Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-01-21
OF SENATOR
lContinued from page 81

though YOU are Tot receiving any
more than you are entitled to, there
is a universal complaint all over the
country, and especially in these
great cities, of the excessive cost OF
meat and other food products. But
the fault is not in the price which
you receive. 1t IS in the inordinate
values that are added to your pro-
ducts after they leave your hands
Compare your work in producing
good four year old steer for the
market and the work which is plac'
ed upon him from the time he
leaves your hands until he Is being
served for food. You first, earn the
land on which he is to be pastured
and fed. You must then cultivate
the fields and raise hay and grain to
feed him. Then you ship him to
Chicago and you pay the freight.
You must build barns and stables
for his use, and you must then for
four long years minister to his
wants and his appetite. That is
your labor. What is the labor be-
slowed upon him afterwards? He is
slaughtered, dressed and in the cold
storage room in about thirty min
utes, then shipped to the. con-
sumer. -.
SIS for Four Years Work.
You may get SIS for your four
years of care. I have here bill of
fare in an ordinary Washington res
taurant, and the prices are very
much below those charged in some
of the hotels. From this bill ind
that sirloin steaks range from $1.15
to $500; tenderloin from $40 to
$500; porterhouse from 1915 to
$3.50 a service. 1 have no way of
telling just what that steer would
bring at these rates, but undoubtedly
several thousand dollars, sufficient
to pay half the value Of a farm. =.
My purpose in showing this dis
parity between the value placed
upon the farmers labor In produc-
ing an article and other labor in
preparing it for food, is to demon
strate, first, that we are not -receiv-
ing the just value of our products
measured by their added value after
other labor has been bestowed upon
them; second, that We could at least
double and in many instances treble
the price of these products without
injustice to the consumers II r,such
consumers were willing to live. just
as economically and with jHst as.
small profits and deny themseayes
comforts and, luxuries to thessame
extent that the farmers in this state
do, and I deny tina. they have any
right, God given or world created,
to have any more "!uxuries or pleas
ures than we have.
Feasibility of Organization.
Every industry in the United
States, outside Of agriculture. has
for year been organized for its pro
lection and Advancement, and the
agricultural industry has reached a
stage in its history where, u I
shall show you, like organization Is
necessary for its future
welfare.
:. And why should any one be pes
simistic about such organization? I
know We are scattered and have lit.
tie social communication with. our
neighbors each evening at the close
of work as do the laborers in the
city. And we thereby lose to some
extent that feeling of common inter-
est which association with others
tends to create. But this condition
is being gradually overcome. The
rural delivery with its daily mail
keeps us in touch at all times With
the outer world, and the telephone,
which should be in every farmers
home and would be- If he could If
ford it, should give to every man In
the county q speaking acquaintance
with every other, man and make
them all close neighbors.
: Numbers Not: Great.
: Our numbers are not 81 great. The
last census, in 1900, showed $751;:
372 owners Of farms in the Ugited
States" The same census showed
2s,75a,sse male laborers. Those Ia:
borers haye organized and thereby
shortened tie ihouk bt labor anu
vastlys'increased their COMPENSATION:
l will leave 1t to the farmers who
hire: some OF them :: .as TO, whethss!.
they. have added to their independ-
ence. If 23,000,000 of laborers with
an; ehdry 1atdera we're abte to with:
hold frsmsfhe market iwhat~1hey hsa