The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-01-26
7 v


without trying TO catalogue the re-
medal measures that have been sug.
gested In his behalf, the principal pro-
posals that bear directly on the I'm
provement OF his distributing and mar
keting relations may be summarized as
follows:-
First: storage warehouses for cot
ton. wool. and tobacco. and elevators
for grain. OF sufficient capacity to meet
the maximum demand on them at the
peak Of the marketing period. The
farmer thinks that either private CAPT
tai must furnish these facilities, or the
state must erect and own the eleva.
tors and warehouses.
Second: weighing and grading OF
agricultural products, and certlficatioD
thereof. to be done by impartial and
dlslnterested public inspectors (this Is
already accomplished TO some extent
by the federal licensing OF weighers
and graders), to eliminate underpay-
Ing. Overcharging, and unfair grading,
and to facilitate the utilization Of the
stored products as the basis Of credit.
to enable the marketing Of products
In an orderly manner.
Fourth: the Department Of Agricul.
ture should collect, tabulate, summa-
rize, and regularly and frequently pub.
7iisii aud distribute to the farmers. full,
Information from all the markets OF
the world. so that they shall be as well
Informed Of their selling position as
buyers now are Of their buying posi-
ton.
Fifth: freedom to integrate the bust.
ness Of agriculture by means of con
solidated selling agencies, co-ordinat.
ing and cooperating In such way as to
put the farmer on an equal footing
with the large buyers Of his products.
and with commercial relations In other
industries.
When business requires specialized
talent. II has TO buy II. So will the
farmers; and perhaps the best way for
them to get II would be to utilize some
Of the present machinery Of the larg.
est established agencies dealing In
farmproducts OF course, II he wishes.
the farmer may go further and engage
In nour-mllllng and other manufactures
Of food products In my opinion.
however. he would be wise TO stop
short Of that. Public interest may be
opposed to all great integrations; but.
In justice, should they be forbidden to
the farmer and permitted to othersf
The corporate form of association can
not now be wholly adapted to his OBJ
Jects and conditions. The looser Co
operative form seems more generally
suitable. Therefore. he wishes to be
free. II he finds It desirable and feas-
ible, to resort to cooperation with his
fellows and neighbors, without run.
ming afoul Of the law. To urge that
the farmers should have the same lib.
erty to consolidate and coordinate
their peculiar economic functions,
which other industries In their fields
enjoy. Is not. however. to concede that
any business Indignation should have
legislative sanction to exercise monop.
olistic power. The American people
are as firmly opposed TO Industrial as
to political autocracy, whether at.
tempted by rural or by urban Industry.
For lack Of united effort the farmers
as a whole are still marketing their
crops by antlquated methods, or by no
at all. but they are surrounded
by business world that has been
modernized to the last minute and Is
striving for efficiency. This
Is due In large measure to
big business, TO united business, to In |
tegrated business. The farmers now
seek the benefits Of such largeness, I'M
lon and Indignation.
The American farmer Is a modern Of
the moderns In the use OF labor saving
and he has made vast
strides In recent years IN scientific
tillage and efficient farm management
but as business In contact with other
businesses agriculture is a zone horse
shay" in competition with high power
automobiles. The American farmer Is
he greatest and most intractable OF
While Industrial pro
iuction and all phases OF the huge com.
nerclal mechanism and Its myriad &C.
'essories have articulated and co-ordi.
rated themselves all the way from nat.
iral raw materials to retail sales, the
uslness Of agriculture has gone on In
liuch the enc man fashion OF the back.
woods OF the nrst part Of the nine
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