The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-03-08


larger crops the world over and high
er rates for money. II is generally
recognized that the growth OF agri-
culture, especially in the United
States. has not kept pace with the
growth Of population partly because
of the drift towards the great cities.
The result is that today our farmers
as a class are the most prosperous
people in the country; in fact, they
have had several years OF prosperity,
and the prospects are that this will
continue for some time to come. No
one begrudges our agricultural classes
their good fortune. for they have
been, and must continue TO be, the
backbone of the country. But this
prosperity has not been shared by
others; il has been chiefly class pros
per.ty, whereas true prosperity is that
which is shared by all classes in some
thing approaching equitable propar-
lions. Just now the farmers are thirty
ing upon the necessities OF helpless
public. which is passing through a
period OF more or less adversely and
depression. Upon the poor the high
prices Of food products today are an
exceeding hardship: and the contrast
between the average working man IN
our great cities and the average con-
dillon of the same class In agricult-
ural sections Is very striking. showing
difference that should not indefi-
nitely continue. The new school of
economists has been arguing that
prosperity consists in scarcity and
high prices. This fallacy, however
is being rapidly exploded. Managers
of some of our great trusts fell into
the error OF adopting these new doc
trlnes much to their present discom-
future. and apparently our farmers
have yet to learn the lesson that true
prosperity lies in abundance and not
In scarcity. The country as a whole
would be infinitely better of with big
crops at moderate prices than limited
crops at famine prices, such as are
being paid today for the essentials of
life. Therefore. one of the first ne
cesslties OF the day is big crops. Amer
lean farmers should do their share in
promoting the coun'ry's welfare by
providing a liberal increase in acre
age and securing a larger yield as far
as possible by improved methods Of
cultivation Possibly they would not
obtain so large a profit per bushel as
in the last harvest, but they and the
country as a whole. would prosper
more under big crops and reasonable
prices during 1909. Re-adjustment
II quite as imperative In the agri-
cultural word as In the Industrial.
The labor outlook is somewhat un-
settling. Reduction Of wages by the
I.ackawanna steel company has been
regarded as suggestive OF what must
be expected elsewhere. OF course,
nobody wishes to see the rewards of
labor curtailed: but II prices are to
come down because of lessened de-
mand, and cost OF production to de-
cline In consequence. II is difficult to
lsoo how labor Is to escape some share
lin the general re-adustment. As
prices fall the purchasing power of
wages will naturally increase. and
labor will consequently have compens
alton for the change. Such read
Iiustments, however. are always dis
turbing and provoke more or less
friction. The outlook at present
strongly suggests a big strike in the
local business. The men have made a
series of demands which are unrea-
sonabie and cannot command public
approval. They are controlled by new
LEADERS under the necessity of max
Ing good" while as a result OF sew
eral years good work and good pa,
they are able and inclined to tenn
porary rest from labor. The Goa
companies, on the other hand, arr