Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-02-09
THE MEAT BOYCOTT.
G. j. StenO, Well Known Farmer of
Prosper, Minn., Writes His
Views on the Beef Boycott
Agitation.

Editor Public Opinion
Since the agitation of the present
high cost of living began and the
resultant meat boycott, in which
many consumers seek to place the
blame on the shoulders of the farm
ers, / hope you will furnish space
and publish my ideas on this seri-
Gus subject.
The Meat Boycott" is a serious
subject and let us turn on all the
light, since light has been demanded
The producers and the consumers
are the parties concerned. AS it ap-
pears, consumers have demanded an
investigation in regard to present
prices of meats; as producers We in
vite investigation, not only in regard
to present prices, but let the investi-
CATION cover a period of years, or
even generations. Now, we want to
be fair in this matter and are will
ing to take the present attitude of
the consumer in a patient manner
and give him time for full consider
alton.
However, in the meantime, we
would like to suggest few things
for the consideration of the con-
sumner:
/. The producer is the American
farmer
2. Who is the American farmer?
The American farmer is the man
who has fought the hardest battle
of the human race: he has fought
from one genration to another, sacri-
ficing his whole strength, health,
and even life in the end, to have
the struggle continued by the brav-
est of his children. The preceding
generations have succeeded by de-
grees until at last he has been re-
cognized by those who have from
time to time sneered at the occupa-
ton.
The American farmer has worked
by the sweat of his brow, all these
years laboring twelve to sixteen
hours per day, taking his own judg
ment for the future supply and de-
mand of his products and has meek
ly abided by the market which is
governed by supply and demand.
Now the faint-hearted, cold
shouldered boys, who grew up on
the farm, and at or before the age
of manhood, decided that tilling the
soil was for the weak-minded.
Yes, the cold-shouldered joined
the union, demanded soc to 81 per
hour for his knowledge and got it.,
through the combined efforts of his
brotherhood. Later he demanded
eight hours as days work and got
it; quite a success, | should say.
What has the farmer brother
been doing? He has been working
ten to sixteen hours, sun-up and
shutdown, in the field, and feeding
and nursing the newborn calf, pig
or lamb by lantern light while the
educated brother took in the best
plays at the theatre, as well as other
luxurious amusements.
/ am one of the farmer brother.
and want to telel you from expert
ence that it takes the most coura
geous, bravest-hearted, self-sacri
ficing man to stay with the soil anG
today he is not to be dictated to
by his once wiser brother in any
terms of finance. We have won the
battle and have won it by a hard
fight, and your brotherhood cannot
put you right; it cannot govern sup
ply and demand.
A little more in regard to the
boycott of meats. We producers
consider it a very discourteous act;
however, the offenders will soon see
their mistake and let the market
take it's natural course. We invite
such decision and will forgive the
act. But, if the consumers wish
to pursue the course with it's merci
less effect, we farmers are ready fol
the battle. We were never better
prepared; we own the soil; we owr
your daily rations. Rich or poor
we have you at our mercy for the
first time in history. We can crush
your very life in sixty days. YOU
know it, if you are of sane mind
Understand, We are not of such
cruel mind unless unnecessarily pro
voked by the injustice now beine
imposed upon us. We can live in
dependent of your trade and labor
If necessary. Now, it is up to yor
as to whether we sever these mu.
tual benefits or not. You may say
the word and we will take action
accordingly.
The investigation will show we
have on the average produced both
beef and pork at an actual loss foi
several years, but we were stocked
up with the producing capacity OF
both beef and pork and could not
help ourselves, but in the meantime
We have lessened our producing ca
pacity through the actual necessity
OF preventing loss, until now con-
sumption has overtaken us. Since
this is the case our goods are at
par. at cost of production, except
in that of beef and we cannot pro-
duce beef at the present prices
without and we are compelled to
curtail production if the consumer
insists on maintaining his present
attitude. III you have bad occupa-
ton and can't compete with the
law of supply and demand, which is
the base OF our markets, you had
better change your occupation, rath-
er than boycott meat, unless you
choose to cheat your own vitality, to
the point of becoming an exclusive
vegetarian. If so we advise you
to go farther south, where the graz
Ing season will permit you to live