The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1922-01-20
III

2 thinking, n uniting as never befOr
!, to eradicate these inequalities, the
are subjected to stern economic lee
lures, and are met with the accusatiOI
that they are demanding, and are tn
recipients of. special privileges. lie
us see what privileges the government
mas conferred on the farmers. Mucl
has been made of Section 6 Of tn,
Clayton Antitrust Act, which pur
ported to permit them to combine witt
Immunity, under certain conditions
Admitting that, nOminally, this ex
emption was In the nature Of a specia
privilege.-though l think 1t was SO II
appearance rather than in fact,-w,
find that the courts have nullifed n
by judicial Interpretation. Why should
not the farmers be permitted to &C
complish by cooperative methods what
other businesses are already doing BY
cooperation In the form Of i~ncorpora.
toni II 1t be proper for men to form
by fusion Of existing corporations OF
otherwise, a corporation that controls
the entire production Of q commodity,
or a large part Of Ii, why 10 II not
proper for a group Of farmers to unite
for the marketing Of their common
products, either In one or In several
selling agencies1 Why should 1t be
right for a hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct Is or 80 or 40
per cent OF an industry, and wrong for
a hundred thousand cooperative
farmers to control a no larger proper
ton Of the wheat crop, or cotton, or
any other product
The Department Of Agriculture IL
often spoken Of as a special concession
to the farmers, but In its commercial
results, 1t Is Of as much benefit to the
buyers and consumers Of agricultural
products as to the producers, or even
more. I do not suppose that anyone
opposes the benefits that the farmers
derive from the educational and re
search work of the department, or the
help 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
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 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 9
privilege, but merely such q
makes 1t possible for country banks
to do business with country people. |
The r farmer has only one turn
over a year, while the merchant and |
manufacturer have many. Incidental |
", ! note that the Federal Reserve |
Board has just authorized the Fed
,ral Reserve banks to discount export
paper for a period of six months, to
to the nature Of the busi-
less.
The Farm Loan banks are pointed
o as an instance Of special govern
nent favor for farmers. Are they not
ather the outcome Of laudable efforts
O equalize rural and urban condi-
ions2 And about all the government
IOes there is to help set up an ad-
illustrative organization and lend q
credit at the start. Eventually
he farmers will provide all the capt.
al and carry all the liabilities them
elves. II is true that Farm Loan
onds are tax exempt; but so are
onds Of municipal light and traction
lants. and new housing is TO be eX-
mpt from taxation, in New York, for
IN years.
On the other hand, the farmer reads
{ plans for municipal housing prof. ,
IT'S that run into the billions, Of hun :
reds Of millions annually spent on ;
le merchant marine; he reads that >
lie railways are being favored with g..
creased rates and virtual guarantees .
earnings by the government, with =
le result to him Of an increased toll !.
, all that he sells and all that he !.
lys. He hears of many manifesto {,
ons Of governmental concern for par y
cular industries and interests. Res =,
ing the railways from insolvency IL - :
for the benefit Of the !.
untry as a whole, but what can be :,
more general benefit than encour. y
'ement Of ample production Of the =,
n~ecessaries Of life and their =,
dow from contented producers to =,
tisfed consumersf :,
While 1t may be conceded that t.
ecial governmental aid may be nec- =,
sary In the general interest, we must =,
asyss that I'll aifisult e see Why c.
button Of farm products are not &C. =.
the same opportunities that are =,
for other businesses; espe- :.
lily as the enjoyment by the farmer -
such opportunities would appear to y.
ever mor ~contributory to the gen.