The advocate., 1890-02-13

\ ffAfhs - AAAtAAAhNAt a MNnlAN w nANA NANN ANAH
lowing resolutions; and would move their
adoption a. a memorial 70 the Congress of
the United States.
In these resolutions are 10 be found tho
Basic principal for relief from the depressed
condition Of Agriculture.
Farming AZ a business Is admitted 10 b6
failure both in this country and the Free
Trade countries Of Europe.
In all other branches Of Trade, by common
consent, prices are Rxed at a normal profit
20 Capital and Labor employed. What
would be the consequences TO the Manufac-
turer or the Merchant who trusted the buy
ers TO fix price upon his goods2 He would
either have TO retire from business or suffer
himself to become a Bankrupt. Can the
farmer who sells at some ones else price ex-
pect TO meet a less fatep
In Topeka there are 9Os butchers or men
engaged in cutting meats from the block,
they know what their meat cost them, and
sell at n profit, the price Is everywhere the
same, yet there is no trust or agreement fix
ing the price 10 the consumer. Now II Il
were possible for these butchers 20 know "a
little about the cost of their meat as the
farmer knows about the cost Of raising the
beef, then they could not by common con-
sent fix a uniform price; their profits would
be uncertain, and failure the result.
The FIRST thing in all business enterprises
is TO calculate the cost. Who among us can
tell the cost Of producing bushel Of corn
in KansasP We may figure the cost of cult
waiting an acre Of corn, but 10 get at the cost
per bushel, we must find out the average
yield Of corn per acre; beginning with the
settlement of the State. II we should find
the general average TO be 20 bushels per acre
CT would be greater than the average yield
of Illinois) then the cost OF producing corn
in Kansas would be 8716 cents per buslIel
But who can tell the cost of the present crop
Of 80 bushels per acre after deducting the
failure Of 'S6 and ~, as we would have
to do; IL would then bring the present crop
down below the general average, and IL we
sold il for less than 371G cents per bushel, we
would beselling below the cost of production.
The information sought for in this mem
orial has twofold object.
lst. To enable US to fix and demand equit-
able prices.
2nd To have the proof at hand that our
demands are just and reasonable.
Our position is this; that if the Farmers Of
the country were annually possessed Of in
formation, comparing the actual cost, with
the general average yield Of their crops, no
intelligent Farmer would be found selling
below the cost of production, and without
arbitrary power or theuse Of artificial means,
PRICES would soon be established by common
consent, as obtains now in all other branches
Of trade.
"Prices are a good deal matter of senti-
ment," no one cares what he pays for an
article if he thinks he is getting IL as cheap,
or a little cheaper than someone else. ]
know man who believed that S1OO a
bushel for wheat in Chicago was as good as
a Government Bond; but when wheat drop
ped to 80 cents in 1884 he had TO retire from
the board But who is benefited by these
low prices? Not the consumer, nor the
wholesale buyers Of our products. The mill
ers would be glad il we would make them
pay better prices for our wheat; they would
make more money and sell more -four Then
who is responsible for the low pricesp The
farmer who fails TO recognize common
sense business methods in marketing his
products.
There is no OverproductiOn; Europe de-
mands all Of our surplus, and
would take more II we had it.
II we can raise the price in the home