The Mena weekly star., 1910-01-13
Back to the Farm.
To the Ed. tor of The Star.

D .af Sii:-When your printer made mistake Tn my last com muuic .tion by quoting the top price of live hogs at $8 80 instead of $8. 50, he dii not miss tue mark
 very much, for at Louisville thu
 packers paid $S.75 per 100 las
 weeK, and in this connection 1t is interesting to note the general in- crease of all food stuffs at the cose of 1909 over the records of many previous years. Take the Chicago market for December 31, 1907, for instance, and we find wheat closed at 98A cents; corn, 553s; cattle, 3z; hogs. AZ; sheep, 21z; four, fancy patent, S5.70 and $5 25 per barrel; meal. $500 per barrel; hams, sugar cured, l3H cents, and breakfast bacon, 16 cents. On December g, 1909. the Chicago market closed as follows: Wheat, S1.l8; corn, b2ss; cattle, 5 to 3 cents; hogs, xS.55 and $S.70 per 100; sheep, S4 % nd 5.75; flour, fancy paten $7.00 and S7 60; meal, $3. 20 aud $3.25; hams, F aud l85 ceuts; bacon, 20 and P cents. The increase in the prices of but ter, eggs. vegetables, fruit, etc., has been in about the same pro- portion, aud all these figures show a decided increase ia the cost of living. IL is our duty, therefore, to inquire into the cause for this advance in the prices of commodities and to dis cover, if we can, and apply some remedy for it. Various theories have been advanced, but in my opinion the most plausible one is that the farmers of the United States are not producing enough of the necessaries of life and, as a contributary cause, 1t is esti- mated by good authority that the census of 1910 will show that about 65 per cent of our popula- ton live in towns, villages and cities, or, iD other words, that about 65 per cent of the popula- tion of the United States are con- sumers. Add to this large per centage the number of farmers and mechanics throughout the country who do not produce enough meat and bread stuffs for their own use aud, l honestly be- lieve, the number of consumer oi consumers will run to 75 per cent. As another evidence that the farmers of the United States are not producing enough of the com. modities Is the fact that our for cign commerce tor 1909 showed great increase of importation and a greater decrease of exportation than has been recorded for a per- iod of ten years. Whenever a na- tion begins to buy commodities from other nations, it will become impoverished just like the farmer who buys his meat and bread siuffs at the corner grocery.
 No, am not au alarmist, and if l had a drop of pessimistic blood in my veins would take razor and let it out; but, as said in the beei.oingo of these articles, I ar very serious American cit- izen, striving in my humble way to point out to my neighbors and fellow citizens the unfavorahle conditions toward which we are drifting, and yet do not claim to fully understand the puzzling proposition. While it is a fact that the cost of living is higher than 1t has been since the close oi the civil war, that over 65 per ceut of our population belong to the consumers class, that our im- port trade is increasing and ex
 port trade decreasing. advance fl sures from the Agricultural De- partu ent at Washington for the new census show that the value of American farms, implements, stock, etc., amount to the amaz- ing total of $30,000, GOO. 900, an increase in ten years ot A per cent, record that has never been equaled by any country in the hls- tory of the world. So here we are and there you are, and what are we all going to do about it?
 In mylopinion we must get back to the farm, and those ot us who are already there must buckle up our loins, bow up our backs and raise something that will buy some of the good coin that the hungry consumers are scattering about the country.
 Never mind worrying obout the value of currency, the .'per capi- ter", the rubber tariff or any oth CT political buncombe. Let us all start the new year by resolv- tug to do deeper blowing, plant ing more of everything that will make food or feed and cultivat- ing it all better than ever before by not spending an hour loafing A..~.-~ -As.~x