PRODUCERS' PROBLEMS

Northern Advocate, 27 January 1922, Page 4

PRODUCERS' PROBLEMS

Fanners in the United States Jiave been complaining for a long time p.:ist of the serious difficulties that their industry 'has to contend with, and in President Harding they seem to have found a .sympathetic friend. In his message to Congress Inst month he dwelt on the problems that the farmers have to meet, and offered some very useful advice. He declared that there must he some economic solution for the excessive variations in the returns froiin ■agricultural production. In the main the President was satisfied that it lay in better distribution and marketing. Every encouragement should .be given to the co-operative marketing programme. This, he pointed out, has proved very helpful to co-operating

communities in Europe. In Russia it was the eo-operativc crammuriity which became the last bulwark of law and order and saved the country from complete social paralysis. No one challenged the right of the fanner, said Mr Harding, to a larger sua re of the consumer's pay for his product. The farmer was justified in rebelling "against transportation icosts. The grain railing and meat packing companies, tho President added, afforded ample illustration of uneconomic and wasteful transportation. It would appear from a cablegram of a day or two ago that Mr Harding has again been offering good advice to the farmers. At the opening of the National Agricultural Conference he recommended an extension of farmers' co-operative marketing organisations, provision for greater working capital for farmers, and measures to prevent violent price fluctuations. The groat American packing companies have, of course, been regarded as representing something like perfection in marketing methods, but they do hot seem to have solved the farmer's problems. Mr Harding's idea may be described as that of bringing the producer and the consumer closer together, thus eliminating some of the excessive coasts that make it i/mposisioie foT the farmera to obtain a fair return for their enterprise and hard work.