The Raymer enterprise., 1911-08-10
WHEN FARMERS LOSE MONEY
Overproduction Of Agricultural Prod
uets Cause Boom Of Business Sys-
tenn and Consequent Loss.

Certain men and magazines are con.
tinually advocating increased produc'
ton of agricultural products. II the
feeders of cattle, sheep or swine are
making money. or II wheat, corn or
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 over-production In
farm products and the farmer Is los
ing all the fruits of his labors. then
everything Is booming In business
way. While the farmers 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
rs the prices on farm products are
reduced, the manufacturer closes
down production and throws the Ia
borer out Of employment. Then In q
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 al
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 TALL Of the toilers' creatlon)
are working for dear life to collec,
their loans or increase their securi
ties to make them safe.
Someone cries out, What's the mat
ter?" Someone says, "PanIc!" Some
one cries, What caused IT." Some
one says, "Oyer.production" II
seems to me that crosseyed Egyp
tlan mummy could plainly see that
there is something wrong from the
farmers standpoint.
We see one large hardware store
doing an extra large business on q
reasonable profit We rent room
and enter into competition and divide
the business, and We are both doing
a large business on reasonable
profit Then enter two more men and
rent rooms and again divide up the
business, and when 1t is divided We
find tha. 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 20 into
the hardware business. for they see
the prosperity OF those that are In II
Now we have oyerdone Il. We must
make prices so high that the consum
or cannot reach them. We find tha,
something must be done We form q
trust We put all eight hardware
stores under one management We
issue bonds and stock four times or
more OF the value Of our old maohln
cry or shelfworn outofstylc goods
and we attempt TO pay dividends OF
interest on the bonds and stock When
We find that we cannot possibly sell
enough goods, at high enough prices ,o
pay the interest and dividends, we say
Let us natIonalizc our big business
Let the government supervise our
business by naming prices that we
shall pay for the raw material and Ia
Dor, also set the price at which VIC
shall sell. allowing a reasonable
profit on our capitalization. This will
make our securities as good as govern
ment bonds"
VII not b. soft snap? But
Who v'' 'n'Ce the farmers rea
sonp'