The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-06-22
A BIG DIFFERENCE.
How the Farmer Has Fnred since the
beginning of the Mckinley
AdmtnistrattOn.


A republican organ declares that the
price of farm machinery, ETC., is the
same as in 1896. Let us see about this.
The tact is that the manufacturers
have raised the price TO the Jobber,
the iobber has raised the price to the
retailer, and the retailer has raised
the price to the consumer This i'm
crease in price is due to the increased
price of raw material. which is most
ly iron and protected by the infamous
tariff which permits the iron pro-
ducers TO rob the American people at
their own sweet will. Retail prices
vary according TO the willingness OF
retailers TO make little profits or
their desire to make large profits.
For that reason it is impossible TO
quote retail prices on farm machin-
ery. but it is easy to get the whole
sale prices. In 1896 a three-lnch box
brake Weber wagon, standard goods
the world over, was sold TO the retail
er at S4s. To-day that same wagon
costs the retailer $50, an increase OF
| l6 % per cent. to the retailer. In
vestigation will disclose the fact that
because OF lower discounts and short
err time this percentage is Increased
10 the consumer. The same fact Will
hold good in further quotations OF
farm machinery. In 1896 a Kingman
Silver buggy, standard goods the
world over. cost the jobber $52. To-
day he pays $55. which increase is put
upon the retailer and by the retailer
put upon the consumer. In 1896
STEAMBOAT cultivator, a standard piece
of machinery, cost the jobber $l2. To-
day il costs him $14.50, an increase OF
over 20 per cent. viii these republic
an organs ask us to believe that the
retailer absorbs this Increase and con-
tinues to sell the STEAMBOAT cultivator
at the same price he sold 1t for IN
1896? In 1896 a disc harrow cost the
iobber S23. The same harrow costs
the jobber to-day an increase OF over
IL per cent. OF course the jobber
must add this to the price he charges
the retailer and the retainer must add
il TO the prices charged the farmer.
The cost of the iron in common
buggy-the raw iron'-is S2.65 more
than il was in 1896. The farmer pays
from Is to $50 per cent. more Tor every
thing he buys now than he paid il. 1s96,
for clothing. groceries, farm machin-
, cry. farm supplies. for all the little lux
uries of life and for all the great ncces-
saries Of life No republican organ
dare print in parallel columnsthe price
Of all commodities in 1896 and in 1900.
To do so would be TO prove that the
farmer is getting the worst OF it ON all
sides-that while he is better OFT to-
day than in 1896 he has not profited in
. proportion with the protected trust
barons.
Interest charges are lower now than
in 1896. but is the farmer better able
; TO pay the lower interest when the
price of what he sells has increased Is
e per cent. and the price of what be buys
=, increased from IL to $50 per cent. the
- average increase being S21a per cent
- With the increase woefully on the side
. of the trusts and against the farmer
~ is he better able TO pay the decreased
~ interest now than he was the larger in
terest in 1896?
l. The whole question resolves itself
- thusly: Is il justice to the farmer when
the price Of his products increases Il
- per cent. and the prices Of all he must
'e buy increases So per cent? Would Tho
~ farmer be better off If the price o.
" what he has TO buy were only increased
= he same per cent. ms the products N
X has TO sell? If the farmer is better OF
ia by reason of an increase Of 10 per cent
81 in the price of his products. would n
TN not be about six times better of il h
r. received the same increase rs the tarii
DC barons receive through favored legisla
ton and political chicanery? And !
eo not the farmer as much entitled 10 ;
N per cent. increase as the tariff baron?
n The World-lIerald challenges the re
ce publican organs TO quote comparativ
ms prices in 1896 and 1900 Of all product
es- the farmer raises and all products tn
" farmer must buy.-Omaha World-hei
ne aid