The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1922-02-17
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.

"
Now, what Is the farmer askingi
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 certification
thereof, to be doI.e by impartial and
disinterested 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.
Third: a certainty Of credit sufficient
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
lsh and 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, 1t has to buy it. SO will the
farmers; and perhaps the best way for
them to get 1t would be to utilize some
Of the present machinery of the larg-
est established agencies dealing In
farm products. OF course, If he wishes,
the farmer may go further and engage
In fiour-milling 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 lntegrations; but.
In justice, should they be forbidden to
the farmer and permitted to- others?
The corporate form Of association can
not now be wholly adapted to his OBJ |
jects and conditions. The loosen CO. |
operative form seems more generally |
suitable. Therefore, he wishes to be |
free, II he finds 1t 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
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-
olstic power. The American people
are as firmly opposed to Industrial as
10 political autocracy, whether at
tempted by rural Or by urban industry.
For lack Of united effort the farmers
IS whole are still marketing their
,rops by antlquate.i methods, or by no
Methods at ALL but they are surrounded
~ a business world that has been
to the last minute and Is
irelessly striving for efficiency. This
Is due Il large measure to
zig business, to united business. to In
egrated business. The farmers now
eek the benefits or such largeness. un-
On and indignation.
The American farmer Is a modern Of
he moderns in the use of labor saving
and he has made vast
tribes In recent years in scientific
llage and efficient farm management
ut as business Il contact with other
businesses agriculture Is a zone horse
nay In competition with high power
The American farmer is
lie greatest and most intractable of ,
While Industrial pro
uction and all phases of the huge com.
ercial mechanism and its myriad &C.
,ssories have artIculated and co-ordi
ited themselves all the way from nat {
al raw materials to retail sales, the |
Isiness Of agriculture has gone on In I
UGH the one man fashion of the back .
GODS Of the first part Of the nine I
enth century. WHEN the farmer was v
II sufficient and did not depend upof, J.
care very much, what the great !,
'rld was doing The result is that
. agricultural group is almost as
ich at disadvantage In dealing with
her economic groups as the jay farm :.
OF the funny pages In the hands of ;,
elk urban confidence men. who sell -
n acreage In Central Park or the :,