The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-01-19

or care very much, what the great
world was doing. The result is that
the agricultural group is almost as
much at a disadvantage IN dealing with
other economic groups as the jay farm
er OF the funny pages In the hands Of
sleek urban confidence men, who sell
him acreage In Central Park or the
Chicago city hall. The leaders OF the
farmers thoroughly understand this,
and they are intelligently striving 10
integrate their industry so that 1t Will
be on an equal footing with other busi-
nesses.
AS an example OF Indignation, take
the steel industry, In which the model
Is the United States Steel Corporation.
with its iron mines, its coal mines, Its
lake and rail transportation. Its ocean
vessels, It's by-prodnct coke ovens, Its
blast furnaces, its open hearth and
Bessemer furnaces. Its rolling mills. its
tube mills and other manufacturing
processes that are carried TO the high
est degree OF finished production com
patible with the large trade II has
built up. All this Is generally conced-
ed 10 be to the advantage OF the con-
inconslderately dump Its products on
the market. On the contrary, Ii SO
acts that II Is frequently stabillzlng
influence, as IS often the case with 9TH
er large organizations. 1t is master OF
its distribution as well as OF its pro
ductIOn. II prices are not satisfactory
the products are held back or prOduc-
ton IL reduced or suspended. 1t Is not
compelled to send q years work to the
market at one time and take whatever
II can get under such circumstances.
10 has one selling policy and Its own
export department. Neither are the
grades and qualities OF steel determin-
ed at the caprice OF the buyer, nor does
the latter hold the scales. In this sin
gle indignation OF the steel corporation
Is represented about 20 per cent OF the
steel production OF America. The rest
is mostly In the hands OF q few large
companies. In ordinary times the
steel corporation, by example, stabillZes
all steel prices. II this is permissible
lit is even desirable, because stable
and fair prices are essential TO solid
and continued prosperity why would
1t be wrong for the farmers to utilize
central agencies that would have SINH
lar effects on agricultural products?
Something like that Is what they are
aiming at
Some farmers favored by regional
compactness AID cOntiguity. such as the
cItrus-fruIt-raisers OF California, al
ready have found a way legally to
merge and sell their products inte-
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 1t necessary to resort
to any special privilege. or to claim
any exemption under the antitrust
legislation Of the stRte or nation. With
out removing local control, they have
built up q very efhcient marketing
agency. The grain, cotton, and to-
baeco farmers, and the producers of
hides and wool, because OF their num-
berB and the vastne4a Of their regions,
and for other reasons, have found
migration = more dlmcult task;
though there are now some thousands
81 farmers cooperative elevators,
warehouses, cream6rles, and other en-
terprises OF one sort and another, with
a turnover OF q billion dollSrs a year.
They are giving the farmers business
experience and training, and, 80 far
A. they 90, they meet the need Of
honest Weighing and fair grading; but
they de not meet the requirements Of
nationally adjusted mGrkstinE in any
large and fundamental way.
The next step, which will be q pat
tern for ether groups, is now being
prepared by the grnin-raissrs through
tAe establishment OF SALES media which
shall handle grain separately or col
lsctiVely, a. the individual farmer may
Sasct. IT IL tAis stOD-the plan OF the
Committee Of SSVOnteen-Whlch has
created 20 much opposition and il
thought by some to be in conflict with
the antitrust laws. Though there Is
now before congress q measure de-
signed to clear up doubt on this point,
the grain-producera are not relying on
any immunity from antitrust legIsla-
ton. They desire, and they are en-
titled, to coordinate their efforts Just
az 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 instrumentalItles and Ruxili-
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 to avoid the error of
scrapplng the existing marketing ma
chinsry, which has been so labOrlOusly
built up by long experience. before
they have q tried and proved Substi-
tute or supplementary mechanism.
They must be careful not to become
enmeEhsd In their own reforms and
lose the perspective Of their place in