The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1892-01-15
IN THE COILS.
RHE FARMERs AT TIE ndERCv or
GIANT CORPORATIONS.


The real dangers to which any class
of citizens are exposed do not lie upon
the surface. surely in vain is the
d. net spread In sight OF any bird.
They are the results of influences at
work quietly and impcrceptibly, and
from year to year, and grow generally
cut Of tie abuse of power or the grad
ual encrOachment of one legitimate
industry upon another, which is of its
gaard because attending strictly to its
own affairs. No class of toilers is so
liable to be taken in the tolls Of another
as the farmer, not because they are
lacking in intelligence, but because on
account of their isolation they have
less opportunity to see the drift of the
workings Of other forces, and because
they are SO intensely pre-occuPied with
- cir own affairs. It Is only when
they feel the cords tightening, when
their business, Notwithstanding all
their efforts, fails to pay a sure reward.
that they begin to open their eyes to
what has been done and then begin to
strike, each for himself and somewhat
wildly, at the supposed enemy. In a
country like the United States, after
twenty-six years of profound peace,
and Il soil of unsurpassed fertility,
aud with beautiful crops and seasons,
it seems strange that there should he
any complaint of hard times or that
q there should he deep unrest among
farmers as class.
It is nevertheless, one of the most
gfri1-irrar -
modern times. The farmers are find
ing no fault with the productiveuess of
the. soil, nor have they any fault to find
with the climate. Their complaint is
that they do not get their share of the
value OF their products after they are
put on the markets. They are not
finding any fault with the consumer of
these products, nor with the progress
of the manufacturing industries. The
great burden of their complaint is that
the man who ''fetches and carries, -
who stands between them and the
consumer Of farm products, and
between them aud the manufacturer
of the products of which they are
the ultimate consumers, gets more
than his share. They are now in coils
which are very strong, fur-reachiug,
and which take in every farmer and
every acre and strange farm industries
as far as it is deemed prudent an
wise. The straugulation is not to the
point of death or utter discourage
lnent, to that point only which vii
allow the farmer some hope and bare
living, but that will not allow him L
become independent or financially
powerful. The great aim and end of tn,
fetch and carry business is to keeI
the price as high as possible to til,
consumer, without materially lessen
lug cOnsumption-snJ as low as Uosst
Tile 10 the producer without decreasin;
g production, and to absorb as much a
possible i'll the way of exchange
whether in railroad or steamship
freights, commission, or speculation il
transit
When we consider the vast change
that have been made in the last fort,
Years, it IS not strange that this shoul
lie 50. Never in the history OF tin
world has there been such on oppoI
tunity for parasites on industry t
increase and multiply. Forty year
ago the food of the world was grow
comparatively in the neighborhood Q
the consumer or along the lines q
water communication. The bread o
the farmers table Was from his ow
wheat, and the middle mau was Tn
small boy, perched on a three bushe
sack on the old mare, who took tn
-four to the mill, had the mare sho
while waiting for the grist, and trie
in vain to catch the big bass in III
tail race while the blacksmith wa
making the shoe and hammering on
the nails. The surplus wheat wa
hauled to the mill, and after deductin
the miller's 70 per cent toll the fou
, was hauled over the mountains i
wagons or to the nearest city ana sol
direct to the bakers and grocers.
was the same with everything.
The steer OF the hog was sold to tn
nearest butcher OF driven to the create
II aFkets and sold TO the hatcher direct
and thus the farmer and those in hi
interest We're the middlemen and stOo
by his interest. The application c
steam to land transportation la
changed all this. The boy and tn
. wagon have ~eyoluted'' aud becom
transformed into thousands Of mile
of raiload, immense stOckyards aR
packing establishments that kill an
dress stock fOr nations. Gres
gambling aggregations have sprun
APP that fix prices, and whole armies
men have been organized and drille,
some of them doing legitimate worl
others mere parasites that have 4
Interest in common either with Il
Turner or the consumer. The men vi
control these armies regard the farm
er as the teller who cannot help hir