RELATION TO COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES 99 



these markets may be reached at the least expense to the pro- 

 ducer." 



Not only do we have these official pronouncements as to 

 the intent of the law and the application of it to the work 

 of the county agent, but we have the opinion of the Presi- 

 dent of the United States himself on this point. In his 

 message to Congress in December, 1921, President Hard- 

 ing said: 



"Every proper encouragement should be given to the coopera- 

 tive marketing programs. These have proven very helpful 'to the 

 cooperative communities of Europe. In Russia the cooperative 

 community has become a recognized bulwark of law and order 

 and saved individualism from an engulfment in social paralysis. 

 Ultimately they will be accredited with the salvation of the Rus- 

 sian State." 



THE PUBLIC INTEREST 



This broad statement of what the President considers 

 sound public policy affords ample justification for the 

 legislation which sanctions the activities of county agents 

 so universally complained of by that portion of the popu- 

 lation which acts as agents in getting the farmer's prod- 

 ucts to the consumer. It applies to the activities of farm 

 bureaus as well. It makes clear the position that the 

 public agencies throughout the country dealing with agri- 

 cultural problems have quite generally assumed. The 

 problems of marketing and distribution are of as vital im- 

 portance to the whole public, consumer as well as pro- 

 ducer, as are the problems of production. Cooperative 

 organization, because of its educational values, because of 

 the standardization which it brings about in agricultural 

 products, because of its non-profit character and because it 

 represents or should represent the best thought of the peo- 



