Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-02-17
Register Madison County KY Friday February 1922

or care very much, what the great
world was doing The result Is that
the agricultural group is almost as
much al n disadvantage in dealing with
other economic groups as the Jay farm
er II the funny pages in the hands Of
>'Sck urban confidence men. who sell
Hill. acreage In Central Park or the
Chicago city hall The leaders OF the
farmers thoroughly understand this
and they are intelligently striving Ia
iniegrate their industry 81 that IL will
he on an equal footing with other bust
misses.
As an example Of iniegraiien. take
the steel Industry. in which the model
is the United States Steel Corporation
with It's iron mines. it, coal mines, its
lake and rail transportation. its ocean
vessels. its by-produci coke ovens it,
blast furnaces. lis open hearth and
BeSSemer furnaces. its rolling mills. H.
tube mills and other manufa turin.
processes that are carried io The high
est degree of finished production com
paiible with the large trade IL ha'
built up All this is generally concrd
cd Ia he Ia the advantage III the con
sumner. Nor does the steel corporation
nconSilPraicly dump its products 81
the market. ON the contrary IL -"
acts thar Il is frequently a StahiliZin.
influence as is often the case with 9th
or large organizations II j. master -
its distribution aS well aS ~ lis pr"
duciiun. II prices are not satisfactory
the prnducts are held back ar pr'!nc
lion is reduced or suspended T. ia no.
compelled 10 send a years work ." Ia
market al one time and take whatever
il can get under Such circumstances
II has one selling policy and lis "wl
expert department Neither are ih
grades and qualities OF steel driermin
ed nj the caprice 81 the buyer nor d'eS
the latter hold the scales In This sin
Gle indignation 81 The steel corporation
is represented about 80 per cent ~ The
steel production II America The rest
IS mostly in the hands Of few !ar-c
companies. In ordinary times the
steel corporation. ny example. ~iahiiizcS
all steel prices. n This is permissible
Git is even desirable, because stable
AMI fair prices are essential 10 solid
and continued prosperity why would
it bc wrong for the farmers g." uiiliz'
central agencies Eiat would have sim.
lar effects on agricultural products:
Something like that is what they are
aiming al.
Some farmers favored 10y regional
cumpactncss and coniiguiiy. such IS III,
citrus fruit-raiScrs Of California. al
ready have found a way legally &
merge AMI sell llcir pruducls inlc
orally and in accordance with SeaS"nai
aud lncal demand. thus imprp' in.
their position aud reudcriu. The con
Suner q reliable service Of ensured
quality. certain supply. and REASONABLE
aud relatively steady prices. The,
have not found il necessary tp rcSnr-
10 any special privilege. or 90 claim
any exemption under the auii-iru>
esiSlalinn of the stale or uIli"n With
,ui rrmovin. local control. they have
built up very efficient marketing
agency The grain. cotton AID to
harru farmers. and The producers =
hides and wool. because ~ their num
hers and the vaStn,'>S Of their regions
aud fer other reasons. have fnund
inIrgraliun more difficult task
though there are now some thousands
4 farmers cooperative elevators.
warehouses. crcameries. and other en-
s-sfF 4,
turnover Of q billion dollers year
They are giving the farmers business
experience and training. and. so FAR
rs they go. they meet the need VI
homes; weighing and fair grading; bIt
they do not meet the requirements ~
nationally adjusted marketing in any
large ana fundamental way.
The next step. which will he pat
Tern for other groups. Is now beirs
prepared 10y the grain-raiserS through
the establishment OF sales media which
shall handle grain separately ar CO.
leciivcly. ~ the individual farmer maj
elect. II is this Stcp-the plan Of the
Committee II Seventeen which has
.reatrd so much opposition and J.
thought hy some u be IN conflict with
The antitrust laws. Though there !.
frnw before congress measure d.
signed to clear up doubt on this point.
he griin-producerS are not relying On
my immunity from antitrust lesiSla.
lion. They desire. aud they are en
Tiled. L. coordinate their efforts ju-4
as effectively as the large buSi:e>S IN
fereStS ~ Abe country have dine. In
connection with the selling or.aniza-
lions the United States Grain Growers
Incorporated is drafting scheme ~
financing inStrumentaliiies and aiIXili
airy agencies which are Indispensable
TO the successful utilization Of modern
business methods
II Is essential that the farmers
should proceed gradually with these
piamS. aud aim 20 avoid the error 81
Scrapping the existing marketing ma
,.hinery. which has been so laboriOusly
built up by long experience. before
they have tried and proved substi-
ute or supplementary mechanism
They must be careful not 10 become
.nmeShcd IN their own reforms and
lose the perspective Of their place In
the national system. They must guard
against fanatical devotion L. new doc.
trineS, and should seek articulation
with the general economic system
rather than its reckless destruction ~
il relates to them.