The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1922-03-23
I v

Now, what II the farmer asklngf
without trying TO catalogue the re-
medal measures that have been sug-
gested In his behalf, the principal pro-
posals that bear directly on the Inn
provement Of his distributing and mar
keting relations may be summarized as
follows:-
First: storage warehouses for cot
ton, wool. and tobacco. md elevators
for grain. OF sufficient capacity to meet
the maximum demand on them at the
peak, OF the marketing period. The
farmer thinks that either private capi-
tai must furnish these facilities, or the
state must erect and own the eleva-
tors and warehouses
Second; weighing and grading az
agricultural products, and certlncation
thereof, 10 be done by impartial and
dlslnterested public inspectors (this 10
already accomplished 10 some extent
by the federal licensing Of weighers
and graders), to eliminate underpay-
Ing. overcharging. and unfair grading.
and 20 facilitate the utilization OF the
stored products ns the basis OF credit.
Third a certainty OF credit sufficient
10 enable the marketing OF products
In an orderly manner.
Fourth: the Department OF Agricul-
ture should collect. tabulate. summa-
riEe, and regularly and frequently pub
llsh and distribute 10 the farmers, full
Information from all the markets OF
the world. 10 that they shall be a. well
Informed OF their selling position as
buyers now are Of their buying posi-
tlon.
Fifth freedom 20 lntegrate the bust
ness OF agriculture by means OF con-
solldated selling agencies, co-ordlnat-
ing and cooperating In such way ss tol
put the farmer on an equal footing
with the large buyers OF his products.
and with commercial relations In other
industries.
When a business requires specialized
talent, II has 10 buy Il. 80 will the
farmers; and perhaps the best way for
them 10 get Il would bs 10 utilize some
Of the present machinery OF the larg-
est established agencies dealing In
farm products. or course. IL he wishes,
the farmer may 90 further and engage
In nourmilling and other manufactures
of food products. In my opinion.
however, he would be wisee 20 stop
short Of that. Public interest may be
opposed 20 all great integrationsi but.
In justice, should they be forbidden TO
tho farmer and permitted to othersf
The corporate form Of association can.
not now be wholly adapted to his OBJ
Jects and conditions. The looser CO.
operative form seems more generally
suitable. Therefore, he wishes TO be
free, II he finds II desirable and feas.
ible, TO resort 10 cooperation with his
fellows and neighbOrs. without run
ming afoul OF the law. To urge that
the farmers should have the same lib
their peculiar economic functions,
which other industries In their fields
enjoy, is not, however. 10 coneede that
any business integration should have
legislative sanction 10 exercise monop-
olistic power. The American people
are as firmly opposed TO Industrial AZ
10 political autocracy. whether at
tempted by rural or by urban industry.
For lack Of united EFFORT the farmers
as a whole are still marketing their
crops by antiquated methods, or by no
methods at all. but they are surrounded
by a business world that has been
modernized to thk last minute and Is
tlrelessly striving for efficiency. This
efficiency IL due in large measure 20
big business, 10 united business. to In
teErated business. The farmers now
seek the benefits Of such largeness, un-
lon and integration.
The American farmer ls a modern OF
the moderns In the use OF labor saving
machinery, and he has made vast
strides In recent years In scientific
tillage and eficient farm management,
but as a business In contact with other
businesses agriculture IL zone horse
shay" In competition with high power
automobiles. The American farmer Is
the greatest and most intractable Of
indiyidualists. while Industrial pro
duction and all phases OF the huge com
mercial mechanism and Its myriad ac-
cessories have artlculated and eo-Ordl-
mated themselves all the way from nat
ural raw materials 10 retail sales, the
business Of agriculture has gone on In
much the one man fashion OF the back
woods Of the hrst part OF the nine
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