The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-22

rorT Angeses. Jan. IS, 1855
To the Exaar: Year article GA Much
Money WaSzef' In the weekly OF January
10 is enc that gives room for commenf by
the farmers Of this stare. You say: .sTae
farmers ows q duty to the state which
they shoaaa speedily faaEEgl'' And again:
1T Is nor generally known. but reliable
statistics Snow an alarming condition OF
affairs In Our extravagans and irnprovi-
oezt use. or rather neglect. OF cur agri-
cultural resources and opportunities.
Ten million doEia-s seus OUT OF the STATE
f1r food products. Is an alarming state
merit. and the reason why r. IS true
should be found ont AMI reznealsa Tire
reason does not lie with the farmer, as
yoa assert. but with the merchants and
IRE people
Why was Il that for two years last past
the farmers in TIE vicinity OF Seattle we're
compelled TO set their Strawberries lie on
the ground and 80 TO wastes They had
raised them. ana expected TO reap some
profit from their labor. hut the merchants
or Seattle could get them cheaper from
the Chinese and hobo gardeners OF CALI
fornia and Oregon. and what care they
fer rh,a home producer? Why is it that
potatoes bring Only s. per ton in our horne
markell Simply because the merchant
prefers TO patronize sfae gardeners OF the
above named class. ami takes no Interest
In home production. Why does beef cattle
and pork bring bur- 5 or cents per pound
70 tie farmers? Simply because Phil Ar
mour. OF Chiuago. rules the prices, and
their cattle rather than encourage home
Industries.
Tho people are also to blame. for. being
able X, buy oleomargarine or factory but
ter m,re cheaply than butter from the
farmers. they buy the cheap stuff The
result Is that farmers cannot sell their
butter. Also vegetables can be got from
the Cinnamon a few cents cheaper per
pound than from a white man WHO has a
family TO support and has some desire TO
hive dscently. and be able to clotfse and
educate his children; therefore they buy
OF the Cinnamon.
"A firvner in Western Washington Il
obliged To spend a young fortune and
much hard labor before his farm is slif-
fciently cultivated to produce grain and
other feed products for animals and other
purposes; hence, in order to get returns
for labor and money expended in opening
u farm. he must have a reasonable price
for his products. otherwise farming does
not pay. It does not pay to raise grain
and have the care or fowls in Western
Washington and sell your eggs at this
season OF the year at Is cents per dozen.
To this the farmer must submit. for the
merchants send south and get eggs by
the crate. ami when the farmer brings
his eggs to market tell him: 81 am not
buying eggs today"
Ii tie ten millions OF money which you
state has been sent out of the state had
been paid out to ahe farmers i'm reason
abie prices for their farm product. It
wossld not only have benefited the farmers
and encouraged them to greater effort,
but tfle merchants themselves would have
Ts.apea profits, for IL would have returned
10 them by greatly Increased purchases
by tho, farmers. The very fact that 1T is
sent away iynpoverisnps the farmer and
makes u impossible for him TO do any
firing. II We could sell our produce Of
good living cash prices, buy our groceries
would be In d condition TO pay up our
subscription 10 The Post-Inteiligencer and
be haIpy. Ii seems to me there would be
just about as much sense in people send
Ing TO British Columbia Cor coal and lum-
Der, because coolie Labor makes Ii posi-
ice 70 get These comm siities cheaper there
than at home. as there Is in sending
away for food products and allowing the
horne producer 20 suffer.
AS the press Is the public school teacher.
and tfse observation-disclosures has begun the
agitation OF this question. hope that in
course of time the people wiz come 10
know chat "All for each. and each for air.
Is a better motto than each for himself
and tho devfl take the hIndmost.
LAURA +. PETERS.