The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-05

lslaBd. n1ck from the shofe, as TER
tiiizer. When they had 5000 loads of
seaweed they got 10000 bushels Of
wheat. 2 bushels per load but II, the
amount Of seaweed on the shore and
they got ie,ooe loads Of sea@eed, they
got perhaps ! IL or l bushef OF
wheat per load. and if another year
the r7IrF1 found fishing profitable and
neglected the gathering of seaweed.
and had only 2,500 loads. they got
: ia or bushels per load. and thus
the price, on that island. was rega-
lated by the relation OF supply and
demand. We ought not to condemn
the trusts In wholesale way. They
are partly responsible for present con-
ditions. but We must also consider
this important fart, tE1e relative de-
crease of supply.
The wheat Yield on continents of
Europe and Australia Is increasing IN
supply faster than the population. In
the United States in the last IS years
the yield of wheat has increased so
per cent, while the population has in
creased IS per cent. Are YOU fanlI-
lar with the MaIthusian theory? Mall
thus, an old preacher and philosopher.
demonstrated to his eva satisfaction
and to the alarm or amusement OF
others. that the population OF the
earth would increase faster than the
products OF the soil. He raised that
question that could not be answered.
What will you do when there are
more people than there is sabsis-
tenee p Take the yield OF cotton.
and see how the price Is determined
largely BY the supply, despite the
widest speculation. Last year four
teen million bales Of cotton sold as
low as s IL cents, and this year a
crop of io.sS9, ooe bales has sold as
high as le LIZ cents. Take meat. /
am informed that there were four
million less cattle in the United States
In 1903 than In 1905, and that one
million We're condemned as tubercu-
lar. Now, there Ia your decrease in
supply. In addition the high price
fatten cattle. Farmers ind II more
profitable 10 sell their corn than to
raise cattle and feed 1t to them.
Furthermore, the breaking up III
the great ranches In the West have
decreased the supply of cattle and
increased the demand by the settlers
who take up the land. Time was
when all the way from Topeka. Kan
sas, 70 the Pacific Ocean, and from
Canada to Mexico the prairies were
covered with large herds that fed on
free grass or graxed on cheap land
have been on q ranch In Texas with
an unbroken fence OF 100 miles and
with 10000 head OF cattle upon II.
That time has passed. The ranches
are disappearing: settlers are coming
in: and you could scarcely find To-
600 cattle on any ranch to-day.
Another cause OF high prices Ia the
greed Of gain. An editor in Staun-
ton has figured that a beef that costs
SS6. 90 In Staunton retails for $122.6e.
Counting all losses, there Ia profit
of $500 for butchering and for hand
Inns.
Some Of the great corporations are
80 covetous Of large dividends, and
they calculate dividends on watered
stock. that they. put prices up and
the people have to pay. would de-
spise myself u ! were = demagoKue,
but know that the Bible IL true
when 1t says the rich ought 70 share
his profits with the poor. He should
leave .Cine OF his wheat for hts la
borer, some OF the olives for the EN-
ployees. and some OF the grapes for
the stranger, for the fafherlens and
Tor the widow. The laborer \ wor-
thy or his hire, In addition to the
food that the OK eats In the stall.
the old Law forbade the owner 10
grain. The principle II that laborers
should have not only necessary SUP
port for life, but q share In the adj
yantaxes Of their labor, and hope
that time will come when. instead of
being greedy OF gain, We will want
everybody TO have q reasonabie prefit
and fair living. and the employer
wtli be willing to share his profits
With the employee IL = pieAsAnt
| t. note those employers who divide
their profits with the employees
Consciousness or High Prices.
First. embarrassment to those who
live on moderate incomes from iri-
vestments. They do not have a.
much money Al formerly, and the
money which they have. does not buy
Nc much ~ II IA Tasey do mot have
~ mach money because. ~ stocks
and bonds 20 up, interest goes down
pFoportionAtely. Then dollar will
not purchase - much ~ II would
q ssesn1. sssdsnips ppen thos. Nv
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