The Raymer enterprise. (New Raymer, Weld County, Colo.) 1910-19??, 1922-02-23

BE- on an equal footing with other bust
neases.
A. an example Of Indignation. take
the steel industry. In which the model
10 the United States Steel Corporation,
with lts Iron mines. it, coal mines. its
lake and rail transportation. Its ocean
vessels. it, 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 Il has
built up. All this ID generally conced-
ed to be to the advantage Of the con.
sumer. Nor does the steel corporation
inconsiderately dump Its products on
the market. On the contrary, 1t 50
acts that II Il frequently stabllixins
influence, a. ID often the case with 9th.
er large organizations. 4 d master Of
IT. distribution AZ well a. Of Its pro-
duction. II prices are not satisfactory
the products are held back or produc-
don u reduced or suspended. It u not
compelled to send years work to the
market at one time and take whatever
Il can get under such circumstances.
It has one selling policy and Its own
export department. Neither are the
grades and qualities Of steel determin-
ed At the caprice Of the buyer, nor does
the latter hold the scales. In this SIN
gle integration Of the steel corporation
q represented about 10 per cent Of the
stsei production Of America. The rest
b mostly Ia the hands Of few large
companies In ordinary times the
steel corporation. by example, stabilizes
all steel prices. II this Is permissible
III h 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 slml.
lar effects on agricultural productsl
Something like that 10 what they are
aiming At
Some farmers favored BY regional
compactneas and contiguity, such ~ the
ctrus-fruit-raisefs Of California, a.
ready have found 4 way legally to
merge and cell their products int.
orally and In accordance with seasonal
and local demand, thus improving
thsir position and rendering the con.
sumner 4 reliable service Of ensured
quality, certain supply. and reasonable
and relatively steady prices. They
have not found It necessary to resort
to any special privilege. or to claim
any exemption under the anti.trust
legislation Of the state or nation. With.
out removing local control. they have
built up q very edacisnt marketing
agency. The grain, cotton, and to.
bacco farmers, and the producers Of
hides and wool, because OF their nun
bers and the vastness Of their regions,
and for other. reasons. have found
lntegration more dificult task |;
though there are now some thousands
Of farmers cooperative elevators.
warehouses, creameries. and other en-.
terprises Of one sort and another, with
Z turnover Of q billion dollers year.
They are giving the farmers business
experience and training. and, 30 far
a they 60. 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 4 pat.
tern for other groups, IL now being
prepared By the Iraln-raisers through
the establishment Of sales media which
shall handle grain separately or col
Isctively, ~ the individual farmer may
elect. It u this step-ths plan Of the
Committee Of Sevepteen-which ha1
created % much opposition and h
thought BY some to bs in conflict with
tho antitrust laws. Though there is
now before congress Z measure Dc
signed to clear up doubt on this point,
the grain-producsrs are not relying on
any immunity from ant-truat legisla.
don. They desire, and they are en-.
titled, to coordinate their efforts just
% effectively ~ the large business ln.
forests Of the country have done. Ir
connection with the selling organiza.
tions the United States Grain Growers
incorporated Il drafting Z scheme Of
financing instrumentalities and auxili
ary agencies which are indispensable
to the successful utilization Of modern
business methods.
II y essential that the farmers
should proceed gradually with these
plans, and aim to avoid the error Of
scrapping the existing marketing ma
chinery, which has been 20 lahoriously
built up BY long experience, before
they have Z tried and proved substi
tuts or supplementary mechanism.
They must be careful not to become
enmeshed In their own reforms and
loss the perspective Of their place In
the national system. They must guard
against fanallcal devotion to new doc.
trines, and should seek articulation
with the general economic system
rather than its reckless destruction AZ
Il relates to them.
Overalls and work shirts! Need
any? Eea Heldin's