The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-01-19

lures. aud are mel Win the accusation
that they are demanding and are ID,
recipients u. special privileges lie
Us see what privileges the government
has conferred on the farmers Muel
has been made 81 Section O Of ID,
Clayton Antitrust Act which pur
ported 10 permit them 10 combine witt
Immunity, under certain conditions
Admitting that nominally, this ex
emptlon was In the nature Of a special
privilege, though ! think Il was so In
appearance rather than IN TACT I'VE
find thar the courts have nulllfed II
by judicial Interpretation Why should
not the farmers be permitted To &C
complsh by cooperative methods what
other businesses are already doing by
cooperation In the form OF lncorpora-
tion2 II II be proper for men to form,
Il by fusion OF existing corporations or
| otherwise, a corporation that controls
the entire production Of commodity,
! or a large part OF II. why Il II not
| proper for group - farmers 20 unite
\ for the marketing ~ their common
| products, either in one or In several
selling agenciesf Why should II be
/ right for q hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct 25 or 30 or 40
! per cent ~ an industry. and wrong for
a hundred thousand cooperative
farmers TO control a no larger proper.
ton Of the wheat crop, or cotton. or
any other product7
- A 10
often spoken ~ as special concession
TO the farmers, but In It's commercial
results. II Is OF as much benefit 10 the
buyers and consumers Of agricultural
products as 10 the producers, or even
more. | 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 II gives them IN working ont
improved cultural methods and prae.
tees. IN developing better yielding vi.
rleties through breeding and selection,
In introducing new varieties from re-
mote parts ~ the world ana adapting
them to our climate and economic con
dlti0n. aud In deviSlng practical meas.
ures for the elimination or control Of
dangerous and destructive animal aud
plant diseases, insect pests, and the
like All these things manifestly 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
months on his notes This Is not Q
special privilege, but merely such o
recognition Of business conditions as
makes It possible for country banks
to d. business with country people
The crop farmer has only one turn.
over a year, while the merchant and
manufacturer have many. Incidental
Iy, | note that the Federal Reserve
Board has Just authorized the Fed
ernl Reserve banks 20 discount export |
paper FOR period q six months. TO
conform 10 the nature OF the bust.
ness.
The Farm Loan banks are pointed /
10 ms an instance Of special govern
meni favor for farmers. Are they not
rather the outcome Of laudsbe efforts
10 equalize rural and urban condl-
tions? And about all the government
does there is to help set up an ad
organization and lend
little credit az the start Eventually
he farmers viii provide all the capt.
tai and carry all the liabilities them
selves II Is true that Farm Loan
bonds are tax exempt; but so are
bonds OF municipal light and traction
plnnts and new housing Is 10 be ex-
ampi from taxation. In New York, for
Ten years.
on tie other hand. the farmer reads
n plans for municipal housing prof.
Gets that run into the billions, 81 hun
lreds ~ millions annually spent on
nc merchant marine he reads that
ne railways are being favored with
increased rates and virtual guarantees
y earnings by the government. with
ne result 20 him " ar increased toll
N an that he sells and all that he
,uys lie hears 81 many manifesto
ions OF GDNtFNlneiial Atl4tflu lot par t
ocular Industries and Interests Res.
.uirc the railways from insolvency Is
for the benefit ~ the
.ouutrg as a whole bot what can be
= more general benefit than encOur
cement ~ ample production n the
rinclpal necessaries ~ life and their
ven flow from contented producers t.
atIsded consumers
While may b. conceded that
peclal governmental add uay 81 ne
ssary IN the general interest We mug
n agree that Il Is difficult 20 see why
grlculiure and the production aud dis
rlbution y farm products are NJ ac
ordea The same opportunities that are
.rat died FOR other businesses esFe
ia''y as the enjoyment by the farmer
Z saeh opportunities would auprar
T. ereu more contributor 70 ftn
ral good than IN The case q 0iher =
idusiries. Tie spirit - America 2
emocracy u una}terhbiy opposed. !
Ike 10 enacted zr,af,taf rrfVfte.e ana I 2