THE GAZETTE-TIMES, IIEITNEU, OKKfJOX, THURSDAY, JAN. 19, 1922.
rAGE THKF.n
DS. F. E. FAERIOR
DENTIST
Office upatairs over Poetofflc
Heppner, Oregon
DR. R. J. VAUGHAN
DENTIST
Permanently located In the Odd
Fellows building, Rooms and S
Heppner, Oregon
A. D. McMURDO, M. P.
PHYSICIAN BUBO EON
Office in Patterson Drug Store
Trained Nurse Assistant
Heppner, Oregon
0. C. CHICK, M. D.
PHYSICIAN St SURGEON
Trained Nurse Assistant
Office upstairs over Poetofflce
Heppner, Oregon
WOODSON & SWEEK
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW
Office in Masonic Buildlng
Heppner, Oregon
SAM E. VAN VACTOR
ATTORN EY-AT-LAW
First National Bank Building
Heppner, Oregon
S. E. NOXSON
ATTORN EY-AT-LAW
Office In Court House
Heppner, Oregon
Office Phone, Main 643
Residence Phone, Alain 665
FRANCIS A. McMENAMIN
LAWYER
Roberts Ruildlng, Heppner Oro
F. H. ROBINSON
LAWYER
IONK, OHEOON
BOY V. WHITEIS
Fire Insurance writer for best 014
Line Companies.
Heppner, Oregon
B. J. STARKEY
ELECTRICIAN
House Wiring a Specialty
Heppner, Oregon
Phone 872
B. E. MILLER
"The Old-Time Auctioneer"
He Sticks and Stays
Reasonable Rates (or Sales
lone, Oregon
HEPPNER SANITARIUM
DR. J. PKRRY CONDBIt
Physlclan-ln-Char-t
DR. PARI T, RICHARDS
Associate Physlelan
Treatment of all sleewea. Isolated
wards for contagious dlseasea
ITRB INSURANCE
WATERS & ANDERSON
Successors to
C. C. Patterson
Heppner
Oregon
TO MOORE HOSPITAL
NOW OPEN TO THIS PUBLIC
For Surgical and Medical Patients.
Batlre New Equipment. Large
atwlera Surgery.
DR. '. C. CHICK, M. D.
I'kyalrlaa and Surseoa
Pkaae Mala 1133
MATERNITY HOME
MM. it. C. AIKBN, HEPPNER.
I am prepared to take a limited
nutnbar of maternity caaea at my
home. Patlcata privileged to ekoea
(aetr ewa aihyalclaa.
Beat of attention and care assured.
Pkoae SBR
LEGAL NOTICES
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THffl
STATE OF OREGON FOR THE
COUNTY OF MORROW.
Christina Cook, Plaintiff)
s. )
Charles D. Coleman and Lo-)SUMMONS
tus Rablson, Defendants)
To Charles D. Coleman, defendant:
IN THE NAMB OF TUB STATE OF
OREGON: Tou are hereby summoned
and required to appear and answer the
complaint of plaintiff filed gainst you
in the above entitled court and eause
on or before six weeks from the date
of first publication of this summons,
to-wlt: On or before the Xth day of
January, 1922, and you are hereby noti
fied that If you fall so to appear or an.
swer, for want thereof plaintiff will ap
ply to the court for the relief demanded
In hor complaint, vis. for Judgment
agalnat you for 1900.00 and Interest
thereon at the rata of ten per oent per
annum from February 20, 1919, for the
further sum of 1100.00 attorneys fee
and the coats and disbursements of this
suit; that the real property mortgaged
by you to plaintiff to secure the fore
going obligation, via, Southwest quar
ter of Section I, Northeaat quarter of
Saotlon 17, Northwest quarter, North
half cf the Southwest quarter and Weat
half of Northwest quarter of Southeast
quarter of Section 16 In Townahtp f
South Range 15 E. W. M.. be said upon
foreclosure and the proceeda applied to
plaintiff's Judgment and that you be
foreclosed of all right, title and Inter
eat In or to said real property save the
statutory right of redemption.
Thla aummona la aerved upon you by
publication thereof In The Gaiette
Timet, a weekly newspaper publtahed
at Heppner, Oregon, once a week for
six weeks, by order of Hon. Gilbert W.
Phelps, Judge of the above entitled
Court and the dsts of first publication
is December 15. 1921.
WOOD80N at SWEEK,
Attorneys for Plaintiff,
1212-7t Heppner, Oregon.
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION
Isolated Tract
(0211(9)
PI HMO LAND SALE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
U. S. LAND OFFICE at The Dalles. Ore.
November 29, 1921.
NOTICE la hereby given that, as di
rected by the Commissioner of the Gen
eral Land office under provisions of Sec.
2455, R S , pusurant to the application
of Jos. A. Robblns, Serial No. 0211(9,
we will offer at public sale, to the high
eat bidder, but at not less than $1.50
per acre, at 10:45 o'clock A. M., on the
Fifteenth day of February, next, at this
office, the following tract of land: NE14
NW, Bee. 80, T. 4 8. R. 24, E. W. M.
(containing 40 acres) "This tract Is
ordered into the n.jm'cl on a showing
that the greater po.-tlcn thereof Is
mountainous or too rough for cultlva.
Hon."
The sale will not be kept open, but
will be declared closed when those pre.
sent at the hour named have ceased bid.
ding. The person making the highest
kid will be required to immediately pay
to the Receiver the amount therof.
Any persona claiming adversely the
above-described land are advised to
Ale their clalma or objections on or
before the time designated for sale.
T. C. QUEEN, Receiver.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Notice Is hereby given that the un
deralgned has been appointed by the
County Court of the State of Oregon
for Morrow County Administratrix of
the Estate of William L. Barlow, de
ceased; and that all persons having
claims against the said estate must
present the same, duly verified accord.
Ing to law, to me at the office of my
attorney, S. E. Notson, In Heppner, Ore
Kon, within six months from the date
of first publication of this notice, said
date of first publication being Decern
her 22, 1921.
MART 8. BARLOW. Administratrix.
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION,
ISOLATED TRACT,
Pablle l.mm Sale.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
U. 8. Land Office at LaOrande, Oregon,
December 31, 1921. NOTICE Is hereby
given that, as directed by the Commls.
sloner of the General Land Office, un.
der provisions of Sec. 2455, R. 8., pur
suant to the application of Jerm O
Connor, of Heppner, Oregon, Serial No.
021143, we will offer at publlo sale, to
the highest bidder, but at not less than
13.25 per acre, at 10 o'clock A. M on
the !3rd day of February, 1922, next.
at this office, the following tract of
land: NWKNEW. Section (, Tp. 4 S R.
28 E. W. M.
The sale will not be kept open, but
will be declared closed when those
present at the h'our named have ceased
bidding. The person making the high
est bid will be required to Immediately
pay to the Receiver the amount thereof.
Any persons claiming adversely the
above-described land are advlaed to file
their claims, or objections, on or before
the time designated for sale.
CARL N. HELM, Register.
J. H. PEARE. Receiver.
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION.
ISOLATED TRACT.
Pablle Laaf gale.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
U. S. Land Office at LaGrande, Oregon,
December 81, 1921. NOTICE is hereby
given that, as directed by the Commls.
sloner of the General Land Office, un.
der provisions of Sec. 2455, R. S., pur.
susnt to the application of Jerm O'
Connor, of Heppner, Oregon, Serial No
021142, we will offer at publlo sale, to
the highest bidder, but at not less than
14.00 per acre, at 10 o'clock A. M., on
the 23rd day of February, 1922, next
at this office, the following tract of
land: SE!SW!4, Section 80, Tp. 3 8., R.
28 E W. M.
The sale will not be kept open, but
will be deolared closed when those
present at the hour named have ceased
bidding. The person making the high-
eat bid will be required to Immediately
pay to the Receiver the amount thereof.
Any persons claiming adversely the
above-described land are advised to file
their claims, or objections, on or before
the time designated for sale.
CARL N. HELM. Register.
J. H. PEARE, Receiver.
NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS ANNU
AL MEETING.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT
the Annual Moating of the stockholders
of the Heppner Mining Company will
be held at the office of S. E. Van Vac
tor, Heppner, Oregon, on the second
Tuesday In February, 1923, being the
th day of February, 1922, at the hoar
of 2 o'clock In the afternoon of said
Iny. This meeting Is for the purpose of
electing officers and the transaction of
such other business as may appear.
D. B. STALTER, President
J. O. HAGER, Secretary.
NOTICE.
TO HIGHWAY MOTOR TRANSPOR
TATION COMPANIES AND PER
SONS, And to whom It may Concern:
You and each of you are hereby noti
fied that the law passed at the special
session of the Legislature providing
for supervision and regulation of trans
portation of persons and property for
compensation over publlo highways by
motor vehicles is now In force and ef
fect and you are advised to secure In
structions by communicating with the
Commission Immediately. For your
reference and convenience a oopy of
the law Is now on file With County
Clerk.
Dated at Salem, Oregon, this 81st day
of December, 1921.
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF OREGON,
By Fred A. Williams, Chairman.
ATTEST: Wm. P. Ellis, Seoretary.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS. "
Notice Is hereby given that the un
dersigned has been appointed by the
County Court of the State of Oregon
for Morrow County, Administrator b
the Estate of Bernard F. Doherty, de
ceased; and that all persons having
claims against the said estate must
present the same, duly verified accord
ing to law, to me at the office of Attor
ney F. A. McMenamln, In Heppner, Ore
gon, within six months from the date
the first publication of this notice
cember 29, 1921. Date of last publi
cation being January SIS, 1923.
JAMES O. DOHERTY,
Admnlstrntor of the Estate of
Bernard F. Doherty, deceased.
Some Aspects of the
Farmers' Problems
By BERNARD M. BARUCH
(Reprinted from
The whole rural world Is In a fer
ment of unrest, and there Is an un
paralleled volume and Intensity of de
termined, tf not angry, protest, and an
ominous swarming of occupational con
ferences, Interest groupings, political
movements and propaganda. Such a
turmoil cannot but arrest our atten
tion. Indeed, It demands our careful
study and examination. It Is not like
ly that six million aloof and ruggedly
Independent men have come together
and banded themselves into active
unions, societies, farm bureaus, and so
forth, for no sufficient cause.
Investigation of the subject conclu
sively proves that, while there Is much
overstatement of grievances and mis
conception of remedies, the farmers
are right In complaining of wrongs
long endured, and right In holding that
it is feasible to relieve their ills with
benefit to the rest of the community.
This being the case of an Industry
that contributes, in the raw material
form alone, about one-third of the na
tional annual wealth production and
is the means of livelihood of about 49
per cent of the population, It Is ob
vious that the subject Is one of grave
concern. Not only do the farmers
make up one-half of the nation, but
the well-being of the other hulf de
pends upon them.
So lung as we have nations, a wise
polltclat economy will aim at a large
degree of national self-sufficiency and
self-containment. Home fell when the
food supply was too far removed from
the belly. Like her, we shall destroy
our own agriculture and extend our
sources of food distuntly and precari
ously, if we do not see to it that our
farmers are well and fulrly paid for
their services. The fHrm gives the
nation men as well as food. Cities
derive their vitality and are forever
renewed from the country, but an Im
poverished countryside exports Intelli
gence and retains unlntelligence.
Only the lower grades of mentality
and character will remain on, or seek,
the farm, unless agriculture is capable
of being pursued with contentment and
udequate compensation. Hence, to em
bitter and impoverish the farmer Is to
dry up and contaminate the vital
sources of the nation.
The war showed convincingly how
dependent the nation Is on the full
productivity of the farms. Despite
herculeun efforts, agricultural produc
tion kept only a few weeks or months
ahead of consumption, and that only
by Increasing the acreage of certain
staple crops at the cost of reducing
that of others. We ought not to for
get that lesson when we ponder on
the farmer's problems. They are truly
common problems, and there should
be no attempt to deal with them as
if they were purely selfish demands
of a clear-cut group, antagonistic to
the rest of the community. Rather
should we consider agriculture In the
light of broad national policy, Just
as we consider oil, coal, steel, dye
stuffs, and so forth, as sinews of na
tional strength. Our growing popula
tion and a higher standard of living
demand Increasing food supplies, and
more wool, cotton, hides, and the rest.
With the disappearance of free or
cheap fertile land, additional acreage
and Increased yields can come only
from costly effort. This we need not
expect from an impoverished or un
happy rural population.
It will not do to take a narrow view
of the rural discontent, or to appraise
It from the standpoint of yesterday.
This Is peculiarly an age of flux and
change and new deals. Because a
thing always hns been so no longer
means that it Is righteous, or always
shall be so. More, perhaps, than ever
before, there Is a widespread feeling
Hint all human relations can be Im
proved by taking thought, and that It
Is not becoming for the reasoning ani
mal to leave his destlnj largely to
hance and natural Incidence.
Prudent and orderly adjustment of
production and distribution in accord-
nncA tvlih nonsumntinn la rncoirniTori
as wise management In every business
but that of farming. Vet, I venture
lo say, there is no other Industry In
which It Is so Important to the pub
licto the city-dweller thai produc
tion should be sure, steady, and In
creasing, and that distribution should
be In proportion to the need. The un
organized farmers naturally act blind
ly and Impulsively and, in conse
quence, surfeit and dearth, nccnnipn-
nled by disconcerting prlce-varlatlons,
harass the consumer. One year pota
toes rot In the fields because of excess
production, and there Is n scarcity of
the things that have been displaced
to make way fir the expansion of the
potato acreage; next year the punish
ed farmers mass their fields on some
other crop, nnd potatoes enter the
clnss of luxuries; and so on.
Agriculture Is Hie greatest and fun
dumentally the most Important of our
American Industries. The cities are;
but the brnnches of the tree of na-
tlonal life, the roots of which go deep-1
ly Into the land. We all flourish or
decline with the farmer. So, when wej
of the cities read of the present unl-'
versal distress of the farmers, of a
slump of six billion dollars In the fnrtn I
value of their crops In a single year,
of their inability to meet mortgages or
to pay current bills, and how, seeking
relief from their Ills, they are plan
ning to form pools, Inaugurate farm
ers' strikes, and demand legislation
abolishing grain exchanges, private
cattle markets, and the like, we ought
not hastily to brand them as economic
heretics and highwaymen, and hurl at
them the charge of being seekers of
special privilege. Kather, we should
ask if their trouble Is not ours, and
see what can be done to Improve the
situation. Purely from self-interest,
If for no higher motive, we should
help them. All of ua want to get back
permanently tp "normalcy;" buMf It
Atlantic Monthly)
reasonable 'to "hope fur that condition
unless our greatest and most basic In
dustry can be put on a sound and solid
permanent foundation? The farmers
are not entitled to special privileges;
but are they not rlyht lu demanding
that they be placed on an equal foot
ing with the buyers of their products
and with other Industries?
II
Let os, then, consider some of the
farmer's grievances, and see how far
they are real. In doing so, we should
remember that, while there have been,
and still are, instances of purposeful
ubuse, the subject should not be ap
prouehed with any general Imputation
to existing distributive agencies of de
liberately intentional oppression, but
rather with the conception that the
marketing of farm products has not
been modernized.
An ancient evil, and a persistent
one, Is the undergrading of farm prod
ucts, with the result that what the
farmers sell as of one quality Is re
sold as of a higher. That this sort of
chicanery should persist on any Im
portant scale In these days of busi
ness Integrity would seem almost In
credible, but there Is much evidence
that It does so persist Even as I
write, the newspapers announce the
suspension of several firms from the
New York Produce Exchange for ex
porting to Germany as No. 2 wheat a
whole shipload of grossly Inferior wheal
mixed with oats, chaff and the like.
Another evil Is that of Inaccurate
weighing of farm products, which, It
Is charged, is sometimes a matter of
dishonest Intention and sometimes of
protective policy on the part of the
local buyer, who fears that he may
"weigh out" more than he "weighs In."
A greater grievance is that at pres
ent the Held farmer has little or no
control over the time and conditions
of marketing his products, with the
result that he Is often underpaid for
his products and usually overcharged
for marketing service. The differ
ence Between wnat the farmer re
ceives and what the consumer pays
often exceeds all possibility of Justi
fication. To cite a single illustration.
Last year, according to figures attest
ed by the railways and the growers.
Georgia watermelon-raisers received
on the average 7.5 cents for a melon,
the railroads got 12.7 cents for carry
ing It to Baltimore and the consumer
paid one dollar, leaving 70 8 cents for
the service of marketing and Its risks,
as against 20.2 cents for growing and
transporting. The bard annals of
farm-life are replete with such com
mentaries on the crudeness of pres
ent practices.
Nature prescribes that the farmer's
"goods" must be finished within two
or three months of the year, while
financial and storage limitations gen
erally compel him to sell them at the
same time. As a rule, other Industries
are in a continuous process of finish
ing goods for the markets; they dls
tribute as they produce, and they can
curtail production without too great
injury to themselves or the commu
nity ;. but If the farmer restricts his
output, it Is with disastrous conse
quences, both to himself and to the
community.
Ihe average farmer Is busy with
production for the major part of the
year, and has nothing to sell. The
bulk of his output comes on the mar
ket at once. Because of lack of stor
age facilities and of financial support,
the farmer cannot carry his goods
through the year and dispose of them
as they are currently needed. In the
great majority of cases, farmers have
to entrust storage In warehouses and
elevators and the financial carrying
or their products to others.
Farm products are generally mar
keted at a time wiien there Is a con
gestion of both transportation and
nuance wneu cars ana money are
8carce- ,The, omme. In many In-
stances, Is that the farmers not onlv
sell under pressure, and therefore at
a disadvantage, but are compelled to
thke further reductions In net returns,
In order to meet the charges for the
service of storing, transporting, financ
ing, and ultimate marketing which
charges they claim, are often exces
sive, bear heavily on both consumer
and producer, and are under the con
trol of those performing the services
It Is true that they are relieved of
the risks of a changing market by
selling at once; but they are quite will
Ing to take Ihe unfavorable chnnce.
If the favorable one nlso Is theirs and
they can retain for themselves a part
of the service charges that are uni
form, In good years and bad, with
high prices and low.
While, In the main, the fanner must
sell, regnrdless of market conditions,
at the time of the maturity of crops,
be cannot suspend production in toto.
He must go on producing If he Is to go
on living, and If the world Is to exist.
The most he can do Is to curtail pro
auction a little or niter Its form, and
that because he Is In the dnrk as to
the probable demand for his goods-
may be only to jump from the frying
pan Into the fire, taking the consumer
with him.
Even Ihe dairy farmers, whose out
put Is not seasonal, complain that they
find themselves at a disadvantage In
the marketing of their productions,
especially raw milk, because of the
high costs of distribution, which they
must ultimately bear,
III-
Now that the farmers are stirring,
thinking, nnd uniting as never before
to eradicate these Inequalities, they
are subjected to stern economic lec
tures, and are met with the accusation
that te are demanding, and are Jh
re ".pi, Tits . f, si.iiil pKw.i l.-t
us see what privileges the government
has conferred on the fanners. Much
hss been made of Section 8 of the
j Clayton Anil Trust Act, which pur
ported to permit them to combine with
i Immunity, under certain conditions.
Admitting that, nominally, this ex
emption was In the nature of a special
privilege, though 1 think It was so In
appearance rather than in fact, we
find that the courts have nullified It
by Judicial Interpretation. Why should
not the farmers be permitted to ac
complish by co-operative methods what
other businesses are already doing by
co-operation In the form of Incorpora
tlon? If It be proper for men to form.
by fusion of existing corporations or
otherwise, a corporation that controls
the entire production of a commodity,
or a large part of It, why is It not
proper for a group of fanners to unite
for the marketing of their common
products, either In one or In several
selling agencies? Why should It be
right for a hundred thousand corporate
shareholders to direct 25 or 30 or 40
per cent of an Industry, and wrong for
a hundred thousand co-operative
farmers to control a no larger propor
tion of the wheat crop, or cotton, or
any other product?
The Department of Agriculture Is
often spoken of as a special concession
to the farmers, but In Its commercial
results, it 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 It gives them In working out
Improved cultural methods and prac
tices, 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 oor 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.
It 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 a
special privilege, but merely such a
recognition of business conditions as
makes It possible for country banks
to do business with country people.
The crop farmer has only one turn
over a year, while the merchant and
manufacturer have many. Incidental
ly, I note that the Federal Reserve
Board has Just authorized the Fed
eral Reserve banks to discount export
paper for a 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
ment favor for fanners. Are they not
rather the outcome of laudable efforts
to equalize rural and urban condi
tions? And about all the government
does there Is to help set up an ad
ministrative organization and lend a
little credit at the start. Eventually
the farmers will provide all the capi
tal and carry all the liabilities them
selves. It li 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 proj
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 guaranties
of earnings by the government, with
the result to him of an 'ncreased toll
on all that he sells and all that he
buys. He hears of many manifesta
tions of governmental concern for par
ticular industries and interests. Res
cuing the railways from insolvency is
undoubtedly for the benefit of the
country ns a whole, but what can be
of more general benefit than encour
agement of ample production of the
principal necessaries of life and their
eveu flow from contented producers to
satisfied consumers?
While It may be conceded that
special governmental aid may be nec
essary in the general Interest, we must
all agree that It Is difficult to see why
agriculture and the production and dis
tribution of farm products are nut ac
corded the same opportunities that are
provided for other businesses; espe
cially as the enjoyment by the farmer
of such opportunities would appear to
be 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
portunity that arises automatically
from the failure to correct glaring
economic Inequalities. I am opposed
to the Injection of government Into
business, but I do believe that It is au
essential function of democratic gov
ernment 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 anti-trust laws keep the
fnrmers from endeavoring scientifically
to Integrate their Industry while other
Industries find a way to meet modem
conditions without violating such stat
utes, then It would seem reasonable
to find a way for the fanners to meet
them under the same conditions. The
law should operate equally In fact. Re
pairing the economic structure on one
side Is no Injustice to the other side,
which Is In good repair.
We have traveled a long way from
the old conception of government as
merely a defensive and policing agency ;
and regulative, corrective, or equalis
ing legislation, which apparently Is of
a special nature, Is often of the most
general beneficial consequences. Even
the First Congress passed a tariff act
that was avowedly for the protection
of manufacturers; but a protective
tariff always has been defended ns a
means of promoting the general good
through a particular approach ; and
the statute books are filled with acts
for the benefit of shipping, commerce,
and labor.
rv
Now, what Is the farmer asking?
Without trying to catalogue tho re
medial measures that have been sug
gested In his behalf, the principal pro
posals that bear directly on the Im
provement of his distributing and niar-
k'ting fl.itions m.ij be turn marl zed sa
' f Hows :
First: srorare warehouses tnr cot
j ton, wool, and tobacco, and elevators
: for grain, of suffl-ient capacity to meet
; the maxltinm demand on them at the
peak of v.: marketing period. The
. fanner thinks that either private capl
i tal 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 done by impartial and
disinterested public Inspectors (this la
already accomplished to some extent
by the federal licensing of weighers
snd 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 product
In an orderly manner.
Fourth : the Department of Agricul
ture should collect, tabulate, rnmma
rlze, and regularly and frequently pub
lish 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 aa
buyers now are of their buying posi
tion. Fifth : freedom to Integrate the busi
ness of agriculture by means of con
solidated selling agencies, co-ordinating
and co-operating In auch way as to
put the farmer on an equal footing
with the large buyers of his products,
and with commercial relations In other
Industries. 1
When a business requires specialized
talent, It has to buy It So will the
farmers; and perhaps the best way for
them to get it would be to utilize some
of the present machinery of the larg
est established agencies dealing In
farm products. Of course, tf he wishes,
the farmer may go further and engage
In flour-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 Integrations; 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 ob
jects and conditions. The looser co
operative fornj seems more generally
suitable. Therefore, he wishes to be
free, If he finds It desirable and feas
ible, to resort to co-operation with his
fellows and neighbors, without run
ning afoul of the law. To urge that
the farmers should have the same lib
erty to consolidate and co-ordinate
their peculiar economic functions.
which other Industries In their fields
enjoy, Is not, however, to concede that
any business integration should hare
legislative sanction to exercise monop
olistic power. The American people
are as firmly opposed to Industrial as
to political autocracy, whether at
tempted by rural or by urban Industry.
For lack of united effort the farmers
aa a whole are still marketing their
crops by antiquated methods, or by no
methods at all, but they are surrounded
by a business world that has been
modernized to the last minute and Is
tirelessly striving for efficiency. This
efficiency la due In large measure to
big business, to united business, to In
tegrated business. The farmers now
seek the benefits of such largeness, un.
Ion and Integration.
The American fanner Is a modern of
the moderns in the use of labor saving
machinery, and he has made vast
strides in recent years' In scientific
tillage and efficient farm management,
but as a business In contact with other
businesses agirculture Is a "one horse
shay" In competition with high power
automobiles. The American farmer Is
the greatest and most intractable of
Individualists. While Industrial pro
duction and all phases of the huge com
mercial mechanism and Its myriad ac
cessories have articulated and co-ordinated
themselves all the way from nat
ural raw materials to retail sales, the
business of agriculture has gone on In
much the one man fashion of the back
woods of the first part of the nine
teenth century, when the fanner was
self sufficient and did not depend upon,
or care very much, what the great
world was doing. The result is that
the agricultural group is almost as
much at a disadvantage in dealing with
other economic groups as the jay farm
er of the funny pages In the hands of
sleek urban confidence men, who sell
him acreage In Central Park or the
Chicago city hall. The leaders of the
farmers thoroughly understand this,
and they are intelligently striving to
Integrate their industry so that it will
be on an equal footing with other busi
nesses. As an example of Integration, take
the steel Industry, In which the model
Is the United States Steel Corporation,
with Its Iron mines. Its eoal mines, Its
lake nnd rail transportation, Its ocean
vessels, Its by-product coke ovens, Its
blast furnaces. Its open hearth and
Bessemer furnaces, its rolling mills, Its
tube mills and other manufacturing
processes that are carried to the high
est degree of finished production com
patible with the large trade It has
built up. All this Is generally conced
ed to be to the advantage of the con
sumer. Nor does the steel corporation
Inconsiderately d'inip its products on
the market. On the contrary, It so
acts that it Is frequently a stabilizing
Influence, as Is often the case with oth
er large organizations. It Is master of
Its distribution as well as of lis pro
duction. If prices are not satisfactory
the products are held hack or produc
tion Is reduced or suspended. It Is not
compelled to send a year's work to the
market at one time and take whatever
It can get under such circumstances.
It has one selling policy and Its own
export department. Neither are the
grades and qualities of steel determin
ed at the caprice of the buyer, nor does
the latter hold the scales. In this sin
gle Integration of the steel corporation
Is represented about 40 per cent of the
steel production of Americn. The rest
is mostly In the hands of a few large
companies. In ordinary times the
steel corporation, by example, stabilizes
all steel prices. If this Is permissible
(it is even desirable, because stable
and fair prices are essential to solid
and continued prosperity) why would
It be wrong for the farmers to utilize
central agencies that would have simi
lar effects on agricultural product!
Something like that Is what they
aiming at.
Some fnrmers favored by regional
compactness and contiguity, such as the
cltrus-frult-ralsers of California, al
ready have found a way legally to
merge and sell their products inte
grally and In accordance with seasonal
snd local demand, thiis Improving
i their posltloi ami rendering the con
sumer a reliable service of ensured
i quality, certain supply, and reasonsMe
I and relatively steady prbva. They
i have not found It necessary to resort
I to any special privilege, or to claim
any eiemptl n undr the sntl trnst
legislation of the state or nation. With.
j out removing local control, they have
built up very efficient marketing
agency. The grain, cotton, and to
bacco farmers, and the producers of
hides and wool, because f their num
bers and the vastness of their regions,
and for other reasons, have found
Integration more difficult task;
though there are now tome thousands
of farmer's co-operative elevators,
warehouses, creameries, and other en
terprises of one sort and another, with
turn-over of a billion dollers year.
They are giving the fanners business
experience and training, and. so for
as tbey go, they meet the need ef
honest weighing and fair grading : but
they do not meet the requirements of
rationally adjusted marketing In any
large and fundamental way.
The next step, which will be a pat
tern for other groups. Is now being
prepared by the grain-raise rs through
the establishment of sales media which
shall handle grain sermratety or col
lectively, aa the Individual farmer may
elect It la this atep the plan of the
Committee of Seventeen which bsa
created so much opposition and la
thought by some to be In conflict with
the anti-trust laws. Though there Is
now before congress measure de
signed to clear up doubt on this point,
the grain-prod ace rs are not relying on
any Immunity from anti-trust legisla
tion. They desire, and they are en
titled, to co-ordinate their efforts Just .
aa effectively as the large business In
terests of the country have done. In
connection with the selling organiza
tions the United States Grain Growers
Incorporated Is drafting scheme of
financing Instrumentalities and auxili
ary agencies which are Indispensable
to the successful utilization of modern
business methods.
It Is essential that the farmer
should proceed gradually with these
plans, and aim to avoid the error of
scrapping the existing marketing ma
chinery, which ha been so laboriously
built up by long experience, before
they have tried and proved substi
tute or supplementary mechanism.
They muet be careful not to become
enmeivScd In their own reforms and
lose '.he Tvrspectlve of their place In
the bati.. al system. They must guard
against fanatical devotion to new doc
trines, and should seek articulation
with the general economic system
rather than Its reckless destruction as
It relate to them.
To take a tolerant and aympathetle
view of the farmers' strivings for bet
ter things Is not to give a blanket
endorsement to any specific plan, and
still less to applaud the vagaries of
some of their leader and groups.
Neither should we, on the other hand,
allow the froth of bitter agitation,
false economics, and mistaken radical
ism to conceal the facts of the farm
ers' disadvantage, and the practicabil
ity of eliminating them by well-considered
measures. It may be that the
fanners will not show the business
sagacity and develop the wise leader
ship to carry through ound plans ; but
that possibility does not justify the
obstruction of their upward efforts.
We, as city, people, sre In high and
speculatively manipulated prices,
spoilage, waste, scarcity, the results
of defective distribution of farm prod
ucts. Should It not occur to us that
we have a common Interest with the
farmer In his attempts to attain a de
gree of efficiency in distribution cor
responding to his efficiency In produc
tion? Do not the recent fluctuations
In the May wheat option, apparently
unrelated to normal Interaction of
supply and demand, offer a timely
proof of the need of some such stabil
izing agency as the grain growers have
In contemplation?
It Is contended that. If their pro
posed organizations be perfected and
operated, the farmers will have In
their hands an instrument that will be
capable of dangerous abuse. We are
tnld that It will be possible to pervert
It to arbitrary and oppressive price-
fixing from Its legitimate use of order-
Ing and stabilizing the flow of farm
products to the market, to the mutuiil
benefit of producer and consumer. I
have no apprehensions on this point.
In the first place, a lo. se organiza
tion, such as any union of fanner
must be at best, cannot be so arbi
trarily and promptly controlled as a
great corporation. The one is a lum
bering democracy and the other an agile
autocracy. In the second place, with
all possible power of org .nizatlon, the
farmers cannot succeed to any great
extent, or for any considerable length
of time, In fixing prices. The great
law of supply and demand works In
various and surprising ways, to the
undoing of the best laid plans that
attempt to foil It. In the third place,
their power will avail the farmers
nothing If It be abused. In our time
and country power is of value to Its
possessor only so long as it Is not
abused. It is fair to say that I have
seen no signs In responsible quarters
of a disposition to dictate prices.
There seems, on the contrary, to be a
commonly beneficial purpose to realize
a stability that will giv an orderly
and abundant flow of farm products
to the consumer and ensure reasonable
awl dependable returns to the pro
ejueer. In view of the supreme Importance
to the national well-being of a pros
perous and contented agricultural pop.
ulatlon, we should be prepared to go
a long way In assisting the farmers to
get an equitable share of the wealth
they produce, through the Inaugura
tion of reforms that will procure a
continuous and increasing sireuiu of
farm products. They are far fr in get
ting a fair share now. Considering
his capital and the long hours of labor
put in by the average funner and his
family, he Is remunerated less than
any other occupational class, with the
possible exception of teachers, reli
gious and lay. Though we know lli.it
the present general distress of I he
fanners Is exceptional nnd Is linked
with the Inevitable economic readjust
ment following the war, It niut he
remembered that, although represent-
(Continued on I'age Four)