The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1922-01-25

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dition and in devising practical meas
ures for the elimination or control Of
dangerous and destructive animal and
plant diseases, insect pests, and the
! like. All these things manifestly tend
to stimulate and enlarge production,
| and their general beneficial effects
bare obvious.
1t 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 a
| special privilege, but merely such a
recognition Of business conditions as
makes it possible for country banks
| to do business with country people.
| The crop farmer has only one turn
over year, while the merchant and
manufacturer have many. Incidental
i ly. note that the Federal Reserve
| Board has just authorized the Fed
paper for period of six months, to
conform to the nature of the busi-
| ness.
| The Farm Loan banks are pointed
to as an instance of special govern
ment favor for farmers. Are they not
rather the outcome of laudable efforts
to equalize rural and urban cofldi-
tions? And about all the government
does there is to help set up an adj
ministrative organization and lend a
little credit at the start. Eventually
the farmers will provide all the capt.
tai and carry all the liabilities them
selves. IT. is true that Farm Loan
bonds are tax exempt; but so are
bonds of municipal light and traction
plants and new housing is to be ex-
! cmpt from taxation, in New York, for
| ten years.
On the other hand, the farmer reads
| of plans for municipal housing prof.
Gets that run into the billions, of hun
dred sof millions annually mt on
the merchant marine; he res that
the railways are being favored with
increased rates and virtual guarantees
of earnings by the government, with
on all that he sells and all that he
buys. He hears of many manifesto
tions of governmental concern for par
ticular industries and interests. Res
cuing the railways from insolvency is
undoubtedly for the benefit of the
country as a whole, but what can be
of more general benefit than encour-
agement of ample production Of the
principal necessaries of life and their
even flow from contented producers to
satisfied consumers?
While it may be conceded that
special governmental aid may be nee.
essary in the general interest, we
must all agree that it is difficult to
see why agriculture and the produc-
tion and distribution of farm products
are not accorded the same opportuni-
ties that are provided for other busi-
nesses; especially as the enjoyment
by the farmer of such opportunities
would appear to be even more con-
tributory to the general good than in
the case of other industries. The
spirit of American democracy is un-
special privilege and to the special
privilege of unequal opportunity that
arises automatically from the failure
to cOrret glaring economic inequali-
ties. I am opposed to the injection of
government into business, but I do
believe that it is an essential func-
ton of democratic government to
cqualize opportunity so far as it is
within its power to do so. whether
by the repeal of archaic statutes or
the enactment of modern ones. If the
antitrust laws keep the farmers
from endeavoring scientifically to in
tegratc their industry while other in
dustres find way to meet modern
conditions without violating such
statutes, then it would seem reason
able to find a way for the farmers to
meet them under the same conditions.
The law should operate equally in
fact. Repairing the economic struc-
ture on one side is no injustice to the
other side, which is in good repair.
We have travelled long way from
the old conception Of government as
merely a defensive and policing agcn-
cy; and regulative, corrective, or
equalizing legislation, which appar-
| emily is of special nature, is often
of the most general beneficial conse-
qucnces. Even the First Congress
passed tariff act that was avowedly
for the protection Of manufacturers;
but protective tariff always has
been defended as a means of promot-
in gthe general good through par
ticular approach; and the statute
books are filled with acts for the
benefit Of shipping, commerce, and
| labor.
w
Now, what is the farmer asking?
Without trying to catalogue the re-
medal measure that have been sug-
gcstcd in his behalf, the principal pro-
posals that bear directly on the i'm
provement of his distributing and
marketing relations may be summar-
lied as follows:-
| to.. Il. r