Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1922-04-12

not impossible for the man at, the be-
ginning of the line. Really it is not
necessary to understand. that how
ever deeply tfnged with socialism so
called Townleyism has been, it APP
pealed to the farmer. because it was
represented to him as an attempt to
obtain for him a fair business deal.
Ninety-nine per cent of the business
of the northwest depends upon agri-
culture Just at present frozen cred
its due to the practically bankrupt
condition of large percentage Of the
bottom of most of the depression so
far as it affects this territory. Forty
or fifty million dollars of government
money may help some, but it will not
cure it all any more than cooperative
legislation can cure it all. The cure
and the main cure is for 'tBig Bust
ness" to begin to regard the farmer as
a partner rather than a customer.
Money in some way must be made
cheaper for him and more readily av-
the farmer to properly finance his bu-
siness as it is for the meat. packer,
the shoe manufacturer, the miller or
anyone else to properly finance his
business. And some other rule than
to charge all that the market will bear
must be made the guiding principle of
the big financial and industrial inter-
ests.. t~s. - ~.--.. s<..-.g... 50: "-s
For some years we know that men
of affairs in this northwest have been
raising their hands in holy horror at
the spectre of state socialism, In
this they have been right. Indeed,
there is nothing in state socialism for
the farmers, but unless spirit of CO.
partnership is erected between the
big fellows in the cities and the coun-
try, which can only be erected upon
basis of square business dealing, we
shall have Townleyism again ID some
other form with further and greater
heritage of discontent.9to sustain it.
In the last election in our state the
fostering Of cooperation among the
farmers to market their products CO.
operatively was endorsed as q prac-
tical way to help the farmers help
themselves whereby they could save
to themselves the middlemen's pro-
fits. The legislature upon it's assem-
bling proceeded to enact legislation
for this purpose The easures were
enacted, but these laws only run in
Minnesota. The approval Of Congress
was necessary to enable the farmers
to market their products cooperative
ly and collectively in interstate com
Sherman Anti Trust Law THE law re
Gently passed by our Congress, known
as the Volstead-Capper Act takes care
of this situation. It was the end of
a three or four years fight for some
thing to which the farmers of America
were rightfully entitled. tits no doubt
the most important legislation ever
enacted by Congress in behalf of the
cause of agriculture AS our laws thus
stand today in the Language of the,
law, farm organizations and labor I'M
ions are the only ones exempt from
the operations of the Sherman Anti
Trust Law. In my candid opinion, an
organization Of any class of our citi
zens can obtain the best results by
working within the leading and dom
inant political parties, but there must
be an organization for the purpose.
We know that this method realized
prohibition of the liquor traffic, which
came about largely thru the efforts
of the anti-saloon leagues non-politi-
cal work. We also know that this
method won over women suffrage and
such methods will yield the best re-
suits for agriculture thru organization
and united and cooperative action.
We have never been able to con-
ceive that any one class can obtain the
best economic results by operating
independently in politics or govern
ment It is a matter Of history that
when, for instance, such an OrganiZa-
ton as the Dairy Mems Association
of our state comes before our legisla
ture and demands some legislation
affecting it's welfare and interest, it
is as a rule realized. The same thing
happens to the bee keepers associa-
ton, the horticulturists, the sugar corn
canning industry, the live stock breed
ers association and others. We know
that no congress or legislature can
legislate prosperity to any one class,
but means and machinery can be pro-
vided through legislation whereby a
class, the farming class for example,
can enjoy an opportunity for better
ment and improvement of their: bust
ness and economic conditions. More
has been done in this respect during
the past couple years than eyer be-
fore in the history of our country. We
think the Farm Bureau Federation is
doing some good work. No body IS in:
fa!lible, neither can this organization
be infallible There seem to be some
however who are disposed to very