The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-05-22
Humor. of the Farmers, srex.ne,,

Some OF the western farmers continue
to believe themselves unfortunate and
oppressed persons. but hardly a week
passes without their contributing to the
gayety Of nations. The farmers mutual
benefit association of Illinois, following
good alliance precedent, has resolved
that the minimum price of wheat for
the year shall by Sl.25 bushel This
minimum is in advance of from 30 to %
per cent on the present market price.
How often have the +. NJ. B. ~
economists beaten their breasts and
| torn their locks, hayseed and all, in
lameuting the wickedness of COM
binatiOns to put up prices, and now
with what beautiful frankness they pro-
pose to send UP the price OF wheat. The
law of supply and demand is not writ
ten in the statutes of this community of
cOmbinationists. The minimum price
Of wheat shall be Sl.2j bushel, and
the F. NJ. B. A. man who sells for less
will be thrown out of the association by
force and arms, we suppose; but what is
to be done with the farmers who are
not members? How are they TO be pre-
vented from turning the corner and
making the wheat market slump? The
Illinois legislature must be asked to
pass law forbidding farmers who don't
belong TO the F. NJ. B. A. to raise
wheat, and the wheat OF
other states must be kept
out OF Illinois at all hazards. The
state, for this purpose. may have tdeas-
sumo control OF interstate and foreign
commerce. In the case Of a conflict
between the F. NJ B. A. and the cOnsti-
tuition, the latter authority will have to
take back seat. Obviously the impOr-
tation or expectation Of wheat would in
terfere with the F. NJ. B. A. corner:
The state of illinois may have to build
feet OF cruisers to chase grain vessels,
but perhaps the government might be
persuaded to do its duty and declare
| foreign wheat arriving at our ports to
be contraband of the F. NJ. B. A.
From Kansas, the heart, liver and
| lungs Of the alliance, comes an account
Of the causes OF the failing wheat crop
| in western Kansas In a number oil
counties the Hessian fy, the chinch
| bug, or some mysterious insect were
said to be ravaging the wheat helds,
and great was the woe OF the farmers.
Mr.. Martin Mohler, secretary Of the
state board of agriculture, and Cham
cellor Snow of the University OF Kan
sas, investigated the damaged wheat
fields. They report that, in the fields
where the wheat is yellowest and the
damage greatest, the Hessian fly and
the green bug of unknown spe-
cies were not the criminals. they
found that wherein fields were prop
erly ploughed and prepared last iall
the wheat is in excellent condition TINS
Tho 6arpoual xrh heat on the
land of farmers who gave so much 'I.nc
to alliance politics and alliance picnics
and conventions, and the sub treasury
bill, and denunciation OF mortgages
and capitalists, and the wickedyeSs NJ
creditors that they didn't have time n
plough. They stuck their wheat int
the unploughed fields. The rain IL
rained every day this spring. the
unploughed ground was baked. and
the wheat suffers in conseouenca
The ploughed ground, on the Other
hand, drank in the water, and the wheat
on it fourishes like green bay tree or
PETERS wealth of whiskers. ''Too much
politics" the Hessian fly which in the
opinion OF the secretary OF board of ao-
riculture, himself member of the aIii-
ance, spoiled the wheat Of the farmers
who neither held nor drove
the plough, but expected to
raise big crops by going to ALI.
ance meetings. Resolutions do MOI
take the place of elbow grease in the
farming business any more than in anv
other business. But these alliance men
were at least true to the alliance prin-
clpies. 1t is Just as easy to raise crops
without labor as it is to raise money
without earning it, to borrow money by
abusing the lender, or to become pros
porous by act of congress.-New York
Sun.