The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-01-27


III defective distribution Of farm prod *
nets. ShouId III not occur to us thar
we have d common interest with tho
fartner III fiIs attempts 10 attain d de- 1
gree OF efficiency In distribution COR
responding to his efficiency In produc-
ifon7 Do NOT the recent fluctuations
In the May wheat option, apparently
unrelated to normal lnteraction OK
supply and demand, offer a timely
proof Of the need Of some such stabii-
!zing agency ns the grain growers have
In contemplationf
1t Is contended that, II their pro-
posed organizations be perfected and
operated, the farmers will have In
their hands an Instrument that viii be
capable OF dangerous abuse. We are
told that 1t win be possible to pcrvert
II to arbitrary and oppressive price
fixing from its legitimate use Of order.
ing and stabllizing the flow Of farm
products to the market, to the mutual
benefit Of producer and consumer. I
have no apprehensions on this point.
lii the first place, loose organiza-
don, such as any union Of farmers
must be at best, cannot be 80 arbi-
trarily and promptly controlled as q
great corporation. The one ID iurn-
bering democracy and the other an agile
autocracy. In the second place, with
all possible power Of org lnization, tina
farmers cannot succeed to any great
extent, or for any considerable length
Of time. In fixing prices The great
law Of supply and demand works Ia
various and surprising ways, to the
undoing Of the best laid plans that
attempt to foil It. In the third places
their power win avail the farmera
nothing II 1t be abused. In our ting
and country power is Of value to itA
possessor only so long as 1t Is not
abused. 1t Is fair to say that | have
seen no signs In responsible quarters
of disposition to dictate prices
There seems. on the contrary, to be 9
commonly beneficial purpose to realize
stability that win give an orderly
and abundant flow OF farm products
to the consumer and ensure reasonable
and dependable returns to the pro-
Queer
In view Of the supreme importance
to the national well-being of pros
porous aud contented agricultural pop
ulation, we should be prepared to go
long way In assisting the farmers to
get an equitable share of the wealth
they produce, through the lnaugGr--
ton of reforms that will procure a
continuous and increasing stream OF
farm products. They are far from get
ting fair share now. Considering
his capital and the long hours of tabor
nut In by the average farmer and his.
family, he Is rennnerated less than
any other occupatlonal class, with the
possible exception Of teachers, reli-
gious and lay: Though we know thai
| the present general distress of tina
| farmers Is exceptional and Is linked
with the inevitable economic readjust-
| ment following the war, 1t must be
remembered that, although represent
] ing one-third of the Industrial product
| and half the total population Of the
| nation, the rural communities ordl'
narily enjoy but a fifth to quarter OF
the net annual national gain. Notwlth-
| standing the taste Of prosperity that
| the farmers had during the war, there
Is today a lower standard of living
among the cotton farmers of the South
than In any other pursuit in the country,
In conclusion, 1t seems to me that the
farmers are chiefly striving for gen.
orally beneficial Indignation OF their
business. Of the same kind and charac'
ter that other business enjoys. II IL
should be found on examination that
the attainment of this end requires
methods different from those which
other activities have followed for the
same purpose should we not sympa'
thetically consider the plea for the
right to cooperate. IL only from our
own enlightened self interest, in OBJ
tanning an abundant and steady flow OF
farm products?
In examining the agricultural sltua
ton with a view to its Improvement
we shall be most helpful If we main
tain ueLaCheu anu JuhlStdi NiS"p"Aha
remembering that existing wrongs ma,
be chiefly an accident Of unsymmetri
cal economic growth instead of crea
ton Of malevolent design and conspira
cy, We Americans are prone, as Pro
lessor David Friday well says In hif
admirable book, Profits, Wages anc
Prices" to seek criminal intent be
hind every difficult and undesirable eco
nomic situation" can positively as
sert from my contact with men Of
large affairs, including bankers, that
as a whole, they are endeavoring t
fulflll as they see them the obligations
that 20 with their power, Preoccuplet
with the grave problems and heavy
tasks Of their own Immediate affairs
J they have not turned their thoughtful
personal attention or their construc
tive abilities to the deficiencies of agri
, cultural business organization. Agrl
culture. 1t may be said, suffers from
their preoccupation and neglect rathe
than from any purposeful exploitation
by them. They ought now to begin t
respond to the farmers difficulties
] which they must realize are their own
J On the other hand my contacts wit