The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-02-22
A FAMER's VIEW OF HIGH PRICES

The March American Magazine con-
tains a letter from a Western farmer
who has his own views about the ques-
ton of high prices" of meats and
food stuffs. Perhaps it is only fair to
hear what he has TO say on his side
of the argument. The following is his
letter in part:
Il can probably enlighten your con-
tributer. Miss Hewes. somewhat to
why foods are dear. Since 1866 / have
lived on one farm. saving four years
spent in the West ] have seen hogs
sold alive for two and a half cents
pound. 1 have sold fat steers for four
cents a pound. / have sold fat sheep
for four and a half cents a pound. /
have seen corn sell for sixteen cents a
bushel in Ohio, wheat for fifty cents a
bushel
These were the days Of cheap food
in America. Were they good days?
Were they days of healthful growth
and development? / say these were
the evil days. Then We're farmers dis
tressed to pay their laborers, forced to
toll without ever a rest. because they
could not afford to hire labor at all
Then farming did not pay. Then the
bright boys left the farm to seek en-
ployment in towns, to take advantage
Of that artificial condition, too cheap
food, wages artificially increased by
the protective tariff The cause Of too
cheap food stuffs was doubtless the
building of railways into the West.
the blowing of the prairies of Iowa
Nebraska, Kansas and other great
Western states. We produced too
much. Our consumers were too few
Thus bleeding Kansas thus decaying
farms. farmhouses implanted, mort
most everywhere that farming was
attempted.
Does any man say that this con-
dition was good for the nation?
Theodore Roosevelt's Country Life
Commission came full twenty years
too late. 1t came just as the country
was getting on it's feet. At last con-
sumption has overtaken production.
We exported little wheat this year. On
the farms this year corn has been
worth fifty to seventy-five cents per
bushel, wheat 81 to $3.50. fat cattle
five to eight cents per pound (the
cheaper ones nearly as nOurishing as
the dearer but having less of porter
house. 'sirloin.' or rib roast more of
boiling meat. hogs from six to eight
cents. and prices for most other things
about along the same scale, saving
that potatoes. apples, rice. and beans
have not materially changed in price
except that apples fluctuate. according
to the crop.
THE plain truth is, that, for many
years farmers produced nearly every
thing that they sold at loss. They
gave their own labor and superin-
tendence for nothing. and made their
farming come out even if they could ::
very often the balance was on the
wrong side. Now eaters are more.
prices have advanced and farmers
take courage. The result? We will
move some of the advantages into
the country Already thousands of
famers are building new homes. put
ting in them bath rooms. sleeping
porches. gas or electric lights. They
are planting lawns, mending high
ways. sending their boys to college
Civilization is coming to the country
Town people need not starve. nor ev-
en- suffer. If they will eat the right
things. 1t will be stronger. happier
nation with farmers prosperous. And
again. how we will welcome a lot Of
these 'shop-girls' if they will come to
the country to live! Well take them
into our homes feed them well. at our
own tables. and pay them we'll. too