The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-06-21
I'M 1900 AND I'm 1896.
new the Farmer HAS Farea si=re the
BsstasIn9 of the Mckinley
AasaintaarattsH.


A republican organ declares that the
price OF farm machinery, etc, is thU
same as Ga 1890 Let ua see about this.
The fact Is that the manufacturer
have raised the price to the i0bbcr,
the jobber has raised the price to tho
retailer. and the retailer has raised
the price TO the consumer. This I'M
crease In price ls due 10 the increatsed
price Of raw material, which Ia moat'
ly iron and protected by the Infamous
tariff wnich permits the iron pro-
dueerA 10 rob the American people nj
their own sweet will. Retail prices
vary according 10 the willingness of
retailers to make little proiits or
their desire TO make large profits.
For that reason II Is impossible to
quote retail prices on farm macsin'
cry, bat IL is easy 10 get the whole
sale prices. In 1895 threeineh box
brake Weber wagon, standard goods
the world over, was sold to the retail
er at sas. To-day that same wagon
costs the retailer $50. an increase OF
10 % per crat. 10 the retailer. In
sestigatian viii diaeiose the fact that
because of lower discounts and short.
rr time thiE percentage Is increased
20 the consumer. The hnme fact will
hold good In further quotations OF
farm machinery. In 1895 Kingmnn
Silver buggy, standard goods the
world over. cost the jobber $50. To-
day he pays SIS, which increase Ia put
upon the retailer and by the retailer
put upon the consumer In 1895
STEAMBOAT euitiyator, standard piece
Of machinery, cost the jobber si2. To-
day Il costs him Si$.s0. an increase of
over 20 per cent. Win these republic
an organs AJAX us 10 believe that the
retailer absorbs this increase and con
tinues 20 sell the STEAMBOAT cultivstoT
at the same price he sold II for In
1876? In 1896 a disc harrow cost the
johber $40. The same harrow costs
the iobber to-day an increase Of over
Is per cent. OF course the johber
must add this 10 the price he charges
the retailer. and the retailer must add
II to the prices charged the farmer.
The cost of the iron I'm n common
buggy-the raw iroB--is S2.o5 more
than II was In 1896. The farmer pays
| from IS TO $50 per cent. more for every
thing he buys now than he paid in 1896,
/ for clothing, groceries, farm machin-
cry, farm supplies, for al the little lux
uries Of life and for all the great ncces'
sariea OF life. No republican organ
dare print in parallel columns the price
of al commodities In 1896 and IN 1900
To DO 40 would be t0 prove that the
farmer il getting the worst Of IL on oil
sides that while he 10 better OF to-
day than in 1896 he has not proiited in
proportion with the protected trust
bRrona.
Interest charges are lower now than
IN 1896. but IL the farmer better abls
TO pay the lower interest when the
price Of what he sells has increased 10
per cent. and the price Of what he buys
Increased from rs TO $50 per cent, ths
average increase being s2h per centf
with the increase woeiuliy on the side
Of the trusts and against the farmer
is he better able 10 pay the decreased
interest now thHu he was the larger in
terest In 1896?
The whole question resolves itEeli
thusly: Is II justice to the farmer when
the price Of his products increases "a
per cent and the prices Of all he must
buy increases IS per cert? Would the
farmer be better of II the price of
what he has 20 buy were only increased
the same per cent. rs the products he
has 20 sell? n the farmer IL better on
by renaon of an increase Of 10 per cent.
In the price Of his products, would he
not lte about six times better off II he
received the same increase M the tarlfi
barons receive through favored legisla.
tion and political ch,eanery? And Is
not the farmer es much entitled TO -
per cent. increase as the tariff baron2
The WoTld.Herald challenges the re-
publican organs 10 quote comparative
prices In 1896 and 1900 Of NIL prodact'
the farmer raises and all products the
farmer must buy.-0mahE Norld-Her'
aid