Lewiston daily teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1901, 1900-10-19
What Is the Farmer to do?

pamphlets produced for use in the present
campaigu is entitled "The Farmer in
Politics and Prosperity" 1t is issued by
the republican national committee and
copies may be procured free from the
secretary of the republican league club
in Lewiston. Callers at the headquarters
in the Adams block will be cheerfully
furnished with copies and requests by
mail will be promptly attended to. The
collection Of pamphlets issued this year
by the republican party, which fully and
intelligently answer the democratic
argument is excellent. One entitled
paramount Issues" which have from
time to time been brought forward by the
democrats and one after another been
knocked out by actual experience is es.
pecially interesting.
But the pamphlet on THE Famer in
Politics and Prosperity" is one which
every farmer should read. A chapter OIL
banking where the new banking law is
so plainly set forth as being way where
by the man with small capital may en-
gage in the banking business is in
structive reading. The gist of the matter
seems to be that the man who is relieved
from undue severity in comp etition can
succeed in almost any kind of business
so long as there is a demand for his
product. But given demand which has
not increased in proportion to the in
crease in supply, and given competi-
ton with people with lower standard
of living, the result is bad. Our farmers
must get out and do more diversified
farming. A close attention to wheat
with neglect of other farm products
does not insure success, especially to a
man Of small means. In the TELLER of
June 22nd an article entitled "In Good
Fort une, bad Lesson" written by
Newton Hibbs, the we'll known versatile
and gifted leader writer Of Lewiston, con-
veyed the same idea. 1t was more pithily
expressed but lacked the statistics drawn
from government publications with
which the pamphlet mentioned abounls.
The republicans honestly say that they
do not have a universal panacea for all
the evils from which all the people in all
lines OF employment and occupation are
suffering. But the people are promised
under republican administration wise
and consistent government.
The democrats promise everything to
gain votes. They promise the wage
Garner that they will raise his wages.
Quien sabe? They promise the farmer
they will raise the price of wheat, know
ing they can not do SO in the face of the
competition he has to meet. Unless, of
course, they take up free silver, which
they say now is not an issue in this cam
paigu. How will they raise the price of
wheat? Quien sabe? By cutting the
value of the dollar in two and doubling
the number of dollars the price might be
raised OH paper. 1t is akin to the game
played by the bunco man, who adver-
tised for IS cents to show how to double
money easily. The anxious inquirer is
told take fresh greenback and fold it
in the middle once. He is assured that
he thus doubles his money and every
time that he looks at it he will see
1t increases before his eyes. But such
methods are ridiculous.
What the farmer is to do is to do what
many eastern farmers are doing. Study
carefully the market and subscribe to the
publications which the national govern
ment and various state government issue
SO plentifully. Attend to the farm as any
other business man attends to his bust
ness. Instead of organizing political
clubs to right his wrongs by legislation
let him organize cooperative institutions
to do away with the middleman and put
himself on good footing. If cattle sheep,
corn, hogs. barley or any other farm pro-
duct pay better than wheat and have
domestic market let him raise such things
instead of wheat, which has to compete
IN foreign markets with foreign raised
wheat produced under such conditions
the American can not tolerate. The
price of wheat can NOT be raised
by legislation. Neither can the price Of
silver. A law may be passed saying the
price is increased, but if there is not a
proper demand at that price, the result of
the legislation will be far reaching and
disastrous to other lines of business.
Is the class cry raised by the demo-
Gratis wise? We are all American citizens.
Many wealthy families of today came of
farmers, blacksmiths, machinists, butch