102 THE THIRD POWER 



government can make and maintain profitable prices 

 for farm products by the use of money, even though 

 they had the treasure of these great nations to fall 

 back upon. It would be possible to keep prices up 

 for a while by the use of money, but remember, when 

 a price is paid for a commodity that you can not con- 

 sume yourself, you must find another party who will 

 take it off of your hands at a higher price, and here is 

 where the trouble comes. If the farmers' society 

 would supply the money to take their crops at profit- 

 able prices it would be a great thing for the members 

 as long as it lasted. They — the members — would 

 not need to concern themselves about anything but 

 to go back to the farm and raise as large crops as 

 possible and turn them into their society, which must 

 not only pay them a profitable price but find some 

 other person to take them at a higher price. This is 

 a sure way to run up an unwieldy surplus. The only 

 way to handle this problem is to make each individ- 

 ual producer responsible for production and markets. 

 If he produces too much he must take a lower price 

 or hold it over to a season of less production on his 

 own account. In this way he pays the penalty for 

 his indiscretion. Also, if farmers will not sell at the 

 equitable minimum price and foolishly hold out for 

 a higher price, prevent the crops from going into 

 consumption and run up a large surplus, the board of 

 directors must declare a lower price, and thus they 

 will suffer again for their stubbornness. The Amer- 

 ican Society of Equity does not stand for high 



