Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-07-29

Under stress Of extraordinary cir
cumstances the farmers (people) Of
certain country became very largely
indebted to the grain dealers Of the
world.
The indebtedness was of various
kinds and payable in different ways.
After a time, at the suggestion and for
the better security of the grain deal
ers, law was enacted making all OF
the debts payable in grain" at fixed
prices for each kind.
The term grain had previously been
legally defined to mean wheat and
corn, each of specified measure, weight
and quality.
The grain dealers were very intelli-
gent. They had great wealth and large
experience, hence they had great influ-
ence with those literary, legislative,
and other agencies which mould public
opinion and control legislation; they re-
allied their great power, and were will
ing to use it to procure the enactment
of laws which would inure to their
profit, and to influence the people to
acQuiesce in such laws and such con-
struction Of them in future as they
might ask.
They understood fully that the uni
versal law of supply and demand de-
termines the market value of all COM
modities, hence If they could largely
lessen the use and demand for one kind
Of grain, it would diminish its price
while the price of that which must
supply its place and use would be in
creased.
They therefore used their great in
nuence to procure the enactment in
many countries of a law that corn
should not be used as food for cattle,
hogs or horses. This, of course,
caused the use and demand for corn to
be much less, and that for wheat much
greater, for all were obliged to use
wheat only, where both corn and
wheat had been used before.
Thus, although the culture and pro-
duction of wheat largely increased as
compared with that Of corn, the price
of wheat went up while that Of corn
as measured in wheat went down, I'M
til the market price of corn as meas
ured in wheat was about half as much
as before their corn laws" were en-
acted, although a bushel of corn would
still pay for nearly as much property
other than wheat as it would before.
Meantime the grain dealers had
quietly but successfully used their in
fiuence to have men Of their own num-
Der or those who would favor paying
all debts in wheat placed in control
of the farmers business.
Many friends of the farmers main
tanned that it would be just and legal
to pay their debts in corn or wheat.
But the grain dealers and those whom
they had placed in control exclaim,
"Oh! no, not so, we allow, for We can
not deny, that payment in corn would
be legal, but it would not be near so
we'll for us as payment in wheat"
You farmers are too proud, too patri-
otto and too honest to wish to pay us
in anything but that which is best for
us. We trust that you can be made
to believe it would be almost like repu-
diation to pay us in corn. We know
you would scorn to even seem to repu-
date any part Of your debts. We hope
you will be willing to keep us and Our
friends in control Of your business 80
that we can be sure to get our pay
wholly in wheat. What ought the
farmers to do? What will they do?
Suppose it is suggested to the grain
dealers that the farmers are proud,
patriotic, and honest; that, being so,
they would scorn to repudiate any hon
est debt; that they wish to, and will,
pay their debts honestly and In full, but
! in order that they may be able to do SO
it may be we'll to allow them to place
disinterested men in control Of their
business, and If they shall decide to
pay debts partly in wheat and partly
in corn, the grain dealtss can save
themselves from loss on corn by re-
pealing the law discriminating against
corn. thus restoring 1t to its normal
value as compared with wheat. g.,
E. W. METCALF.
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