Milford chronicle., 1922-01-20

To take a tolerant and sympathetic
view Of the farmers strivings for bet.
ter things Is not to give a blanket
endorsement to any specific plan, and
still less to applaud the vagaries of
some Of their leaders and groups.
Neither should we, on the other hand,
allow the frOth of bitter agitation,
false economics, and mistaken radical
ism to conceal the facts Of the farm
ers' disadvantages, and the practicable
Ity Of eliminating them by well-con
sidered measures. Il may be that the
farmers will not show the business
sagacity and 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
specularively manipulated prices
spOllage, waste, scarcity, the results
If defective distribution Of farm prod
uets. Should it nat occur to us that
we have a common interest with the
farmer in his attempts to attain a de-
gree Of efficiency in distribution cor
responding to his efficiency i'm prOduc-
ton? DO not the recent fluctuations
in the May wheat option. apparently
unrelated to normal interactinn Of
supply and dPIQand. offer timely
proof Of the need Of some such stabil-
izing agency as the grain growers have
ia 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 thar 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. /
have no apprehensions on this point.
In the first place, a loose Organiza-
tlOn. such as any union of farmers |
must be at best, cannot be so arbi-
trarily and promptly controlled as a
great corporation. The one is a lum-
bering democracy and the other an agile
autocracy. In the second place, with
all possible power Of org nizatlon, the
farmers cannot succeed to any great
extent. or for any considerable length
)f time, In fixing prices. The great
aw of supply and demand works in
various and surprising ways, to the
1ndoing Of the best laid plans that
n ROf1 q IL hO I'D
heir power will avail the farmers
nothing If 1t be abused. In our time
md country power Is Of value to its
)ossessOr only so long as 1t Is not
bused. II is fair to say that l have
cen no signs in responsible quarters
f a disposition to dictate prices.
There seems, on the contrary, to be a
OmmOnly beneficial purpose to realize
stability that will givN an orderly
nd abundant flow of farm products (
o the consumer and ensure reasonable
nd dependable returns to the pro- :
ucer
In view Of the supreme Importance /
} the national well-being Of a pros t
erOus and cOntented agricultural pop. t
latiOn. we should be prepared to go n
long way in assisting the farmers to
ct an equitable share of the wealth {
ley produce, through the inaugura- =
on Of reforms that will procure a a
)ntinuOus and increasing stream of II
lrm products. They are far from get n
ng q fair share now. Considering
s capital and the long hours of labor
1t In by the average farmer and his /
mlly, he Is remunerated less than
~ other OccupatiOnal class, with the
'ssible exception of teachers, rell
Gus and lay. Though we know that
e present general distress Of the
rmers Is exceptional and is linked
th the inevitable economic readjust-
ent following the war, it must be
membered that, although represent
9 One-third Of the Industrial product
d half the total population of the
tiOn, the rural communities Ordi.
rily enjoy but a fifth to a quarter Of
e net annual national gain. NOtwith-
lnding the taste of prosperity that
= farmers had during the war, there
today a lower standard of living
long the cotton farmers of the South
ID In any other pursuit in the country. -