The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-04-19
MORE ABOUT THE HIGH Co.'S OF LIVING

pul'lnS them mora cor 3letely in the
power OF the express com panies: and
III tue maj &C j2fstnao ut X IS the farm
: VINO IS the hardest hit. Offices are
multiplied IND 5nitely, All the army
OF o1hceholdero mas grown to enorm-
GUS proportions while the pressure to
come into possession of these sine
cures where the labors are light, the
hours snort and the pay large, is enor-
NOUS. IL business methods were APP
pied 10 each bureau in Washington,
the saving would, as Senator Aldrich
points out, be fully one-third, while if
me hard-pan economic methods which
the farmer is compelled to practice
III MS business We're Instituted in the
service, a saving of one
half would be effected; and this vast
sum applied to the building of good
roads and the development of our in
land waterways would work wonders
Tor the prosperity of the common
people.
economy as this, it is proposed to
build this year two $4,000 ton battle
ships at a cost of $11, 900, 900 each or
a total of $4,000, 900 for the pair,
While the OF the third
largest city OF the union ~languishes
because Congress will appropriate but
$500, OoO to the work OF dredging the
river channel sufficiently to permit
the safe passage Of ships TO and from
the wharVes Of that great and import
ant commercial city 1t has been esti-
mated by competent engineers that a
total expenditure of so, 900, 90 would
provide q safe and adequate draft for
all the ships desiring to trade with
TINS port. and yet this sum, aSgr2-
eating less than the cost Of q single
battleship. is refused for while there
is little for peaceful commerce there
w. No., 49,. f- -
OF war and the Instruments OF destruc-
ton.
1t was brought out recently in q dis
cussiOn in Congress that Il committee
has spent 100000 in the investiSa-
ton Of an important economic subject
without ever having made q report.
During a recent recess of Congress a
committee went to Europe to investi-
gate certain public works, and in a
debate concerning the report Of this
committed, charges Of the most eX-
t~ravagant expenditure, much of it for
personal Injuries, We're made and not
successfully c~ontradicted These are a
few of the many causes which have
combined to increase the cost of IV-
ing. and when they are all traced to
their beginnings it will be found in
every instance that the chief burden
is laid upon the farmer. who shares
49, 49, - ai> o''I' -Aio 49, ~
lowed higher prices.
To a greater extent thar ever be
fore the farmer is subject to n
tons which he did not create and
which he is ~owerless to control. The
Capitalization of business Of all kinds
in the hands of the few. and in popu-
louS centerS, has closed the little
shops and factories and destroyed
communal life in hundreds of thOuS-
ands of villages and small towns. The
local carriage shop, and wooden mill,
and tailoring establishment, and even
the village boarding school. have dis
appeared before the ctopus of cen
radiation. and with them have beer
swept away the sur and safe Local
markets of the farmer. Today, in
stead Of trading directly with the ulti-
mate consumers who are his neigh
bOrS. he must deal with commission
men in distant parts and pay tribute
not only to them, but to railroad anc
express companies as we'll. He is
forced to extend credit to strangers
and take a long chance of getting his
money. and he must submit to the de
StructiOn and loss Of his property Ell
route, with small hope of redress
from the transportation companies
In a word. the new conditions have
benefited him to a less extent thar
they have any other class.-Farn
Journal.