The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1910-09-07
THE FARMER AND his AL
LEGGED PROSPERITY.

When the people get sick of Re-
publican policies, corruption and mis-
rule. some smart Aleck blames it on
the farmers and insists that they
have prospered through Republican
| legislation, although they admit that
the tariff is not what it ought to be.
/ These smart Alexis insist that the
I farmer is getting more for his prod
ucts than ne ever did before. If
this is true, why are not all the farm
ers getting rich? Ask the average
farmer how he is getting along and
he will tell you that he is no better
of now than he was five or ten years
ago. Many complain of the worst
times they ever saw. True, local
conditions have much to do with this,
but the sentiment is general. What
is the cause? Why this conflict of
alleged conditions?
The answer is plain and is found
in the everyday affairs of life. While
the farmer may in some instances be
able to sell some of his products for
more than he formerly received, yet
he finds that when he goes to buy
many Of the necessities of life which
he does not produce. he is compelled
to pay an increased price which more
than makes up the difference in what
lie has to sell. He is brought face
to-face with the increased cost of liv-
ing in late years as a whole. The
dollar he receives for vegetables, ce-
reals or tobacco, for stock or other
farm products, will not buy the same
amount of hardware, furniture, dry
goods or farming implements that it
formerly did. While he may have
monopoly of farm products, yet he
finds himself in the grasp of the
big trust concerns which control ev-
cry species Of supplies which he is
compelled to buy in order to pro-
vide for his family and run his farm.
And he also finds that at last he is
getting the small end of the bargain.
How does it profit him to be able to
sell his products for more money and
yet be compelled to pay an eXorbitant
price for what he does not produce
I but which he is compelled to have?
Perhaps it does not occur to some
| farmers that while they are working
their lives out and drawing upon the
energies of the members of their
families almost to the point of slav-
cry, that they are continuing to vote
for a political party and a system OF
government that only perpetuates
their serfdom. Many farmers do
not appear to see that underneath
the rich bait Of alleged high prices
for farm products, there lies the
sharp hook of eXorbitant prices for
all that he has to buy which he does
not raise Political experts aad iTc.
glers of figures are trying to ca iole
him into tho belief that he is pros
porous and therefore should be con-
tented and happy, and yet he feels
and knows that there is something
wrong somewhere, for somehow at
the end of a yea he finds himself no
Letter f>ci financially than at &c
beEinGing.
The great majority of farmers,
however, are beginning to get an in
side view of how the thing is worked
They see that the trusts, the concerns
that combine and control everything
which he has to buy, are responsible
for his condition and for his failure
to make ends meet under alleged
prosperous circumstances. They are
seeing and they are going to vote ac-
cordingly.
As to which political party Is con-
trolled by the trusts and combines,
is too we'll known to need naming
here.
f0.. an n,,,,.