The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-02-15

sell, regardless or market conditions,
ut the time Of the maturity of crops,
he cannot suspend production in toto.
He must 60 on producing If he is to 90
on living, and If the world is to exist.
The most he can do Is to curtall pro
duction little or alter Its form, and
that-because he Is in the dark as to
the probable demand for his goods
may be only to jump from the frying
pan into the fire, taking the consumer
with him.
Even the dairy farmers, whose out
put Is not seasonal, complain that they
find themselves at disadvantage in
the marketing of their productions.
especially raw milk. because of the
high costs of distribution, which they
must ultimately bear.
III
Now that the farmers are stirring,
thinking, and uniting as never before
to eradicate these inequalities, they
are subjected to stern economic lee.
lures, and are met with the accusation
that they are demanding, and are the
recipients Of, special privileges. Let
us see what privileges the government
has conferred on the farmers Much
has been made Of Section OF the
Clayton Antitrust Act, which pur.
ported to permit them to combine with
Immunity, under certain conditions.
Admitting that, nominally, this eX-
emption was In the nature Of special
privilege, though think it was so In
appearance rather than in fact,--we
find that the courts have nullified II
by judicial Interpretation. Why should
not the farmers be permitted to &C.
compllsh by cooperative methods what
other businesses are already doing by
cooperation in the form of lncorpora-
ton? If 1t be proper for men to form,
by fusion of existing corporations or
otherwise. a, corporation that controls
the entire production Of q commodity,
or large part OF 1t, why is 1t not
proper for group Of farmers to unite
for the marketing Of their common
products, either in one or In several
selling agencies? Why should It be
right for hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct % or 80 or 40
per cent of an industry, and wrong for
hundred thousand cooperative
farmers to control a no larger proper,
ton Of the wheat crop. or cotton, or
any other product?
The Department Of Agriculture is
often spoken Of as a special concession
to the farmers. but In its commercial
results. 1t Is of as much benefit to the
buyers and consumers of agricultural
products as to the producers, or even
more. do not suppose that anyone
opposes the benefits that the farmers
derive from the educational and re
search work of the department. or the
help that II gives them in working out
improved cultural methods and prac
tees, in developing better yielding W
rleties through breeding and selection
In introducing new varieties from re-
mote parts of the world and adapting
them to our climate and economic con
di.ion. and In devislng practical meas
ures for the elimination or control of
dangerous and destructive animal and
plant diseases, insect pests and the
like. All these things manifestly tend
to stimulate and enlarge production
and their general beneficial effects are
obvious
1t is complained that, whereas the
law restricts Federal Reserve banks
to three months time for commercial
paper, the farmer Is allowed six
months on his notes. This is not
special privilege, but merely such
recognition of business conditions as
makes 1t possible for country banks
to do business with country people
The crop farmer has only one turn.
over year. while the merchant and
manufactures have iaany. Incidental
", | note that the Federal Reserve
Board has just authorized the Fed
eral Reserve banks 70 discount export
paper for period Of six months, ito
conform to the nature of the bust
ness
The Farm Loan banks are pointed
to as an instance Of special govern
ment favor for farmers. Are they n0l
rather the outcome Of laudable efforts
to equalize rural and urban condl
lions? And about all the government
does there Is TO help; set up an az
ministratlve organization and lend q
little credit at the start Eventually
the farmers will provide all the cap
tai and carry all the liabilities them
selves. 1t Is true that Farm Loat;
bonds are tax exempt; but SO are
bonds of municipal light and traction
plants. and new housing is to be eX
empt from taxation. in New York. 70,
ten years.
On the other hand. the farmer reads
Of plans for municipal housing prof
ects that run into the billions, Of hun
dreds of millions annually spent ga
the merchant marine; he reads tha
the railways are being favored vii
Increased rates and virtual guarantie.
Of earnings by the government, wilI
the result to him CT an Increased toll
on all that he sells and all that he