FARMERS ORGANIZE FOR ACTION 165 



usual extremes as a means of increasing their profits 

 at the expense of the well-being of the farm pro- 

 ducers. 



The farmers charged that commission men re- 

 sorted to short weights, false standards of quality, 

 and secret combinations to prevent competition and 

 to depress prices. These charges were directed prin- 

 cipally against middlemen who purchased directly 

 from the farmers. The farmers charged also that 

 they were compelled to pay unduly high prices for 

 farm implements and other supplies, due to monopo- 

 listic control of industrial enterprise. 



Another serious complaint made by farmers re- 

 lated to the high interest rates which they had to 

 pay. The credit system especially in the South and 

 West at this time was intolerable. Interest charges 

 ran very high. There were many devices for Shy- 

 locking the farmer. The most vicious system was 

 the commissary or plantation store, where supplies 

 were purchased on time. The farmer often paid 

 credit prices for the goods he purchased, and interest 

 charges were then added to the sale price. The 

 interest rates ran as high as 15 or 20 per cent and 

 often higher. The farmer did not always under- 

 stand just how the credit system was operated. But 

 he realized from his returns at the end of the year 

 that something was wrong. 



Grievances resulting from the inequalities in the 

 system of distribution and the exorbitant interest 

 rates have persisted until our present day. But 



