The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-12-21
TUESDAY. DnEmcBER a. 1909.
THE EVIL AND THE REMEDY.

statistics which 1--WE take to be re-
liable show that for the year ending
ON December /. the cost Of living In
the United states had increased eleven
per cent. This may wel be looked
on as an ominous and disturbing
thought. and one to engage the SER
sous attention OF the best intellects of
shs country. Eleven per cent increase
in one year is startling. and 1t may
wen be wondered IL that is all WIN
not the same causes that brought
about this increase tend to continue it
IN the future? And &c 30. how and
where Is 1t TO end7
ii may appear monotonous. and to
come 1t may even seem impertinent.
but we insist that the remedy for
this present and prospective serious
condition, so far as our own section
Of country Ia concerned. lies with the
farmers. There may possibly be trusts
and combinations working to keep up
prices. or it may be that the demand
for foodstuffs is growing faster than
the supply. In either case the remedy
Is the same and that remedy consists
sn raising more grain and meat at
home II there really exists some sort
of combination that is enrichtng itself
by preying on human necessities the
way to fight IT is to make food 30
plentiful that the trusts win be beat
en- at their own game, and their hin
ty-hearted specuiations win be a ios-'
ing performance foy themselves and
their promoters
And If the high cost Of living is
wholly ode to the ,snexorable law Of
supply and demand; ana If 1t is shown
10 be a fact that there is not enough
food produced TO supply the demand,
1t is perfectly natural and to be ex-
pected that prices viii go up and stay
up. but in either case the remedy is
the same and IT depends on the farm
ers. Every one who keeps even par
TALLY informed on passing events Is
reminded of instances where large
crops OF corn are raised on small
tracts of land. and OF men who raise
and fatten more meat than is needed
on their own farms and in their own
homes. and consequently they have
something to sell to those who have
not means to raise their own sup
plies.
Is 1t In any degree irrational to
argue that others can do what few
have done? The earth and the sea-
sons are as just and kindly to one
farmer as to another. and as gen
eral proposition what is done by One
can be done by others. We repeat
that 1t may be mOnotonous, and some
OF our agricultural readers may think
81 important for the newspapers to
tell them what they ought to do, but
we can't help that 1t is condition,
not theory. that we have to deal
with. and just as sure as an effect al
ways follows a cause, so sure will
there be. not merely hardships. but
actual suffering even in our favored
South II the farmers do not avert it
by THAR own forethought and efforts.
We are not INDUCING in speculation
or academic reasoning now, but speak
Of conditions that actually exist, of
dangers looming up ahead of us. and
of the only practicable relief and
remedy. It is difficult already for poor
people to supply food for their famil-
les. and the prospect for the future is
gloomy. unless the farmers come to
the rescue. In short. the raising Of
more supplies will not only be prof.
table but will be performing a phil
antbropic duty to humanity.