Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1922-01-12
III


to eradicate these inequalities, they
are subjected to stern economic lee
lures, and are met with the accusation
that they are demanding, and are the
recipients of, special privileges. Let
us see, what privileges the government
has conferred on the farmers. Much
has been made Of Section 8 OF the
Clayton Antitrust Act, which pur-
ported to permit them to combine with
immunity, under certain conditions.
Admitting that, nominally, this ex-
emption was in the nature Of special
privilege,-though think it was so In
appearance rather than In fact.-we
find that the courts have nullif1ed 1t
by judicial Interpretation. Why should
not the farmers be permitted to &C.
complish by cooperative methods what
otlier businesses are already doing by
co-operation In the form of incorpOra-
ton? II it be proper for men to form,
by fusion Of existing corporations or
otherwise, a corporation that controls
the entire production Of commodity,
or large part Of It. why Is 1t not
proper for a group Of farmers to unite
| for the marketing Of their common
products, either in one or In several
selling agencies? Why should 1t be
| right for a hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct 25 or 30 or 40
per cent of an industry, and wrong Tor
hundred thousand cooperative
farmers to control no larger proper
ton of the wheat crop, or cotton. or
any other product?
The Department Of Agriculture 10
often spoken of as special concession
| to the farmers, but In Its commercial
results. It Is Of as much benefit to the
huyers and consumers OF agricultural
products as to the producers. or even
more l do not suppose that anyone
opposes the benefits that the farmers
derive from the educational ana re-
search work Of the department. or the
belp that ii gives them In working out
improved cultural methods and prac-
tees, in developing better yielding va
rIeties through breeding and selection.
In Introducing new varieties from re-
mote PARTS Of the world and adapting
them to our climate and economic con-
UlIlDIb, anu III uSNloihS Ph"~sa>ot
ures for the elimination or control OF
dangerous and destructive animal ana
plant diseases, insect pests, and the
| like. All these things manifestly tend
to stimulate and enlarge production,
and their general beneficial effects are
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
! special privilege, but merely such q
recognition Of business conditions as
makes ii possible for country banks
| to d. business with country people
The crop farmer has only one turn
over year while the merchant and
! manufacturer have many. Incidental
". note that the Federal Reserve
Board has just authorized the, Fed
eral Reserve banks to discount export
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
meut favor for farmers. Are they not
rather the outcome Of laudable efforts
to eq alize rural and urban condi-
| tons? And about all the government
does taere Is to help set up an adj
mlniS;rative organization and lend
little credit at the start. Eventually
the farmers will 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
plants and new housing is to be ex-
empt from taxation, In New York, for
ten years.
On the other hand, the farmer reads
Of plans for municipal housing prof.
ects that run into the billions, OF hun
dreds Of millions annually spent on
the merchant marine; he reads that
the railways are being favored with
increased rates and virtual guarantees
of earnings by the government, with
the result to him OF an increased toll
on all that he sells and all that he
buys He hears OF many manifesto
lions Of governmental concern for par
ticular Industries and interests Res
cuing the railways from insolvency Is
undoubtedly for the benefit Of the
country as whole, but what can be
of more general benefit than encour-
agement of ample production OF the
principal necessarles Of life and their
even flow from contented producers to
satisfied consumers?
- .l.>l
special governmental aid may be nee
essary in the general interest. we must
all agree that 1t is difficult to see why
agriculture and the production and dis
tribution of farm products are not &C.
corded the same opportunities that are
provided for other businesses; espe-
clally as the enjoyment by the farmer
of such opportunities would appear to
he even more contributory to the gen.
eral good than in the case of other
Industries. The spirit of American
democracy is unalterably opposed,
alike to enacted special privilege and
to the special privilege Of unequal op-
portunty that arises automatically
from the failure to correct olarIng
economic Inequalities. am opposed
to the injection Of government into
business, but do believe that 1t Is an
essential function of democratic gov
eminent to equalize 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 integrate their Industry while other
Industries find q way to meet modern