Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-03-27

Four anxious or self-evident PROPOSE
tons of political economy will bring
out clearly, some facts that we must
; not ignore in the solution Of such an
, important question; facts which will
prevent us from fixing arbitrarily, In.
ordinate or excessive prices: list, the
| true and final standard Of value is Ia
| Dor. I'd, the real value of anything is
| the labor it will command. Sd, Com
letition among laborers bring wages
! to minimum. The minimum of wages
is fixed by the Standard of Comfort.
| That is value is fixed by labor, it's
possible wages, up to a maximum pay
and the highest attainable standard
OF living.
With a rising standard Of comfort
on the farm, the wages of the farmer
must rise. Better times are within
reach because we are not willing to
put up any longer with the intolerable
conditions under which we actually
vegetate; nor longer compromise with
wrong and eniquity, surrendering our
unalienable rights, up to the very pur-
pose of our life, and be satisfied to be
! the mere slaves of our generation
Tillers of the soil no better than hew-
ers of wood or carriers of water, they
may say; we care not. The standard
Of living on the farm is too low; fur
Their 1t Is not commensurate with re-
suits. We desire to raise it. We de-
sire a larger share Of the wealth pro-
duced; prices, wages in accordance
with higher standard, standard as
high as our success does and will
permit. And this should not alarm
the masses, nor anybody else. Agri-
culture, including large percentage
of our population, low wages on the
farm always brought farm labor in
competition with the labor of other
occupations and lowered wages gen.
orally. Now the contrary will at once
take place. Fairer wages on the farm
would enable the now non-prosperous
laboring masses of the cities to COM
mand better wages. The start is on
the farm. OF the wealth produced
more would go to labor, now oppressed
and despised, farm labor and city
labor. 1t has been truly said: wages
like water tend to a level. The level
of the bays and harbor cannot be rails
ed, until the level of the ocean is
raised. Agricultural labor is the
ocean of labor; the bays and harbors
, are all other occupations Bring wag-
es up to maximum on the farm and
they will get to maximum in the
cities. That means prosperity the
world over.
The trouble is not high wages, nor
wages tending to rise; never has been,
never will be! It is the exploitation
of one man by another, of class by
another class; the exploitation of the
employee by his employer, of the pro-
Queer by the merchant-buyer of the
consumer by the wholesaler and re-
taller; and more terrible yet the ex-
ploitation of the public by the great
trusts of the day. Exploitation is
worldwide. The ignorant, the poor,
the unorganized are its special vic
tins. 1t is the scheme Of many in
all the walks of life, but more so of
those who are most successful with
it and stand at the head of the vari-
GUS capitalized schemes that lower
prices. and raise charges, to realize
princely profits that oftentimes sum up
into the millions.
Higher prices on ? the farm would
bring higher wages in the Cities 1t
would strengthen labor organizations
and enable the laborer to control the
more effectively his only possession,
the labor he has to sell and secure for
it a better reward. Higher prices
higher wages, more ADEQUATE re.
ward for the valuable services rem.
dered would put means into the, hands
of the people, resulting not in mere
accumulation of money, but in more
of the necessaries, conveniences, com.
forts and pleasures of life, more happi
ness in their hearts and homes. The
greater means would flow through the
ordinary channels of business and
prove a blessing also to the merchant
business men, doctors, lawyers, edu
Gators and other public servants. High
er prices is the great desideratum OF
the farmers and of the whole people
OF such importance is the farm prob
lem, that everybody is concerned and
should be interested in it's solution
as found here /. e., in higher prices
We are shouting Higher prices
Honest reward for honest toll. We
are up against the excusable squand
/ ering of the wealth we raise on the
AV<~ &<rr L.