The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-01-02
TAKES EXCEPTIONS
TO STATEMENTS
MAYOR PRATT OF SPOKANE c.F-
FERS WITH JAMES J. HILL
ON LIVING QUESTION.

+ Spokane, Dec. 3I.--Nelson 3. Pratt.
mayor of Spokane. a successful farm
er and lumberman in the Mississippi
valley and the Pacific northwest, takes
/ exception to the sweeping statement
by James j. Hill that the present high
cost of living is chargeable to the ex-
i travagance. carclessness and lack of
thrift of the agricultural classes NJ the
country. saying.
Il am more than surprised that
man with the understanding and OBJ
servation OF Mr.. Hill should under
take to make such board charges in
view of the fact that the methods
Of a quarter or century ago are not
to be compared To the present sys-
TEN Of farming. There is nothing to
bear ont Mr.. Hills contentious.
AS result of recent visit IL
several of the largest districts In the
middle western and Pacific states.
am prepared Ia say there has never
been time when general farming
was conducted along more economical
lines than at present. In fact, the
methods OF today are marveis To those
who farmed in the sos Had we been
as skilled and thorough then as are
the farmers of today, we certainly
1T IL not overstatng the case
when ! say that the modern grower
conducts his farm along the same lines
that prevail in well-organized bust
ness establishment. and as q result he
is not only making a good living and
educating his children. but is also put
ting money into Improvements. as
well as into the bank.
1t is idle talk to charge the high
cost Of living to the farmer. as il
must he plain 10 anyone who has
studied the subject that at least three
causes contribute to increasing prices
of the necessities of life. The large
production of gold during the last few
years is an important factor. in that
1t has resulted i'm making money
cheap. and. To great extent, no
doubt. is responsible for Increases in
prices. Cheap money means high
prices.
Perhaps the greatest factor I'm the
high cost Of living IL the tariff, which
enables manufacturers to combine and
compel the consumers to nay enor-
nous and unreasonable prices. Such
farm products as beef and pork are
controlled entirely by the so-calied
Beef Trust while butter, eggs.
cheese and poultry are handled by cold
storage companies and Kindred COM
binations. and the prices of cereals are
fixed largely by the speculation boards
of trade
AS matter of fact. while in the
Mississippi valley u short time ago
l found that the prices of butter,
eggs, cheese and poultry are nearly "a
high there as they are on the Pacific
coast. where the demand nj present Is
far greater than the supply. I also
learned from reliable sources that
these products are almost entirely j
controlled by combinations and not
by the producers.
II hold no brief for the farmers of
the country. but from an experience
OF almost a lifetime as "A farmer. born +
and raised on a farm. l know that !
the system employed during my time
holds no comparison Ia the present
methods OF farming. Intensive agri- .
culture, with the use OF water sun
piled by artificial means. was then
largely an experiment. and sa-called
dry-farming, or more properly soil
and moisture conservation. was In its
INFANCY. These methods are successes
today. The agricultural factors i'm ad-
sancing the industry =
ehaiienge Mr.. Hin TO show any
PERIOD prior 10 1894, when there were
larger acre yields of grain. fruit.
grasses ana roots than at present, and
with this ! would also ask him To
point 10 any year when the farmers
were moro prosperous than they are
today. Extravaganza and lack NJ
thrift and progress and prosperity do
not go hand i'm hand md ,h., ,.o, !
alone answers Mr.. Hilrs statement"