Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday Morning, Jan. 11, 192
THE MILLEDGEVILLE NEWS
1PM iBiowma
«| Some Aspects of the
Farmers’ Problems
By BERNARD M. BARUCH
(Reprinted from Atlantic Monthly)
The whole rural world Is In a fer
ment of unrest, and there Is an un
paralleled volume and intensity of de
termined, If 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-
of their inability to meet mortgages or
to pay current bills, and how, seeking
relief from llielr ills, they are plan
ning to form pools. Inaugurate farm
ers' strikes, and deinnml 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 churge of being seekers of
tlon. Indeed, It demands our enreful special privilege. Rather, we should
study nnd examination. It Is not like- nsk If their trouble is not ours, and
ly that six million aloof and ruggedly seo wlmt can be done to Improve the
toother situation. Purely from self-'.merest,
independent men have come together
and handed themselves Into active
unions, societies, farm bureaus, and so
forth, for no sufllciunt 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 iu holding that
It Is feasible to relieve tliefr ills with
benefit to the rest of the community.
This lielng the case of an Industry
[that contributes, In the raw /naterlal
[form alone, about one-third of the na
tional annuul wealth' production and
jis the means of livelihood of about 40
iper cent of the population, It Is ob-
>vlous that the subject Is one of grave
concern. Not only do the fanners
make up one-half of the nation, hut
the well-being of the other hnlf de
pends upon them.
So long as we have nations, a wise
pollteip! economy will aim at a large
degree of national self-sufficiency anil
self-containment. Rome fell when the
food supply was too fur removed from
the belly. Like her, we shall destroy
our own agriculture nnd extend our
sources of food dlstuntl.v-and precari
ously, If we do not see to It that our
farmers are well nod fairly paid for
thdlr services. The farm
.nation men ns well us food. Cities
derive their vitality and are forever
renewed from the country, hut an Im
poverished countryside exports InteHI
gence nnd retains unintctllgone**.
Only the lower grades of mentality
nnd* character will remain on, or seek,
the fnrirt, unless agriculture Is capable
of being pursued with contentment and.
adequate compensation. Hence, to em
bitter nnd impoverish the fanner Is to
dry up and contninlnatiL the vital
sources of the nation.
Ing to take the unfavorable chance
If the favorable one also is theirs and
they can retnln for themselves a part
of the servlch charges that are uni
form. In good years and bad, wit I
high prices and low.
While, in the main, the farmer mus
sell, regardless of market conditions
at thp time of the maturity of crop.-
he cannot suspend production in toto
He must go on producing If he Is to g.
on living, and if the world Is to exist
The most he cun do Is to curtail pro
duetion a little or ulter its form, ami
that—because he Is In the dark ns to
the probable demand for his goods—
mny he only to Jump from the frying
pun Into the Are, taking the consumer
with him.
Even the 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, heenuse of the
high costs of distribution, which they
must ultimately hear.
Ill
Now that the farmers are stirring,
thinking, and uniting as never before
to eradicate these Inequalities, they
If for no higher motive, we should ! are subjected to stern economic tee-
help them. All of us want to get buck
permanently to "normalcy;" but Is It
reasonable to hope for flint condition
unless our greatest nnd most basic In
dustry can lie put on a sound and solid
permanent foundation? The fnrmers
nre not entitled to special privileges;
but are they not right in demanding
that they he placed on an equal foot
ing with the buyers of their products
and with other Industries?
II
The
war sltowe
1
•onvincingl.v
how
depeni
out the no
Inti is on till
full
produi
tivity of t
It*
farms. In
spite
herciilt
tin efforts.
•Icaltural |ir
>il tic
thin In
pt only a f<
w
weeks ir tit
nit Its
ahead
of consnmp
M in. and that
on Ii
hv Inc
reusing the
rein e 'f ct
rt a I n
staple
crops nt tl
V
eost of reducing
that «>
Others. U
V
■tight not t<
for ‘
get th
it lesson w
\u
n we pondi
r on
the fin
mer's prulilc
b
i. They nre
truly
pomtiti
:t problems
nd there s
lotthl
he no
ilttttlllpl lo
(L
al with the
III us
If the)
were pur
•ly
selfish dot
lands
or a i
lour-cut gr.
«1
, unltiLi'iiist
ie to
the rt
st of the
•ii
liminlty. 1!
ether
should
w c conslde
•
crh'Ultueo i
n the
light
if bread n
itiomil policy.
Just
us ive
e('insider <
II.
I'oti 1. steel.
dye-
stul'ls.
and so fort
h.
ns sinews <
f tut
tlon:.)
strength. C
In
growing p
Iptllll-
thin a
id n lil-hoi
endard of
living
demon
1 inefcitsinj.
1
loti supplies
, and
more
vool, cotton,
It
ill's, and tin
rest.
With
the Uisappi
mice of fr
>e or
cheap
fertile land
dilltlonnl m
reage
and. increased yl<
■Id
s enn rente
only
from
only effort
Phis we Itei
d not
expert
front un
tit
loverlshed .
r un-
happy
rural popul
ill
■n.
It w
ill not do tt
It
ke a narrow
vtew
of the
rural disco
lit
nt, or to tip
.raise
It from the stand
This Is peculiarly
change and new
thing always has
means that it Is righteous, or always
slinil he so. More, i crimps, than ever
before, there Is n widespread feeling
that all human relations can he im
proved by taking thought, ami that It
is not becoming for the reasoning ani
mal to leave his destiny hugely to
dlmnce and natural Incidence.
Prudent and orderly adjustment of
production and distribution In accord
ance with consumption is recognized
as wise management In every business
but that of farming. Yet, I venture
to say, there Is no other Industry In
which It Is so Important to the pub
lie—to the city-dweller—that produc
tion should be sure, steady, nnd In
creasing, and that distribution should
be in proportion to the need. The un
organized farmers naturally net blind
ly and Impulsively and, In conse
quence, surfeit nnd dearth, accompa
nied by disconcerting priee-vnriutlons,
harass the consumer. One year pota
toes rot in the fields becuuse of excess
production, nnd there Is a scarcity of
the things tlint have been displaced
to make way for the expansion of the
potato acreage; next year the punish
ed farmers mass their fields on some
other crop, and potatoes enter the
class of luxuries; and so on.
Agriculture Is the greatest nnd fun
damentally the most Important of our
American Industries. The cities are
hut the brunches of tlie tree of na
tional life, the roots of which go deep
ly Into the land. We all flourish or
decline with the farmer. So, when we
of the cities read of the present uni
versal distress of the farmers, of a
slump of six billion dollars In the farm
value of their crops In a single year,
Let us, then, consider some of the
fanner's grievances, and see how far
they nre real. In doing so, we should
remember <liut, while there have been,
and still are. Instances of purposeful
abuse, the subject should not be ap
proached 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 thut what the
farmers sell as of one quality Is - re
sold ns of u higher. That this sort of
chicanery should persist on any lm-
ives the ’ |>ortutn scale In these days of busi
ness Integrity would seem almost In
credible,, hut there Is much evidence
that it does go persist. Even as I
write, the newspapers announce the
suspension of several firms from the
\'hw York Produce Exchange for ex-
oortlng to Germany as No, '2 wheat a
vhole shipload of grossly Inferior wheat
ni-.o i with oats, chaff and the like.
Another evil izr that of inaccurate
weighing of farm products, which, it
is charged, is sometimes a matter of
llstionpsi- intention and sometimes of
protective policy on the part of the
local buyer, who fears.that he may
w - igli out” more tlijgn lie "weighs in."
A greater grievance is that at pres
ent the lit id faMiiur has little or no
• ntrol "over tlu* tfpio and conditions
■ f nuirkellni; Ids produets, with the
•esnli that lie Is often underpaid tor
ais- product's and n.-wrilly overcharged
'or marketing service. The differ
ence between what the farmer* re-
•elvcs and wlmt the consumer pays
ftell eXeecda all possibility of justi
fication. To rite a single illustration.
Last year, ticcoiding to figures nttesi-
• I by tlu» riflhvayS - 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 Raltlinore and the consumer
paid one dollar, leaving 70S cents for
the scr- ice of marketing and ils risks,
a;, against ‘JO.'J cents for growing and
transput ting. The hard annals of
farm-life are replete with such com
mentaries on the crudeness of pres
ent practices.
Nature prescribes tlint the farmer's
“goods" must he finished within two,
er throe months of the year, while
financial and storage limitations gen
erally compel him to sell them at the
same lime. As a rule, other industries
are In a continuous process of finish
ing goods for ihe markets; they di£-
tribute as they produce, and they can
curtail production without too great
Injury to themselves, or the roinmu-
tures, nnd nre met with the accusation
that thoy nre demanding, nnd are the
recipients of, special privileges. Let
ys see wlmt privileges the government
has conferred on the furtners. Much
has been made of Section fl of the
Clayton Anti-Trust Act, which pur
ported to permit them to combine with
immunity, under certain conditions.
Admitting that, nominally, this ex
emption was In the nnture of a special
privilege.—though I think It was so in
appearance rather than In fact,—we
find that the epurts have nullified R
by Judicial Interpretation. Why should
not the farmers be permitted to ac
complish by co-operative nfbthods what
other businesses are alrendy doing by
co-operation In the form of Incorpora
tion? 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 farmers 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 n no larger propor
tion of the wheat crop, or cotton, or
any other oroduct?
(Continued Next Week.)
CITATION
Georgia, Baldwin County.
Cov.rt of Ordinary, January term,
1922.
The appraisers appointed to set
aside a year's support out of the es
tate of A. E. Moran, late of said
county, deceased, to Mrs. A. E. Mo
ran, the widow of said A. E. Moran,
deceased, and her minor children,
having filed their return In this of
fice, this is therefore, to notify all
persons interested, unless objections
are filed to said return on or before
the first Monday in February, 1922,
said return will be judgment of this
court.
\V. H. Stembrldge, Ordinary
J Baldwin County, Ga.
1
Give us your order for coal. If it
does not please you we will send and
°ret it and replace with something
that will. We do not have to sell
bad coal to our customers. We can
burn this in our furnace. Our Biue
Gem Jelico and Harlan are coalB that
will please you.
The Ennis Ice & Fuel Wks.
We have satisfied hundreds of cus
tomers with coal this season. Our
.sales have exceeded our expectations.
Our Blue Gem Jelico at $10.00 per
ton is as good copl as can be boufcht.
Our Harlan Block coal, large lumps,
is the best coal for the money, $9.00
per ton, on the market. Phone your
orders to 485, 461 or 209. We want
your business.
The Ennis Ice & Fuel Wks.
FOR SALE
One Dodge truck, good condition.
New battery.
H. K. BROWN.
F. R. HARGROVE.
Habitual Constipation Cura#
In 14 to 21 Days
•LAX-FOS WITH PEPSIN" Is a specially,
prepared Syrup x'onic-Iaxati ve for Habitual
Constipation. It relieves pffimptly but
should be take.i regularly for 14 to 21 days
to induce regular action. It Stimulates and
Regulates. „ Very Pleasant to Take, a 60c
eer bottle.
To Cure a Cold In One Day
.'tike LAXATIVE BROMO QUININE (Tablets.) Ii
•tops the ( ouch and Headache and works off tb-
V.I.I 77 V an
E. V.\ (jHOVE’S signature cn bo-. 10-
MAN’S
BEST AGE
A man is as old aa hia organs; he
can be as vigorous and healthy at
70 as at 35 if he aids his organs in
performing their functions. Keep
your vital organs healthy with
'Si
The world’s standard remedy for kidney,
liver, bladder and uric acid troubles
Since 1696; corrects disorders; stimulates
vital organs. All druggists, three sizes.
Leek for tha name Gold Medal on- every bos
M and accept ao Imitation
HEMORRHOIDS positively cured'with out the use of the knife and without
the lost of time from your business. All other recital ‘diseases successfully
treatod. Examanation free.
Ini of yesterday,
t age of tlux and
vtIs. Because it
>en so no longer
nlty; hut if the funner restricts Ills
output, it Is with disastrous conse
quences, both to himself and to the
community.
The average farmer is busy with
production for the major part of the
year, and has nothing to sell. The
bulk of Ms output eotnes on the mar
ket at once. Because of lack of stor
age facilities nnd of financial support,
the farmer cannot carry his goods
through the year nnd dispose of them
as they are currently needed. In the
great majority of ruses, farmers have
to entrust storage—In warehouses and
elevators—and the financial carrying
of their products to others.
Farm products are generally mar
keted nt a time when there Is a con
gestion of both transportation und
finance—when ears and money are
scarce. The outcome, in many In
stances, is that ihe farmers not only
sell under pressure, and therefore at
a disadvantage, but* are compelled to
take further reductions In net returns,
In order to meet the charges for the
service of storing, transporting, flnnnc
ing, nnd ultimate marketing—which
charges they claim, nre often exees
sive, bear heavily on both consumer
and producer, ifnd 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 pule; hut they ve quite will-
SELL’S
JANUARY CLEARANCE SALE
We are now in the midst of our Annual In
ventory and find that we have too many short
lengths in Silks, Serges and Dress Goods,
which will be placed on sale at half and less
than half price.
Great Sale of Laces
5,000 yards Val. Lace, worth up to 10c,
at — 5c yard
Wonderful Values In
Ladies’ Hose
0
j 5 dozen Ladies' fine silk Hose, $1,50 val
ue, special sale price 98c
20 dozen Ladies’ Boot Silk Hose, black and
brown, worth $1.00, snecial sale price 49c
Men’s Fine Shirts Reduced
$3.50 Shirts reduced to $2.50
3.00 Shirts reduced to 2.00
2.00 Shirts reduced to 1.25
20 dozen Men’s Ties, $1.50 and $2.00
values, all reduced to $1.00
25 dozen Men’s Fine Socks, blacks and
greys, fiber silk, worth 50c,,special 25c
MEN’S UNDERWEAR
Special reduction sale in all Men s Under
wear.
$3.50 Union Suits reduced to $2.50
3.00 Union Suits reduced to 2.80
Pvlen’s two-piece suits, Wrights, $2 per gar
ment, reduced to $1.59 each
A Sweeping Reduction
In Sweaters
$6.00 and $7.00 Sweaters reduced to ..$5.00
5.00 Sweaters reduced to 3.00
20 Athletic Slipover Sweaters, worth up to
$12.00, reduced to G,50
at just’HALF PRICE
LOT LADIES FINE DRESSES
19 fine Dresses, Canton Crepe, Satin and 1 af-
fetas, worth up to $65, for quick selling, to
close out at$25.00
LADIES’ SHOES
63 pairs Ladies’ fine Shoes, Selby’s in black
and cordovans; Cuban heels, some low
heels, worth up to $12.00, Special Sale
pried $4.95
If you want the best and want to be sure
of getting the lowest prices, shop at— r
1 j Ladies’ Coat Saits • i-VuYe 1
20 L adies’ Fine Coot Suits left, worth up to jfs
n
$65. Find your size and take your choice
E. E. BELL’S
/ -
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