Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1922-01-19
III

Now that the farmers are stirring
thinking, and uniting as never befor'
to eradicate these inequalities, the.
are subjected to stern economic lee
lures, and are met with the accusation
that they are demanding. and are thu
recipients of, special privileges. Lee
us see what privileges the government
has conferred on the farmers. Much
has been made of Section 6 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,-thoughI think 1t 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 ac-
compllsh by cooperative methods what
other businesses are already doing by
cooperation In the form of incOrpora-
tionf II it be proper for men to form,
by fusion Of existing corporations or
otherwise, a corporation that controls
the entire production Of commodity,
or q 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 agencies7 Why should 1t be
right for hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct Is or 80 or 40
per cent of an industry, and wrong for
hundred thousand cooperative
farmers to control no larger proper
ton of the wheat crop, or cotton, or
any other product7
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. 1 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 It gives them In working out
improved cultural methods and prac
tees, In developing better yielding va
rfeties through breeding and selection,
In introducing new varieties from re-
mote parts Of the world and adapting
them to our climate and economic con-
dition, and in devising practical meas
ures for the elimination or control Of
dangerous and destructive animal and
plant diseases, insect pests, and the |
like. All these things manlfestly tend |
to stimulate and enlarge production, |
and their general beneficial effects are
obvious.
II Is complained that, whereas the
law restricts Federal Reserve banks !
to three months time for commercial
paper, the farmer Is allowed six
on his notes. This Is not
special privilege, but merely such a
Of business conditions as
makes 1t possible for country banks
10 do business with country people.
The crop farmer has only one turn
over a year, while the merchant and
have many. Incidental
y, I note that the Federal Reserve
Board has Just authorized the Fed
raj Reserve banks to discount export
,aper for 4 period OF six months, to
onform to the nature of the bust
less.
The Farm Loan banks are pointed
o as an instance Of special govern
1snt favor for farmers. Are they not
ather the outcome Of laudable efforts
0 equalize rural and urban condi-
Ionsf And about all the government
oes there is to help set up an ad- [
organization and lend a ,
tile credit at the start. Eventually
10 farmers will provide all the capt. y
Il and carry all the liabilities them G
,lvss. II Is true that Farm Loan a
onds are tax exempt; but so are I
,nds of municipal light and traction O
ants, and new housing is to be ex- a
npt from taxation, In New York, for t
n years. (
On the other hand, the farmer reads
plans for municipal housing prof. a
to that run into the billions, of hun c
eds Of millions annually spent on n
. merchant marine; he reads that b
. railways are being favored with n
creased rates and virtual guarantees Il
earnings by the government, with et
. result to him of an increased toll b
all that he sells and all that he ts
rs. He hears Of many manifesto $,
ms Of governmental concern for par 10
ular industries and interests. Res
Ing the railway from insolvency is ii
doubtedly for the benefit of the m
,ntry as whole, but what can be st
more general benefit than encour- ii
sment Of ample production of the b,
ncipal necessaries Of life and their b,
n flow from contented producers TO sb
itfed consumersf az
While II may be conceded that th
'cial governmental aid may be nee in
airy in the general interest, we must dr.
agree that II Is difficult to see why m
tculture and the production and dis ce
,ution Of farm products are not ac- ms
ded the same opportunities that are mr.
vided for other businesses; espe- I'm
lily as the enjoyment by the farmer mi
such opportunities would appear TO ",
800