The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-04-06
FARMERS ARE PLUNDERlD
Republicans and Trusts Make "a
Effort TO Protect Themselves
Necessary.

which consumers can buy farm prl.
ucts Is the latest contribution To- u.
great combines and corporations Ill,
American Society OF Equity, an u.
ganisation with headquarters In IN
dianapolis. with a membership Il
claimed, OF 200, 900 farmers, has ga
upon its members and others int,.
ested TO refrain from selling th
products until the prices offered at-
up 10 the level that has been decia.
as equitable by the officers OF that
ganigation. No wheat Is TO be so
for less than one dollar a bushel. au
corn and other farm products In rfo
portion.
This effort OF the farmers to pr
tect themselves. so as 10 offset i.s
high prices OF what they have 20
from the tariff-protected trusts il
to be feared is hardly possible n
achievement. Unlike the producer
tariff-protected trust products. t
farmers have no monopoly TO supp
their demands. The trusts and CON
bines can raise the price OF their pr
ucts TO the point where foreign pr
ucts can come in AMI compete N
them. but the farmers must sell IL
wheat and corn al the price tho wora
markets offer. unless like the tru
they can restrict production 10 t
amount that the American people c
consume. To restrict the producUoa
OF wheat or corn would be hardly
sible II all the farmers were men
bers OF the Society OF Equity, and
the officials OF that organization att
fitted to lead such a movement. th
must know how impossible 1t is
restrict production TO the limit thai
would supply the people of the Unit
States and leave no surplus to 81
abroad
In 1904 the wheat crop here ws
short and we virtually had no SIT
plus and the price advanced beyor'
the relative price abroad The cror
OF 1905 was n bumper one. and
have large surplus to dispose Of. and
our only customers for this surpin
are 70 be found in foreign market
in competition with the other conntr
that raise a surplus. The price
wheat in our home market has ther
fore declined 10 a shipping basls-tla
Is the Liverpool price. less the cost 81
shipment This reduction In the pr
OF the wheat sold abroad affects tl
price OF the wheat sold here. hecauas
IL IS impossible 20 have two prices
wheat. one price for export and an
other price for home consumption
The tarlff-protected trusts have ;ts
great advantage OF being aole 70 s
at two prices. a high price al home
and a lesser price in foreign com
tries The tariff rates Of 80 10 III
per cent on trust productions prevent
the foreigners from sending theH
goods here and underselling the trus
prices. but the farmers have no sucl
protection because they raise so niue
more than can be consumed here tina
although there f. a tariff duty OF
cents bushel on wheat. II IS inoper
tive. for none is imported. and II am
one was foolish enough TO import for
eign wheat no one here would buy
IL at % cents a hushel premium Owe
the market price IL Is so With O.
farm products except TO limited ~
tent on sugar. rice and one kind q
tobacco known as Connecticut SCI
wrappers the quantity OF which 'hs
Is raised is very trihing
II the Society OF Equity would uf
the attention OF its members to tlt
protective tariff and show them how
the trusts are protected in plunder'r
the farmers and everyone else Who
buys their products, and advise then
TO vote only for those candidates ~
congress who are pledged 10 vote q
revise the tariff. they would save q
farmers considerable I'm the cost ~
living What the farmer needs IS the
free and untrammeled right to seq
in the dearest market and buy in The
cheapest
The fallacy Of the boosted prospect
~ OF the farmers under the present
protective system Is shown by this
futile effort OF the Society OF Equity
to be but the prating Of the Repuh
lican politicians to bolster mp The
political combination for mutual al
vantage. that exists between them
selves and tho trusts. The trusts AMI
combines protected hy the tariff haro
raised the price Of their products anc
pay the politicians a percentage FOR
campaign funds to keep up the cry
or protecting home industries and the
farmers are the principal contributor
to this fund that keeps them as the
serfs Of the trust barons.
There is no royal road to wealth
except through monopoly or special
privilege and the trusts and financial
supporters of the Republican party
have monopolized these 10 the exclN
sion OF the farmers and most othe
consumers.
IT Is declared by the health eX