneficial purpose to realize
a stability that will give an orderly
and abundant flow Of farm, r,roJuots
70 +ha consume, and o,snra ,,g, sona,,ia
and denardoI,la ro+,,r,s =. tI,o 80
Queer.
u ,.,,,. 49,. ....-.
,'l'- '.''7 LII l'01 lance
~ INT '.''N"I "e'l-Deil~ Oh pros
porous ana cohtenied agricultural pop
ulation, We should Re prepared to 60
a long way in assisting the farmers to
get an equitable share of the wealth
they produce, through the inaugura.
tion of reforms that will procure a
continuous ana increasing stream OF
farm products. They are far from get
ting a fair share now. Considering
his capital and the long hours of labor
put in by the average farmer and his
family, he is remuuerated less than
any other occupational class, with the
possible exception Of teachers. reli
glOus and lay. Though we know that
the present general distress of the
farmers is exceptional and is linked
with the inevitable economic readjust.
ment following the war. it must be
remembered that, although represent.
nix fIlf- tlIlIl tI llIt INDUSTRIAL IEOuuGt
and half the total population of the
nation, the rural communities ordi.
narily enjoy but a fifth to quarter of
the net annual national gain. Notwith.
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
than in any other pursuit i'm the country
In conclusion. it seems to me that the
farmers are chiefly striving for a gen.
orally beneficial indignation of their
business. of the same kind and charac.
ter that other business enjoys. If II
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.
thetically consider the plea for the
right to cooperate, if only from our
own enlightened self interest. in OBJ.
tanning an abundant and steady flow of
farm products?
In examining the agricultural situa.
ton with a view to its Improvement,
we shall be most helpful If we main
tain detached and judicial viewpoint,