The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-03-22
HURTS THE FARMER
UBIQUITOUS WORKING or THE
TARIFF LAW.
Organization Among AgrieultuFIsts OF
Little Avail While Protected
Trusts Retain Their
Privileges.

ana southwestern states have for the
past two or three years been organic
ing with the object OF Increasing the
price of their products by fixing the
minimum price for which the produc-
ers shall sell There are two organ
cations. one the Society OF Equity,
and tho other known as Farmers
Unions but both appear 10 have the
same end IN view As nearly every
trade and profession is organized for
the purpose OF increasing profits or
fees or wages. ii would seem but a
matter OF self-defense for the farmers
10 do likewise Il is not az all certain.
however that this combination Of
farmers can succeed in their object
except in part. for the price OF all
farm products OF which a surplus is
raised more than can be consumed
In the United States. must be export
ed and there sold in competition with
the surplus crops OF other countries.
The great law Of supply and demand
in fixing the price OF the surplus Is
certain in a great measure 10 contrcl
the home price As an example, the
price of wheat In Chicago. ST. Louis.
Duluth or New York is the same price
as Liverpool. London or the continen-
tai wheat markets. less the freight
and charges from our markets TO the
foreign ones. The Society OF Equity
has already discovered this for the
price of one dollar a bushel for wheat
al Chicago. which its officials declared
last fall was 10 be the minimum price
for which the members should sell.
has never reached that figure and is
now but IS cents. The reason for this
low price Of wheat is a very simple
one There is a large surplus here.
the crop Of 1906 being a bumper one.
rhich is trying 10 find market in such
countries as Great Britain. and the
surplus from India. Argentina and
elsewhere is seeking the same mar
kets and very naturally the English
buyers or other buyers TX the price
they will pay
II all our wheat farmers were mem
bers of the Society OF Equity and re-
fused 20 market their wheat until the
price was one dollar bushel, 1t might
and probably would compel our con-
sumers to pay that price. but the
wheat growers OF the west. with their
present limited storage on the farms
could not retain the wheat. The mo-
mont a bushel OF wheat leaves the
farmers hands. although he may not
sell IL but only store IL in an elevator,
it at once becomes available for the
western mills. or may be shipped to
New York and even exported II the
farmers owned all the elevators they
might prevent the wheat stored there
from being shipped. but that would
require enormous capital for the farm
ers TO own and build all tho elevators.
But eventually the stored wheat would
have 10 be sold either 10 the mills
or for export and although il the
wheat was held back in the elevators
the home demand would force up the
price. the surplus must still seek a
foreign market and the price there
would be less than the price in the
United States But while the farm
ers were holding back their wheat
from market. the mill owners would
be using their influence with the ad-
ministration TO allow Canadian wheat
to be imported in bond. made into
-four in bond and the -four exported
without the payment Of the duty Of
25 cents a bushel That was actually
done in the spring OF 1905 when the
supply OF wheat in the western states
ran short IN consequences of the short
crop OF 1901. There We're POS S24 bar
rels OF flour so exported and the draw
back paid amounted TO S1SS.173. The
tariff law. IL is thus evident. is ad-
mnistered BY our Republican high
tariff friends for the benefit of the
wheat manufactures. and the farmer
IS left in the lurch when the pinch
comes Yet If that Canadian wheat
had not been imported in bond. ii is
not likely that the price of wheat and
-four would have been much If any
increased for there was enough wheat
and -four TO supply the home demand
and the average price as reported by
the agricultural department was s24
cents a bushel. the highest since 1883.
For il is a law Of trade that when the
price OF even necessities goes beyond
the ability Of the consumer TO pay.
consumption decreases and thus keeps
the price within a reasonable limit.
When Il comes to making consum-
ers pay the price fixed by the Society
OF Equity on other farm products.
such as corn. oats and cotton. similar
obstacles will prevail. for We always
have surplus Of those products to
sell and the price is fixed by the law
of supply and demand in the countries
to which the surplus is exported.
There is. perhaps. an exception with
regard TO cotton, for It is possible for
cotton growers 10 sold back their
crop. or part OF it. from the market
until the price suits them. For cot
ton can be stored cheaply and with
but little deterioration. for some time.
But We have a virtual monopoly on
cotton and II is not protected by the
tariff. but wheat and corn and oats
are vet even III partial failure OF our