Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1922-02-17

world was doing The result Is thai
the agricultural group is almost az
much at a disadvantage In dealing with
other economic groups as the jay farm
er " the funny pages In the hands Of
sleek urban confidence men, who sch
him acreage in Central Park or the
Chicago city hall The leaders OF the
farmers thoroughly understand this,
and they are intelligently striving to
integrate their industry so that It will
be on an equal footing with other busi.
nesses.
AS an example OF integration, take
the steel Industry, In which the model
ls the United States Steel Corporation,
with Its iron mines, its coal mines, its
lake and rail transportation, Its ocean
vessels, Its by-product coke ovens. Its
blast furnaces, Its open hearth and
Bessemer furnaces, Its rolling mills, Its
tube mills and other manufacturing
processes that are carried to the high
est degree Of finished production COM
patible with the large trade It has
built up. All this Is generally conced.
ed to be to the advantage of the con-
sumer. Nor does the steel corporation
inconslderately dump Its products on
the market. On the contrary. II 30
acts that 1t Is frequently a stsbilizing
influence, as Is often the case with 9TH
er large organizations. II Is master Of
Its distribution as well as Of its pro-
duction. II prices are not satisfactory
the products are held back or produc-
tion Is reduced or suspended. 1t is not
market at one time and take whatever
It can get under such circumstances.
It has one selling policy and its own
export department. Neither are the
grades and qualities Of steel determin-
Cd at the caprice Of the buyer, nor does
the latter hold the scales. In this sim
gle integration Of the steel corporation
10 represented about 70 per cent Of the
steel production Of America. The rest
10 mostly In the hands Of few large
companies In ordinary times the
steel corporation, by example. stabilizes
all steel prices. II this 10 permissible
lit ls even desirable, because stable
and fair prices are essential to solid
and continued prosperity why would
II be wrong for the farmers TO utilize
central agencies that would have slDi-
lar effects on agricultural productsi
Something ike that 10 what they are
aiming at.
Some farmers favored BY regional
compactness and contiguity, such as the
trus-fruit-raisers Of California, al.
ready have found q way legally Ia
merge and sell their products Int.
orally and In accordance with seasonal
and local demand, thus improving
their position and rendering the con.
sufiier reliable service OF ensured
quality, certain supply, and reasonable
and relatively steady prices They
have not found II necessary to resort
to any special privilege, or to claim
any exemption under the antitrust
legislation Of the state or nation With.
out removing local control, they have
built up a very efficient marketing
agency. The grain, cotton. and to.
baccO farmers, and the producers Of
hides and wool, because Of their mum.
bers and the vastness Of their regions,
and for other reasons, have found
integratlon more difficult task
though there are now some thousands
Of farmers cooperative elevators.
warehouses, creamerles, and other en-
terprlses Of one sort and another, with
a turnover of billion dollers a year.
They are giving the farmers business
experience and training, and. so far
as they go, they meet the need Of
honest weighing and fair grading; but
they do not meet the requirements Of
nationally adjusted marketing In any
large and fundamental way.
The next step, which will be q pat.
tern for other groups, Is now being
prepared by the grain-raisers through
the establishment OF sales media which
shall handle grain separately or col
lectively, as the individual farmer may
elect. II Is this step-the plan Of the
Committee Of Seventeenth which has
created so much opposition and Is
thought by some to be in conflict with
the antitrust laws. Though there Is
now DclOEc COnkTtbh IhtuSHTt ut-
signed to clear up doubt on this point,
the graln-producers are not relying on
any immunity from antitrust Iegisla.
ton. They desire. and they are en-.
titled, to coordinate their efforts Just
as effectively as the large business In.
terests Of the country have done. In
connection with the selling Organiza.
tions the United States Grain Growers
Incorporated Is drafting a scheme Of
financing Instrumentalities and auxili.
airy agencies which are Indispensable
to the successful utilization Of modern
business methods.
II Ii essential that the farmers
should proceed gradually with these
plans. and aim to avoid the error OF
scrapplng the existing marketing ma.
chinery, which has been SO labOrlOusly
built up by long experience, before
they have a tried and proved substi.
tuts or supplementary mechanism,
They must be careful not to become
enmeahed In their own reforms and
lose the perspective Of their place In
the national system, They must guard