The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-09-08
Paid to Be Sensible

reducing campaign, the Farmers Un-
ion Herald, official organ OF the
Farmers Union, makes some observa-
tions which contain more than q lit
tie truth, yet the average secular
newspaper would hardly dare to
espouse them.
After outlining the situation which
brought the pig-slaughtering move
ment into being, the publication
says:
ITO meet this situation, one
which unorganized farmers could
not meet and one which organ
lied farmers could not help. be-
cause there are so many foolish
and stubborn farmers who will
not cooperate. the government
again had to come to the rescue
with a pork reduction program.
And the government again had
to adopt q program OF paying you
- b sensible and sane.
-. And when the farmers
learned that they could get nine
cents per pound for 25-lb. pig.
and q quarter less per hundred
for each five pounds above Is
pounds, they, the farmers, nearly
broke their fool necks to get these
pigs to market. They acted like
the end Of the world had come
avA es@1e, . fam - S,s xv1nvAA rvS~,o,>
in which to prepare for heaven.
On every train and by every
truck pigs were headed toward
market; with what was newt
able, more pigs and faster than
they could be slaughtered.
IAN embargo was the natural
result. and . more orderly system
Of sending In the pigs organized.
A shipping association must now
get permit to ship so as to bring
order and system into this grand
parade Of patriotic pigs, as they
are now jokingly called"
In q discussion Of the actions o
cotton farmers, who increased thei
acreage despite q huge surplus. ",
note this expression: "the farmer.
foolishly and ignorantly planted fou,
million more acres Of cotton thar
were planted last year"
Strong terms, those, which mos
newspapers would hesitate to use
even though it might suspect thai
farmers, like bankers, lawyers
plumbers and editors, may be foolish
and stubborn" on occasion.
The significant thing about Thu
declaration, however, IS the phrase
paying you to be sensible" In eft.
feet 1t is true. although the farmer
can hardly be condemned for not do.
ing voluntarily what the government
now is inducing him to do by means
Of . subsidy.
For a prize example we might cite
the North Dakota farmer who, at the
request of the Hoover farm admins
tration, reduced his acreage. He now
pays the penalty for that cooperation
In reduced allotment, since the re.
duction was effected during the perio<
which now is made the base for dis.
tribution Of wheat benefits.
The simple fact, Which cannot b.
ignored. is that every farmer find.
In his neighbor q fierce competitor
They have been engaged in q cut.
throat fight to see which could pro.
duce most cheaply, with the result
that only the very ablest or mos'
fortunate have managed to escape {
deficit.
We have heard much talk by 20.
liticians about unity OF interest, bu
It has been difficult to demonstrate
this as an actual fact. The law o
self-preservation. operating amonl
farmers Is individuals. has defeate.
the efforts Of farmers to improv
their status - q class Of society.
Therein, probably, lies one Of tn
greatest potential benefits Is well q
one Of the most portentous danger
Of the present agricultural scheme.
As nevsr before. the sovesnmeu
has provided the farmer with leader
ship. This more than subsidies d
anything else. offers the creates
hops tor agriculture over . long Pc
Rod. The adjustmeut Of supply d