Abilene weekly reflector., 1922-02-02

ma, they are lenninding, and are the
recipients Of, special privileges. Lei
us see what privileges the government
has conferred IN the farmers, Mucn
has been made Of Section O OF the
Clayton Antitrust Act, which pur'
ported to permit them TO combine win
immunity. under certain conditions.
Admitting that nominally, this OF.
emptiou was In the nature Of O special
privilege, e,-though I think II was % In
appearance rather than In fact-we
and that the courts have nullined II
by judicial Interpretation. Why should
not the farmers be permitted to &C
complish by cooperative metnods "na'
other businesses are already doing by
co-operati tion In the form Of incorpora'
tioni II 1t bs proper for men to form,
By fusion Of existing corporations or
otherwise, a corporation that controls
the entire production Of . commodity.
or a large part Of II. why 10 1t NOT
proper for q group Of farmers to unite
for the marketing Of their common
products, either in one or In several
selling agenciesf why should 1t be
right for q hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct % or SO or ~
per cent Of an industry, and wrong ior
hundred thousand co-operativs
farmers to control q no larger propor
ton Of the wheat crop. or cotton. OF
any other productf
The Department Of Agriculture u
often spoken Of as 4 special concession
to the farmers, but In its commere,A'
results. It Is of a. much beneht to the
buyers and consumers Of agricultural
products a. to the producers, or even
more. do not suppose that anyone
opposes the benefits that the farmers
derive from the educational ana 70
search work of the department, or the
helm that It gives them In working our
improved cultural methods and prac-
tices in developing better Yielding va
neties through breeding and selecuon'
In introducing new varieties from re-
mote parts Of the world and adaptihs
them to our climate and economic con-
d,tion and In devising practical meas.
ures for the elimination or controi OF
dangerous and destructive animal anu
nlant diseases, insect pests, and tne
like. All these things manifestiy teno
m stimulate and enlarge production'
and their general beneficial efrects are
obvious.
II il complained that, whereas the
law restricts Federal Reserve banks
TO three months time for commercial
noner the farmer is allowed SIX
months on his notes. This is not .
special privilege, but merely sucn q
recognition Of business conditions ~
makes 1t possible for country banks
to do business with country people
Tho crop farmer has only one turn
over q year. while the merchant anu
manufacturer have many. lncidentai
lv. I note that the Federal reserve
BOARD has Just authorized the FED
eral Reserve banks to discount expor'
paper for a period OF six months u
conform to the nature OF the Dusi
ness.
Tho Farm Loan banks are pointet
IN as an instance Of special govern
ment favor for farmers. Are they no
rather the outcome Of laudable enort'
- enualize rural and urban condi
tions? And about all the government
does there is to help set up an ad
ministrative organization and LEND
little credit at the start. Eventual!
the farmers will provide all the capi
tai and carry all the liabilities them
selves. It Is true that Farm LOAF
bonds are tax exempt; but so ar
bonds of municipal light and tractiol
nlants and new housing Is to be ex
empt from taxation, in New York, TO
ten years.
On the other hand, the farmer read
of plans for municipal housing prof.
acts that run into the billions, OF hun
dreds of millions annually spent Of
the merchant marine; he reads tina
the railways are being favored witt
increased rates and virtual guarantee
Of earnings by the government. witt
the result to him Of an increased tol
on all that he sells and all that III
buys He hears Of many manifesto
tions of governmental concern for par
ticular industries and interests. Res
ching the railways from insolvency Il
undoubtedly for the benefit Of tn
country as q whole, but what can b.
Of more general benefit than encour
agement Of ample production Of thu
principal necessaries Of life and theii
even flow from contented producers t.
satisfied consumers7
while It may be conceded tha
special governmental aid may be nee
essary in the general interest, we mus
all agree that 1t Is difficult to see VIII
agriculture and the production and dis
tribution Of farm products are not &C
corded the same opportunities that arr
provided for other businesses; espe
cially as the enjoyment by the farmer
of such opportunities would appear t.
be even more contributory to the gen
eral good than In the case Of other
Industries. The spirit Of American
democracy 10 unalterably opposed,
alike to enacted special privilege and
to the special privilege Of unequal op-
portunIty that arises automatically
from the failure to correct giarinG
economic inequalities am opposed
to the Injection Of government into
business, but I do believe that 1t Ii an
essential function Of democratic gov.
ernment to equalizs opportunity 20