The Morning herald., 1876-04-06
WASTE NOC-WANT NOR.


"Wages," says the Star, of Philadelphia,
shave undergone shrinkage, and nearly
all the products of industry. Provisions
should sympathize with this shrinkage, but
they do not. Can any one of our political
economists tell US whys"
In answer to this inquiry the "Bulle-
TIM of the Iron and Steel Association
writes thus:
"Yes, we can, although, we are not a
political economist. There are not enough
farmers and too many unemployed mschan-
les. If there were more farmers the prices
of produce would fall to mechanics and
other purchasers, and yet farming would
pay all who would industriously and skill
fnlly engage in it. Why should there not
be more farmers 2"
The Bulletin is at sea in this matter,
a. the price of farm products are down to
the lowest possible point. The high cost
O. fprovisions to the consumer is due to
the profits of the middlemen of all kinds.
The high price paid for provisions which
enter into daily use, can be readily cut down;
but not by the farmer. The consumer
must help himself, stir around and be an
active instrument Of his own economic
salvation. In the large cities and towns
one cannot fail to be struck with the great
number ofgreen grocery, or produce dealers,
who live we'll, and save money by distrib-
uting truck and provisions, often at second
hand to the poor.
The working people may as well learn
that no matter how oheaply and abnn-
dainty food is produced, until they Or
ganize, cooperate, aud arrange to buy
from first hands, they will receive no bene-
fit from abundant harvests. Cabbage, tur.
nips, and potatoes, in the vegetable order,
enter very largely into use. We were Gu.
rions enough to price each Of these at 6
small store, such an one as the working
mans wife usually buys at. From sever
to ten cents were asked for single heat
Of cabbage, we venture to say, the farme
who raised them never received three cent
per head for them. In fact we know wher
they have been fed to cattle this winte
by the thousand, for the reason that thre
cents per head could not be had for them
We know a gentleman in this county
who sold to neighbour fine white turnips
at ten cents per bushel-yellow at ffteer
. For sone not equal in quality, we we1
a asked by two dealers three cents quartz
9 peck for white, and four for yellow, and b
a one dealer four for white, and five for ye
t low, more than six times the price paid I
the producer. Potatoes can be bought
, quantities for sixty cents per bushel-t
the small, they will cost the consumer
least one dollar and half per bushcl.
The answer is quite plain, we can br
. these things no cheaper:-every deal
asks the same price, and what are we
0 do2 Let the men, say Of one shep
works, initiate their brethren Of Manche
j. tester, Birmingham, Leeds, Belfast al
y Glasgow, form cooperative unions, AZ
deal directly with the consumers. Su
pose twenty heads Of families club togeth
4 to buy bag Of coffee, barrel Of sugar,
!. chest OF tea, ten bushels of beans,-pot
: toes, cabbage, turnips, direct from the pr
). ducer or commission dealer, and one pu
r chase would show them, that the buyi,
4 power of dollar so expended, equall'
:. that Of two, taking the average Of produe
s. purchased in the old and wasteful wa
% The high price Of provisions is not the
4 suit Of short production, but Of the wastef
/ and ignorant mode of purchasing. Mo-