FARMERS TO THE FRONT 65 



that the farmer has — or may and should have — the 

 power to say what the supply shall be. A controlled 

 supply is as much within his power as it is in the 

 power of the manufacturer. So when some amateur 

 political economist talks to you learnedly about the 

 law of supply and demand, tell him that you propose 

 to make that law work for you instead of against 

 you. Coal is mined and marketed under the law 

 of supply and demand, but when the anthracite bar- 

 ons think that the demand is not sufficient to absorb 

 their coal at the right price, although there are mil- 

 lions of tons down in the mines, they shut off the 

 supply. If the price is too low they raise it at the 

 rate of fifty cents a ton a month. The farmers may 

 do the same thing, if they will. Supply and demand, 

 certainly, — but they can make the supply large or 

 small at pleasure, or withhold it altogether. And 

 you may play upon demand by raising or lowering 

 the price of your products as you see fit. Yet, always 

 keep in mind that as much food and clothing will be 

 consumed at a fair price as at an unduly low price. 



So the man can not be left out of the problem. 

 And that is something that you must never forget. 

 There would be no supply of farm products at all 

 except for the intelligent work of the farmers. From 

 their partnership with the earth flow these assets 

 that we all value so highly. Supply is a human 

 product, not a natural growth like breadfruit. It 

 must be adjusted and regulated at all times to the 

 demand, but only at a price that is fair to both par- 



