The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1922-02-09

I TIE AMERiCAN PRESS ASSOCIATION
NOW IS THE TIME TO GET BUSY.
The other day farmer came into
our office and said: "Will you tell me
what>is going to become of the farmer
! if the price Of everything he buys
stays up and the price of his products
remains down." The Grand-Rapids
Herald-Review in commenting on the
agricultural problem states: "What
the farmers really need is some COM
prehensive credit plan and scientific
cooperative marketing scheme. Like
all other producers the farmer. this
year should seek to cut production
costs and increase efficiency" We
thoroughly agree with the first part
of this statement but would be rather
doubtful concerning the possibility OF
the farmer greatly decreasing the cost
of production. In the course OF year,
by giving close attention to details, ne
can effect a considerable saving but
there are certain big items Of ex-
pense which he cannot control. He
cannot fix the price Of machinery or
merchandise of any sort that he must
buy and he may not be able to de-
;termine the wages that he will pay
1t would seem that the farmers
might we'll expect to obtain the great
est permanent benefit by developing
their marketing enterprises. If a man
cannot in anyway determine the price
he is obliged to pay for articles that
he must purchase nor the price at
which he must sell his produce, he is
liable to be caught in tight place.
There is very little altruism in busi-
ness transactions and it behooves ev-
cry man to look after his own inter-
ests. If the farmers will get together
and stand together in their co-opera-
tive marketing enterprises, they can in
large measure determine the figure
at which they will sell their produce
and, as in the majority of business en-
terprises, they will have chance to
pass on the high prices that are put
on at the other end Of the line.
In the past the farmers themselves
have done much to hurt their own CO.
operative marketing enterprises be-
cause they have had tendency to
rush into everything labeled "co-op-
erative." AS has been said there is
nothing magic about the word "co-op-
erative." It is seldom that the far
mers have found it profitable to con-
duct cooperative enterprises that are
mot directly concerned with marketing.
If the farmers will not scatter their
money and energy over too big a field
and will devote themselves strictly to
their marketing enterprises, they
ought to eventually succeed in other
lines just as they already have in their
screameries and Their livestock shipping
associations.
The farmers will have to do
their organizing themselves, will have
to lay their own plans and see that
they are carried to a successful con-
clusion. They will not find the doc
tors, lawyers, merchants, bankers or
any other class of men doing it for
them.
If the representatives from this dis
;trict clearly understand just what the
farmers want, they will be in much
'better position to work together. It
might be good plan for the farmers
in this legislative district to come to-
:gether to discuss matters that are of
particular interest to them, such as
those pertaining to their market
ing enterprises. Go over the
ground carefully and get advice of
competent men; if necessary, employ
attorneys to investigate certain ques-
tions. Then adopt a program and
when legislative candidate appears
in the field ask him how he stands in
regard to that program. AS news
paper, the Union will promise to as
asist in carrying out the plan by
giving full publicity to the program or
platform adopted by the farmers.
Once a month the Union will go to
every taxpayer in the county and we
have large number of subscribers in
--thas Legislative district outside the
county. We will go still further. If
each candidate will be interviewed in
regard to this program, we will pub
lish the results of that interview, Civ
ing as accurately as possible his posi-
tion on the questions presented to him.
Now is the time for the farmers in this
legislative district to get busy if they
think the legislature can enact laws
that will improve conditions for them.
The county and state conventions are
approaching and candidates will be ap-
pearing.
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