The Monroe journal., 1922-02-07
SOME COMMENTS
ON RODDY ARTICLE
Mr.. Little Does Not Think That
Town Cousins Are Trying
20 Do the Farmers
HE NEEDS ORGANIZATION
Agrees With Mccall Article on Pun
ishment and Gives Some Good
Local News and Comment
By Zeb VI. Little


We have read the article by Mr..
John I. Roddy of Rock Hill, S. c.,
and the editorial comment on it in
The journal. We agree with the edi-
sor of The Journal that the farmer
IS not singled out as an easy mark
for profit simply because he is a
farmer. In the price setting, mad
profit getting chase after the dollar
the farmer happened to be the hardest
hit Of any class Of our citizens, not
because he had shay seed" in his
hair, but because the business of
farming and selling the products of
the farm are conducted in the least
buslnesslike way of any other calling.
Mr.. Roddy says if farmer sells
COW he gets to cents per pound
but if he buys beef he has to pay
25to 40 cents per pound, and that
while COW hide will bring but rs
cents to dollar, pair of shoes cost
from So to SIS. This sizes the situ-
alton up pretty well, but the dry
goods merchant will sell farmer a
pair of shoes as cheap as he will his
city neighbors and the dealer who
sells beef sell to all classes and con-
ditions alike so far as prices are con-
cerned.
This does not prove that farmers
are singled out for profit-getting by
their city cousins. On the other hand
it does prove that great profit and
fortunes are made on the products
of the farm after it leaves the far
mers hands. This is largely the re-
suit Of a system, or rather the lack
of system, of sellino the products
of the farm. After any given pro-
duct of the farm leaves the farmers
hand it is handled at every turn of
the way to the consumers by interests
that are more or less organized and
supply and demand" is manipulated
so that every one who handles it
takes his profit. But when a farmer
sells he goes on the market single
handed and alone and bids depress-
ingly low against every other farmer
who has the same product to sell.
The wav out Of this situation is
organization. By cooperative mar
keting and the limitation of the sup
ply and demand, thereby creating q
demand, the farmer will take his pro.
fit instead Of taking his loss. Mr..
Farmer, join all cooperative market
ing associations.
A special complaint is made against
the practice of gambling in cotton. |
have never believed that cotton ex-
changes are necessary part of the
worlds business and commercial ma
chinery, and it operates to the detn-
of fbA nntfnp ,Ntndnnnr@ III
being more consumers of cotton (cot-
ton goods) in every country and cli-
mate than there are cotton producers,
it naturally follows that there are
more people interested in cheap cot
ton than there are in high priced
cotton. A law compelling the actual
delivery of cotton on all cotton con-
tracts would compel the spectators
in cotton (the cotton gamblers) to
go into the market and buy actual
cotton to fill his contract, which would
create a demand for cotton and make
the price conform to supply and de-
mand. As the cotton exchanges are
conducted, an artificial supply is cre-
ated which depresses or annals the
demand and often keeps cotton far
below cost of production. Every
Southern business interest demands
that the cotton farmer get a profit
on his cotton, the real enemies of the
cotton farmer are buying out the
bounds of the Southland.
We have been an interested reader
of the discussions on Sunday services
by garages, and if the garages are
opened on Sunday with the idea of
being of real service to the public,
it is all right to do a real service
even if it is on Sunday, but if the
idea and purpose is only to get pos
session Of nickles, quarters, and dol
lars, we don't know anything good
to say.
The unusual and prolonged drouth
last fall taught farmers the import
ance of having an abundant water
supply for stock and for other pur-
poses. A few farmers had construct
ed earthen dams across hollows or de-
pressions in their lands thereby form
ing immense reservoirs full of water,
then the drainage is turned around
one side Of the pond to keep out
surface drainage, which leaves the
pond full of beautiful clear water.
The pond is then stocked with soma
fish suited to slch pond, which the
U, S. Department Of Agriculture fur.
nishes free. fles-rs. Charlie Moore,
J. NJ. Little, J. B. Medlin, Wr;ston
Hamilton, j. 5. Williams, j. f. Aus
tin, L. c. Gardner, c Ellis Griffin,
Fred Griffin, and T. F. Tadlock are
among the Marshville township farm
ers who have constructed ponds dur
ing the past year.
Mr.. j. d. McCall's discussion OF
capital punishment was along the
right line; the laws should be en.
forced with the idea of correctin
offenders, and helping them to get OF
a higher plane Of thinking and act
ing and quit taking toll of humal
life for vengeance's sake. His is the
best argument against capital pun
ishment we have yet seen and ",
assent with a good big Amenl. W.
believe Goose Greek township will yes
produce a governor.