The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-02-21

uNlnS ana the consequent boycott III
stiuted against the use of meat.
Good will come from the discussion
much good. in my opinion, though
very likely not in the direction that
many expect.
That the price of meat as the
result of the agitation and boycott,
will for some time 6uctuate, today
downward, tomorrow upward. we
may readily admit. But that meat
will fall back permanently to the low
prices of former years | am not dis
posed to believe. My reasons fol
this assertion seem to be very plain
and convincing. The chief cause OF
this rise in price lies with the produ
cer-the farmer-and as my sym
pathy goes out to the farmer vep
warmly | am not over-sorry for the
conditions we are witnessing.
Heretofore cattle were raised by
the millions over vast and unoccu.
pied ranges of prairies, but the day
of these ranges has passed Cattle
must now be raised on the small
farm, seven or eight head by each
farmer The farmer formerly was
more easily satisfied with the results
of his toil-too easily in my opinion
as he did not receive his due reward,
/ Because of this comparatively unre
munerative task, the cry was more
or less away, from the land. Today
the farmer is more enlightened on
the general economic conditions OF
the country and he demands his own
| Raising cattle is no easy labor They
have to be housed in winter; food
has to be laid up in the autumn and
at least three years must elapse be.
fore a steer can be turned into the
market. A much smaller sum than
what he now receives for his product
would not be sufficient payment for
his patience and labor
THE salvation of America, social
and moral, political and economic Is
the farm. Where agriculture is not
priced, is neglected, the nation must
decay. The efforts of philanthropists
and well wishers of their fellow men
all tend toward encouraging agricul-
ture. The population of America has
been in every decade increasing by
leaps and bounds. There has been
no proportionate increase in the mum.
Der of farmers. Hundreds of thous-
ands eking out there a bare subsis
tence to their own great detriment
and to the yet greater detriment OF
their families, should be out upon the
land where comfort and peace await
them. But that all this comes tc
happen we must not begrudge the
farmer his due reward for his work
That meat is becoming dearer IL
America need not cause surprise. II
countries of Europe, England, Italy
Germany and France, meat is much
dearer today than it is in America
despite the high prices we are com
planning of. Up to recently in thos,
countries meat was twice as dear a!
it was on this side OF the Atlantic. II
my travels through these countries
would startle the people by tellinl
| them of the price of meat in Americ;
while they would relate to me tn,
prices they were compelled to pay
They would be all the more astonish
ed at those prices in this country
when they would recall the reward o
labor in America and the labol
among themselves.
Does the change going on with re
gard to the price of meat betoken al
economic disaster? | am not dispos
ed to make an assertion OF the kind
We eat too much meat in America
The laws of prudent hygiene teacl
us this lesson. The requirements o
health and strength would be bette
served were we to eat less meat anC
turn to articles of food much cheape
| and no less conducive-if not NOR,
! SOTO bodily and mental vigor.
Il quite agree with the statemen
lately made by ]. ]. Hill, that it Il
not so much question of the higl
price of living, as 1t is a question o
the price Of high living. When I
comes to the purchase of meat ever,
one wishes to be in the fashion an,
demands the choicest cuts. Thes
are far from being better and heal
thier food than others less costly bu
less fashionable. Certain house
wives whose deposits in the saving
bank are of the lightest kind IL dc
posits at all they have, would, whel
marketing be ashamed to call for an,
, kind Of meat that would not deman,
high price. Old settlers will tel
us that certain kinds OF meat former
ly used, and very much valued, ar
not even today sold by retailers be
cause there is no demand for them.
And then in the manner of liy
ing among rich and poor in America
there is dreadful waste and extrava
gance resulting from ignorance o