The Raymer enterprise., 1922-03-02

TO take tolerant and sympathetic
view Of the farmers strivings for bet.
ter things Is not to give a blanket
endorsement to any specific plan. and
still less to applaud the vagaries Of
some Of their leaders and groups.
Neither should We, on the other hand,
allow the froth Of bitter agitation,
false economies, and mistaken radical
ism to conceal the facts Of the farm.
ers' disadvantages, and the pra acticabil.
ity Of eliminating them by well.con-
sidered measures. II may be that the
farmers will not show the business
sagaCty and develop the wise leader.
ship to carry through sound plans; but
that possibility does not Justify the
obstruction Of their upward efforts,
We. as city people. see In high aud
speculatlvely manipulated prices.
spoilage, waste. scarcity. the results
Ut defective distribution Of farm prod.
ncts. Should II not occur to US that
we have common interest with the
farmer IN his attempts to attain de.
gree Of efficiency In distribution cor.
responding to his efficiency In produc.
fioni Do not the recent fluctuations
In the May wheat option. apparently
unrelated to normal interaction Of
supply and demand, offer q timely
proof Of the need Of some such stabil.
izlng agency as the grain growers have
In contemplation
1t Is contended that, II their pro-
posed organizations be perfected and
operated, the farmers Will have In
their hands an instrument that will be
capable Of dangerous abuse. We are
told that It will be possible to pervert
i to arbitrary and oppressive price.
i1xlng from Its legitimate use Of order.
Ing and stabllIzing the flow Of farm
products to the market. to the mutual
benefit Of producer and consumer, /
have no apprehenslons on this point.
In the hrst place, loose organiza-
tion, such as any union OF farmers
must be ut best, cannot be 30 arbI.
trarlly and promptly controlled a.
great corporation The one is q lum.
berlng democracy and the other an agile
autocracy. In the second place, with
all possible power Of org .nixa tion, the
farmers cannot succeed to any great
extent. or for any considerable length
OF time. In fixing prices. The great
law OF supply and demand works In
various and surprising ways. to the
undoing OF the hest laid plans that
attempt to foil 1t. In the third place.
their power will avail the farmers
nothing II 1t be abused. In our time
and country power Is Of value to Hs
possessor only 50 long as 1t Is not
abused. II Is fair to say that have
seen no signs In responsible quarters
Df disposition TO dictate prices.
There seems, on the contrary, to be a
commonly beneficial purpose to realize
stability that will give an orderly
and abundant flow Of farm products
to the consumer and ensure reasonable
and dependable returns to the pro
ducer.
In view Of the supreme importance
to the national well.beIng Of 4 pros
porous and contented agricultural pop
nlatlon. we should be prepared to 30
long way In assisting the farmers to
get an equitable share Of the wealth
they produce. through the inaugura.
tion Of reforms that will procure 4
continuous and increasing stream Of
farm products. They are far from get
ting fair share now. Considering
his capital and the long hours Of labor
put In by the average farmer and his
family, be ID remuneratcd less than
any other occupatlonal class, with the
possible exception Of teachers, reli.
gious and lay. Though We know that
the present general distress Of the
farmers Is exceptional and Is linked
with the inevitable economic readjust-
ment following the war, II must be
remembered that. although represent
Ing one-thlrd Of the Industrial product
rand half the total population Of the
nation, the rural communities ordi.
narily enjoy but = fifth to q quarter Of
the net annual national gain. Notwith-
standing the taste Of prosperity that
the farmers had during the war, there
Ii today a lower standard Of living
among the cotton farmers Of the South
than In any other pursuit In the country.
In conclusion. II seems to me that the
farmers are chiefly striving for gen.
orally beneficial integration Of their
business, Of the same kind and charac.
ter that other business enjoys. II II
should be found on examination that
the attainment Of this end requires
methods different from those which
other activities have followed for the
same purpose should We not sympa.
thetically consider the plea for the
right to cooperate. II only from our
own enlightened self interest, In d.
tanning an abundant aud steady tiow Of
farm productsi
In examining the agricultural situa.
tion with a view to its improvement,
we shall be most helpful II We main.
tain detached and judicial viswpoist,
remembering that existing wrongs may
be chiefly an accident Of unsymmetri.
cal economic growth instead Of 4 crsa.