Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-22
1910 AND 1894 COMPARED.

CONGRESSMAN Ed Mad1SOn LellS d
story In his campaign speeches tnat
ought to make even the old goddess
of prosperity smile. He recounts the
fact that back in 1894 and for two
years after, corn sold in Kansas for 10
cents a bushel. In other words, man
had to raise bushel OF corn for the
price of shave. Today corn Is selling
at 70 cents bushel.
Back in 1894 farmer bought farm
wagon in Hutchinson for $50. 1t was
good farm vehicle, and the farmer
was of the kind who took care Of his
property. The other day he came
back to the same Hutchinson dealer
and said he wanted to buy another
wagon lust like the one he got In 1894.
at was good one" he said. That's
the reason want another How much
are you going to charge me?'
The dealer reflected moment and
then asked: 81 think you paid $50 for
that wagon, didn't you?"
"That's right" said the farmer.
"It will cost you $40 now" said the
dealer.
Distinctly surprised, the farmer be-
gan to object and then demanded the
reason.
"Well," said the dealer, "the ma
terial like lumber and iron and steel,
has advanced in price and it costs me
more now to buy them. The tariff
probably has something to do with 1t,
too.'
At the mention of the word tariff"
the farmer went straight up IN the ali.
He began to expound against the
theory Of the whole thing.
The dealer let him run along while
and then asked again: Say, when
you bought that wagon from me IN
1894, l think you paid for it in corn, II
l remember rightly, didn't you?"
! II did," said the farmer, but what
| has that to do with IT."
"You had to give me 600 bushels OF
corn for that wagon, didn't you?"
asked the dealer again.
II did" said the farmer, after re-
calling in his own mind that corn was
only selling at 10 cents a bushel IN
those days.
Tell you what you do" said the
dealer, "you bring me in 900 bushels
of corn tomorrow, and I'll give you
this wagon "
well, say, hold on -" began the
farmer
The dealer interrupted him in turn.
But that isn't all" he said. In addi-
ton to the wagon I'll let you and your
wife go over in the warehouse and
pick out surrey. Then you go and
pick out the best self-binder in the
shop. And
Here, wait a minute " started
| the farmer.
'I'm not through yet" said the
dealer. when your wife comes in I'll
| let her go into the hardware depart
| ment and pick out the best range we
have And just for good measure, sup
pose you tell your wife that she can
also pick out enough kitchen utensils
to entirely refurnish your kitchen.
Now, I'll just give you that-all OF
| that for 600 bushels of corn. In 1894
the same amount of corn got you just
the wagon. That's a fair proposition,
isn't it,"
The farmer was stunned.
"I'll just work this out in figures and
show you what you are getting" con-
tinued the dealer. well put the
wagon down at $40; the self-binder at
$125, and that'll get you beauty; the
surrey at SIPS; the kitchen range at
$50, and that certainly ought to be a
peach; and the kitchen utensils at $40,
and that ought to buy few Add that
together and you have 1920. Multiply
600 bushels Of corn at 70 cents a
bushel and you have 1920"
The farmer dug up his $40 for the
wagon without saying another word
and motioned to the dealer to join him
at the cigar stand for q "smoke."