The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-08-22
AuGuST II 1872

EDS. HERALD With your permi sion
through the medium of your paper, wish
to say q few words to my brother farmers
The harvest is mostly gathered, and the
hum of the thresher can be almost con-
stanily heard as you are preparing your
grain for market, but now comes the qucs-
ton will we sell at present prices or will
we hold on to our grain and see if we can
not obtain better prices. with many it will
be said that We must sell as we have
money, but many are not forced to sacri-
flee their crops for this purpose, and it is
to them especially, and for the benefit of
all write You all know we cannot afford
to raise corn for the prices which we have
been receiving, true if our wheat crop was
good we could live and sell it at one dollar
per bushel but even that would not be
very profitable, but oats and corn at 10 TO
90 cents per bushel, does not pay expenses,
let alone profit. We know that when
our grain, the products OF our labor come
into the hands Of the consumer they
have to pay as a general thing near what
it is worth, price which if the producer
could command would pay him for his Ia
Dor, but there IS to be great difference
to be accounted for, what becomes of this
would lie well for every producer to in
Quire Does the farmer put his own price
on that which he produces, or does he
suffer others to do it for him.
Amy farmer can answer this. Is this the
case with any other class? Does the man.
ufacturer permit the customer to put the
price ON his manufacture goods? No, he
not only puts such price on his goods
that it will pay first cost but such that it
will pay him profit besides. And who
blames him? He then sells his goods at
wholesale to a merchant who in turn sells
to other merchants and they in turn re-
tail. So that when it comes into the hands
of the consumer they have to pay double
or triple what the article is really worth.
Yet you go to the merchant to purchase,
and he will tell you he must have so-and-
so he cannot take, for it cost him so-
Now let the farmer try this; let him for
instance, take corn TO market. He must
have, say thirty cents bushel (Which
would really hardly be paying price,
that he could not afford to take any less
that it cost him more than that, ETC.
What would be the consequence? Why
the purchaser would laugh at him and
call him green that he could not come
that game over him. Yet he would be
telling him nothing but the truth. Now
why is this state of affairs9 Why is it
that the farmer cannot get fair compen-
sation for his labor? 1t cannot be that
there is too much produced, for we find it
all consumed, and we find also that the
consumer pays generally high for that
which he consumes. We find then that
the profit goes to third or middle party
who are non producers, but who are
growing fat off of the labor of others -
Now brother farmers, is it necessary for
the well being of society that We continue
to patronize that class of person, l do not
stop here TO find fault with these men, nor
with any class of men who are making
their living at the expense of the farmer,
but do blame and find fault with the
farmers that they suffer these things to be,
class of men that shall be as independent
as the air we breathe yet suffer themselves
to be gulled by class of men whose end
and aim is TO make their living and grow
rich OIL the labor of others, now you ask
now are we to help ourselves. | answer
ny combination. This Is matter which
10 oelng agftated at this time both East
ano west and ]. is high time that the far
n'e's Oh Iowa. OF Mahaska county would
s'n 'hemsei yes and awake to their best in.
.eie''s' ! a9 urge that this matter may be
pfougn. before every Farmers club that
meets tnat II may be discussed in all its
bearings so that we may be brought to act
as q unit.4 put have already trespassed
on your DC and space, ifyou deem this
worthy s<fpur columns, may in another
communication show how we as farmers
may make combinations profitable, no,
only to the farmer, but the community al
| large. FARMER.