Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-03-29


Their Products to the Consumer
Republicans Aid Combines to OPP
press the People.
A farmers trust to fix prices at which
consumers can buy farm products is
the latest contribution to the great
combines and corporations. The
American Society of Equity, an Or
ganization with headquarters in In
dianapolis, with a membership, it is
claimed, of 100000 farmers, has called
upon it's members and others interested
to refrain from selling their products
1ntil the prices offered are up to the
level that has been decided as equi-
table by the officers Of that %organiza-
ton. No wheat is to be sold for less
than q dollar a bushel and corn and
other farm products in proportion.
This effort of the farmers to protect
themselves so as to offset the high
prices Of what they have to buy from
the tariff protected trusts it is to be
feared is hardly possible of achieve
ment. Unlike the producers Of tariff
protected trusts products, the farmers
have no monopoly to support their de-
mands. The trusts and combines can
raise the price Of their products to
the point where foreign products can
come in and compete With them, but
the farmers must sell their wheat and
corn at the price the worlds markets
offer unless, like the trusts, they can
the American people can consume. To
restrict the production of wheat or
corn would be hardly possible if all
the farmers were members Of the So
ciety of Equity, and if the officials of
that organization are fitted to lead
such a movement they must know how
impossible it is to restrict production
to the limit that would supply the peo-
pie of the United States and leave no
surplus to sell abroad.
In 1904 the wheat crop here vas
short, and we virtually had no surplus,
and the price advanced beyond the rela.
tive price abroad. The crop of 1905
was a bumper one, and we have a large
surplus to dispose of, and our only
customers for this surplus are to be
found in foreign markets in competi-
ton with the other countries that raise
a surplus. The price Of wheat in oul
home market has therefore declined tc
a shipping basis-that is, the Liverpool
price less the cost Of shipment. This
reduction in the price of wheat sold
abroad affects the price of the wheat
sold here because it is impossible tc
have two prices of wheat, n price fol
EXPORT and another price for home con.
sumption.
The tariff protected trusts have the
great advantage of being able to sci
at two prices, a high price at home and
a lesser price in foreign countries. The
tariff rates Of 80 to IT'S per cent Oh
trust productions prevent the foreign
ers from sending their goods here anC
underselling the trust prices, but the
farmers have no such protection be
cause they raise so much more thar
can be consumed here that, although
there is a tariff duty of 25 cents
bushel on wheat, it is imperative, fol
none is imported, and if any II was
foolish enough to import foreign whea'
no one here would buy it at % cents
bushel premium over the market price
1t is so with all farm products eNcep1
to a limited extent on sugar, rice an(
one kind Of tobacco, known as Con
| ~necticut seed wrappers. the quantity O.
| which is raised being very trifling.
If the Society Of Equity would tur1
! the attention of its members to The
| protective tariff and show them how
| the trusts are protected in plunderln&
| the farmers and every one else Wht
| buys their products and advise them t
| vote only for those candidates for con
gress who are pledged to vote to revise
| the tariff, they would save the farmer;
| considerable in the cost Of living
What the farmer needs is the free an(
; untramme!ed right to sell in the dear
est market and buy in the cheapest.
The fallacy of the boosted prosperity
| Of the farmers under the present pro
tective system is shown by this fu
tile effort of the Society of Equity t.
be but the prating Of the Republican
| politicians to bolster up the politics
| combination for mutual advantage tina
| exists between themselves and TIL
trusts. The trusts and combines pro
tected by the tariff have raised tl'
price of their products and pay tn
politicians a percentage for campaign
funds to keep up the cry Of protectin:
home industries, and the farmers ar
the principal contributors to this funH
that keeps them as the serfs of tn
trust barons.
There is no royal road to wealth ex
cept through monopoly or special priv
lege. and the trusts and financial sup
porters of the Republican party haV
monopolized these to the exclusion Q
the farmers and most other consumers
A Fair Average.
Alderman Curley of Boston, know