Evening journal., 1910-01-31
MONDAY, JAN. 81 1910
FARMER AND HIGH PRICES.

a LTHOUGH there has been much talk
4 n about the farmer in relation to high prices
we do not surmse that the farmer is worrying at
all. Probably he thinks that for a long time the
prices of his own products were low and that
he was forced to pay the high prices asked by
the trusts for the things he bought. Perhaps
he believes that turn about Is fair play, but 1t
comes mighty hard on the consumers in cities
who had no share in the profits obtained by the
conIines that forced up the prices of materials
Which the farmers purchased.
Senator McCumber who represents the great
State OF North Dakota, state that is largely
devoted to agriculture, has come TO the help OF
the farmer if he needed help, and defends him
from the charge that he is responsible for high
prices.
The Senator says the farmer is not to blame
because il can be shown that the values attach
ed to food stuffs at the retail markets are far
out Of proportion TO the returns which the sales
OF raw materials netted the farmer, the original
producer, in this instance
Not only that but he thinks the farmers should
combine for protection, possibly with the idea
of getting still higher prices for what they pro-
As explaining the position of the farmer in
the matter, Mr. McCumber considers the price
of wheat and the price the ultimate consumer
pays for wheat after 1t reaches his table in the
form of bread.
He takes the extreme case of a man in res
taurant paying ten cents for an order of bread,
a high figure At that rate the restaurant keep
cr would receive fifty cents for loaf of bread.
One bushel of wheat, selling in North Dakota,
the Senator says, at 90 cents, would make
seventy-hve loaves OF bread, and the consumer
at the restaurant paying ten cents an order
would thus be paying $3.50 for bushel of
wheat.
OF course this is an extreme case, as many
restaurants charge FIVE cents for an order and
persons who buy bread by the loaf get it much
cheaper, while if they made bread at home it
would be still cheaper. The Senator however
is showing the disproportion in the prices and
making all allowances it is still an Hndoubted
fact that there is vast margin between the first
cost and that which the consumer pays. But
so it is with everything else in the way of raw
materials. Mr.. McCumber also points out that
the price of the farmers land has increased,
wages are higher everything that he buys is
higher and the advance in the price of wheat has
not been out of proportion to the increased cost
of production of wheat.
The Senator's remarks raise the entire ques-
ton of producer and consumer and recall that
one of our Wilmington grocers in discussing the
matter declared that prices will not be lower
until there are more producers. Ii is true that
there are vast number Of people, middlemen,
handlers OF products, who come between pro-
ducer and consumer, but that is business life
cannot be changed.
The point that may be considered is whether
or not there IS not a disproportonate number
of handlers of commodities as compared with
the real producers, whether there are not toe
many people who are not real producers 81
wealth but who live off the wealth produced bS
others. If true prices of commodities produced
bv labor must necessarily be high.