The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-12-07

nifd ago Zee. I..-Nf-D--' bDt lIIcpt
that cooperative marketing with gov
ernmental encouragement offers the
best possible solution Of the farm
crs' problem. Pre- idcnt Coolidge in.
tends To give the movement his az
tive and energetic assistance. He j.
opposed to proposals that the gov
eminent sell and buy farm products
or fix prices directly or Indirectly
Further. he believes present tariff
duties benefit the farmers and should
not be revised.
Outlining his views on the agricul.
tural situation and proposed rem
edIes in an address today at the an
nual convention here of the Ameri-
can Farm Bureau Federation, the
pres dent said that, despite its pres
ent cmbarras smcntS. agriculture as :,
whole should lead industry in future
prosperity.
II believe that the past history Of
the relative trend of prices between
farm products and other commodities
Is of tremendous Significance" he
told his audience. made up of rep
reSentatIvc farmers. THE surplus
lands of the country are exhausted
The industrial population is outstrip-
ping the farm population. Manufac-
turing Is expanding. These must
come to the farmers for their food
and their raw materials. While we
can produce more, the markets for
food are increasing much faster than
present farm productivity. The fu-
ture Of agriculture looks to be ex-
ceedingly secure
The Cooperative Movement
Referring to the cooperative move
ment as the most important devclop-
ment of late years in the a@ricultur-
al fields. and emphasizing the crop
surplus problem as Il vcXing factor
IN the farm price situation. Mr.. Cool
ldge expressed the opinion that with
the economic information furnished
by the department of agriculture,
with better warehouses and storlg.
facilities and 4 better credit struc-
ture. much can be done to take care
OF the ordinary surplus.
with Il production Influenced by
information from the department"
he continued, with adequate stor-
age, supplied with necessary credit
ana the orderly marketing effected
through cooperative action, agricul-
ture could be placed on a sound and
independent business basis. While
the government ought not to under
take TO control or direct, it should
supplement and assist all efforts in
this direction.
The leaders in the cooperatiye
movement, with the advice of the
department of agriculture. have pre-
pared what is believed to be an ade
quate bill embodying these principles
which will be presented to the Con.
gress for enactment. I propose ac-
lively and energeticallv to assist th.
farmers to promote their welfare
through cooperative marketing."
Opposes Government Control
As to proposals for the orrauiza.
ton of corporations through which
the government would directly or in
fix prices or engage in b,v-
ing and selling farm produce. the
president made this observation.
rms would be a dangerous under
taking, and as the emergency is not
SO acute. II seems at present to have
iosI much OF ITS support. No mat
Ter now 1t is disguised the moment
'he government engages in buying
ana seillng by that act it fixes prices.
VI moreover. 1T would apparently de-
stIoy cooperative associations and all
other marketing machinery, for no
one can compete with the govern
ment. Ultimately it would end the
independence which the farmers of
thls country enjoy as result of
centuries of struggle, and :,rcvcnt
lhe exercise OF their own JUDGMENT
and control in cultivating their land
and marketing their product
Government control cannot be d.
'orced from political control. The
interest of the con-
sumner. not the smaller interest of the
would be sure to dominate
IN the end. Unless we fix CORE
spending prices for other commodi- |
les, high fixed price for agriculture
you'd merely stimulate overproduc-
Ion that would end in complete col
apse.
However attractive this PROPOSAL
vas at first thought. careful ronsid-
'ration of it has led. to much oppo-
ition on the part of the farmers.
they realize that even the United
states government is not strong
enough. either directly or indirectly. |
o fix prices which would constantly |
guarantee success. They are opposed |
o submitting themselves to the con-
rol of great bureaucracy. They
refer the sound policy Of maintain
ng their freedom and their own mi
iative as individuals or to limit them
My as they voluntarily form group
They do not wish to |
ut the government into the farming
BUSINESS.
"If the price fixing and tariff re-
isi0n do not seem to be helpful. |
here are other proposals that do
Improvement. For financing
he farmer we are developing the
arm loan and intermediate credit |
anks. These have put out about |