The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-30
F|NANC|ERS WOULD
HAVE LOW PRICES
They Say That Values Cannot
BE Fixed by Law, and Fear
Unwise Legislation.
SOLUTION is in HIGHER
YIELD FROM MORE LAND
May Aid the People to Get Back
to Agriculture and Away
From the Cities.
BY Leased Wire TO The Tribune.

BY Leased Wire to The Tribune.
NEW YORK, Jan. 2o-Big railroad
men, great captains of industry and
high government officials have joined
hands 10 go at the solution of the
high price problem in businessllke
way. Men like James j, Hill, j. p
Morgan, Benjamin Il. Yoakum, w. w
Finley and Andrew Carnegie have ia ken
I'D the subject and while there has
been no organization as yet, it is stated
as a fact that they have been in con
sultation not only among themselves,
but with President Taft and other high
officials, both state and national, as TO
what is best TO be done.
1t is the opinion OF men of affairs
that the whole trouble lies in the steady
drift of population to the cities and the
consequent cutting down of the re
lativc productivity of the farms. In
other words there is steady growth
in the consumptive demand without a
corresponding increase in the supply
OF the necessities of life.
These fnanciers and railroad men are
not taking mp this question in spirit
of pure philanthropy. They, realize
that the agitation is bad for business,
that it is bringing about an lntlamed
public opinion highly inimical TO big
business interests, which if not checked,
is almost certain to lead to what they
deem ill-adyised legislation which will
cripple Industries.
Believing as they do that natural
causes have brought about the increase
in prices, they are determined to use
their great power, not alone of money,
4 Ill 80 ! la
proper remedy and start the tide OF
population back to the country and to
increased production.
Back to the Farm.
AS James ]. Hill sums it up; "Sixty-
five per cent of our people are living
in the cities. In 1900 4 per cent were
in the cities and towns and in 1860 only
l6 per cent OF the entire population
were living in the urban communities.
Now the condition is reversed and only
35 per cent Of our people are tilling the
soil.
"You cannot fix the prices of
products by statute, If a farmer can
get 50 cents bushel for his corn he
isn't going TO feed il to the hogs and
have them die of the cholera. Conse-
quently the price of meat is going up
and the wage Garner will have to turn
10 breadstuffs for his food. This is
true throughout the world,
In Mr.. HIPS recent visits to Wash
ington he has talked over the situation
with President Taft and others. The
president is thoroughly with the move
ment and will aid it in every way
possible.
The governors of the agricultural
states, the states which need agricul-
tural population, will help and an active
campaign OF education is to be carried
on in New York. Chicago and other
great centers of population.
Plans have not been formulated as
yet. but it is understood the railroads
will offer inducements not only TO home
seekers, but to agricultural laborers and
jt may be that some special arrange
ments will be made TO assist in fnan.
cial way families who desire to leave
the cities and take up farming until
they can become established.
In this city today Benjamin F Yoa
kun. the multi-millionaire railroad
builder and partner of Edwin Hawley.
in the HawleyY Yoakum system, called
upon the people TO get back to the
farm.
What Yoakum Says.
Like that empire builder of the
northwest, James j. Hill, Mr.. Yoakum
thinks that the use and value Of the
farm is underestimated. Mr.. Yoakum
is somewhat of an empire builder him
self, Lines of his railroads have de-
veloped much territory in Texas. New
Mexico. Arizona. Tennessee, Georgia.