Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1911-08-10
WHEN FARMERS LOSE MONEY
oVerproduction Of Agricultural Prod
ucts Cause Boom Of Business sys-
tenn and Consequent Loss.

Certain men and magazines are con-
tinually advocating increased produc-
ton of agricultural products. If the
feeders Of cattle, sheep or swine r
making money, or If wheat, corn Oh
sugar beets is making money, those
facts are put before us In large type
and we are urged to get busy and
compete with our successful neigh
bors, writes ]. U, Shade Of Kansas, in
the Breeders Gazette. This would
divide up the business and produce
such large quantities that all of US
must lose money, except the men
who urged the matter. These would
make money on account Of increased
traffic.
When we have ove%r-production in
farm products and the farmer is los
ing all the fruits of his labors, then
everything is booming in a business
way. While the farm rs are losing
several billion dollars worth of labor,
the business system is making it.
When we have over-production in
manufactured products, instead of re-
ducing prices to enlarge consumption,
10 the prices on farm products are
reduced, the manufacturer closes
down production and throws the la
borer out Of employment. Then in a
short time, although there is plenty
of demand for farm products, there Is
no money to buy. There are hungry
people on the streets looking for
work and naked starving children at
home. The farmers remain at home
patching up their old clothing, trying
to make things last until the dark
clouds lift. The bankers, themort-
gage companies and the loaning in
stitutions (all of the toilers' creation)
are, working for dear life to collect
their loans or increase their securi-
ties to make them safe.
Someone cries out, Whats the mat
ter?" Someone says, PANEL" Some
10 cries, What caused IT," Some
1e says, "Over-production." It
ems to me that a crosseyed Egyp-
N mummy could plainly see that
re Is something wrong from the
rmer's standpoint.
We see n large hardware store
jHg an extra large business on a
wsAable profit. We rent a room
4eenter into competition and divide
~ business, and we are both doing
a large business on a reasonable
profit. Then enter two more men and
rent rooms and again divide up the
business, and when 1t is divided we
find that we must increase our profits
TO make a living. So VIC all get to-
cether, cooperate and fix prices and
make money. Then four more men
enter town, rent rooms and go into
the hardware business, for they see
the prosperity Of those that are In it
Now we have ~overdone 1t. We must
make prices so high that the consum
or cannot rea them. We find thai
something Lust be done. We form q
trust. We put all eight hardware
stores under n management. We
issue bonds and stock four times OF
more Of the value Of u old machin
cry or shelf-worn out-of-style goods
and we attempt to pay dividends Oh
interest on the bonds and stock Wher
we find that we cannot possibly sci
enough goods, at high enough prices t
pay the interest and dividends, we say
Let us nationalist our big business
Let the government supervise gu
business by naming prices that W.
shall pay for the raw material and la
Dor. also set the price at which WI
shall sell, allowing a reasonable
profit on our capitalization. This will
make u securities as good as govern
ment bonds"
viii that net be a soft snap? Blu
who will guarantee the farmers a rea
sonable profit