The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-24

he buys and sells as an individual, it
is his fate to buy in the dearest and
sell in the cheapest market He con-
trasted with this abe corporation
which could effect economics and ac-
quire for itself a power in the markets
by combinations.
The president said there was mis-
conception regarding the financial
status of agriculture
IF the mortgage Indebtedness OF
farms shows, over a given period a
marked tendency to increase, the fact
becomes occasion for concern, he
said eff during the same period, the
railroads or the great industries con-
trolIed by corporations find them
selves able to increase their mortgage
Indebtedness by dint of bond issues
the fact is heraIded as evidence of bet
ter business conditions and of capital s
increased willingness to engage In
these industries and thus inspire larger
production and better employment of
labor Both the mechanism of finance
and the preconception of the oommu-
nifty are united in creating the impress
sion that easy access to ample capital
is a disadvantage to the farmer, an
evidence of his decay in prosp Gritty;
while precisely the same circum-
stances are construed, in other indus
tries, as evidence of prosperity and of
desirable business expansion.
Must Be Taught Organization.
at cannot be too strongly urged
that the farmer must be ready to help
himself" he added This conference
would do most lasting good if it
would find ways to impress the great
mass of farmers to aval themselves
of the best methods. By this, mean
that, in the last analysis legislation
can do little more than give the
farmer the chance to organize and
help himself"
The president then referred to CO.
operative marketing. 1t should be-
possible to afford to the farmers, he
said. ample provision of law under
which they may carry on in co-opera-
tive fashion those business operations
which lend themselves to that method,
and which thus handled would bring
advantages to both the farmer and
his consuming public"
THE farmer" he continued, must
be responsible for doing the rest and
must themselves learn organization
and the practical procedure of CO.
operation.
Lack of essential information Mr..
Harding asserted. was one of the
most serious obstacles to a proper bal
ancing of agricultural production. All
too frequently, he said, such informa-
ton Is gathered by private interests
whose concern is private profit rather
than the general good"
Overproduction Is Disastrous.
with proper financial support for
agriculture and with Observation-Disclosures
for the collection and dissemination
of useful information" he added, "a
group of cooperative marketing or
CARNATIONS would be able to advise
their members as to the probable de-
mand FOR staples and to propose
measures for proper limitation of
acreages in particular crops. The GER
tainty that such scientific distribution
of production was to be observed
culture and increase the security on
which financial advances could be
made to it. The disastrous effects
which arise from over-production are
notorious. 1t is apparent that the
interest of the consumers quite
mands m easures to prevent these vio-
lent fluctuations which result from
unorganized and haphazard produc-
ton. Indeed, the statistics of this
| entire subject clearly demonstrate that
, the consumers concern for better
that of the producer. The farmer
| does not demand special consideration
to the disadvantage of any other
/ class; he asks only for that consider
alton which shall place his vital in
tdustry on a parity of opportunity with
others and enable it to serve the
broadest interest,"
Turning to the subject of transport
tation, the president said that I'll
broad visioned craftsmanship shall es-
tablish fundamentally sound policies
toward transportation, 0the present
crisis will one day be regarded as q
piece of good fortune to the nation
| Have Neglected Our Waterways.
| "To this time railroad construction
financing and operation" he added
| have been unscientific and devoid Of
/ proper consideration for the wider
| concerns of the community. To say
this is simply to admit a fact which
applies to practically every railroad
system in the world"
! Waterways have been too long neg
| lected in America, he declared, add
/ ing that 1--WE need a practical deVel
| opment of water resources for botf
| transportation and power" large
| phase of railway tonnage is coal fol
railway fuel, he said. The expert
ence of railway identification demon
strates the possibility of reducing thi
waste and increasing efficiency. WI
/ may begin very soon to consider plan
to -electrify our railroads. If sucl
Suggestion seems to involve inordinatt
bonds upon our financial and indus
trial power it may be replied tina
three generations ago the suggestion
Of building 100000 miles of railroad
| in this country would have beer
secuted as a financial and industrial
impossibility. Waterways improve
ment represents not only the POSSIBLE
ity of expanding our transportation
system, but also of producing hydro
electric power for it's operation an;
for the activities of widely diffused in
dustry."
Telling of the advantages which
Europe enjoys because of its easy &C
cess to the sea, "the surest and cheap
est transportation facility" the pres
ident said that in the United State
is presented one of the worlds mos
attractive opportunities for extension
of the seawayS many hundred mile
inland"
Must Overcome National Prejudice
THE heart of the continent with it
vast resources in both agriculture ant
industry, he added, would b,
brought in communication with al
the ocean routes by the execution o
the St Lawrence waterway project
To enable ocean vessels to have ac
I m 4, ffrn .i1,-4e. =.