Arizona republican., 1908-06-27
A CONSUMERS PROTEST.

To the Editor of The Republican, Sir:
 have during some four years resi- dence in this city, read with much in terest, from time to time, the state nents as to profits made by vegetable. fImt ani feed groafrs Also, dri ing this period I have noted that the cost of living to the non-agriculturalist worker has increased about pro rata to the increase in profits to the | ''ranchers," while the wages paid to brain workers, skilled and other me- chanics and artisians remains station ary and Gf anything) rather under rates that paid in live places else- where in the United States.
 I have lived in most of the large and many of the smaller cities in Great continent, and I have yet to find any wherein it costs so much to keep good, palatable and tempting table. While Profitable Gardening" pays $9.60 an acre a month and other con- sumers pay 15c a pound for rusty stringbeans grown so large (to weigh heavy) that it takes five hours cook ing to make them taste good; and for cucumbers I pay c for two of medi- um size (weight now forgotten) and these, too, grown until fibrous and mostly seeds; so the amXimum of weight is paid for to the grower of the minimum of cucumber left to be eaten by the non-agricultural employe, or consumer.
 Then again. in order that "One po- tato patch makes good Gas many make good" no doubt) I pay soc for seventeen pounds, often reduced to about ten pounds when ready to cook. because they are covered with warts or rough growths, which have to be pared away. All this that a man Cor mem may clear their investment price for land, etc. and make too an enormous profit, all in two short years.
 Ethically, such profits as come from land here are not made. They can ac- crue only by the improverishment of another large class, already ground down close by the expense of their living when food stuffs are made to yield only a, fair interest but eventual ly driven away if things progress here in their present one-sided way.
 Of course if Phoenix and vicinity is to grow in symmetry, there must be all classes of workers Gas well as the tillers of the soiD and to such. also, there must be inducements. Brain workers, skilled laborers, in ali neces- sary mechanical and manual lines, are not going to settle permanently where their wage is only average and their expense eXorbitant, so exorbitant in fact that they must eliminate fruit and find on enquiry many have to do) else spend all they earn to merely exist. When these classes are driven to other fields what report favorable to Phoe- nix, will they, can they, carry? "Cli- matically excellent"-none better in winteri GA fair inferno in summer) This is not enough How about wage and cost of living? etc. What honest answer favorable to settling in Phoenix could be made by anyone except a 'rancher" or else a "lunger? The former has everything in his favor, the latter the winter (and for a few, even the summer) climate, for all the bal ance of life's workers it comes near being "starve you beggar.''- else go where men make less on the yield of their land and you get more for your I 
 I sign myself "A Consumer" but I'll : soon not be one on several lines if . prices continue to soar so high.
 A CONSUMER.