The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-04-29


land In the Southern States OF the
Mississippi valley, worth today about
$500. 900 600. which. when drained
would be worth at least $4,000. 100000
Farmers. and not military power
must restore our economic balance
The politicians pour out the govern
ments money to build fighting ma
chimes and starve the agriculturist. 4
forty-aere farm OF reclaimed vailed
land will comfortably support a family.
II costs $4,000 to make a twelye-inch
gun. The money that goes to pay for
this gun would recalim $500 acres Of
land and provide homes for 500 peo-
pie. When all the guns on all the bat
tleships are shot of once, the govern
ment blows of, In noise and smoke,
$3.50, 600. This would ceclaim more
than 10000 acres Of land and give
homes to 1850 people The money con
sumed In powder is lost to all future.
The farmers who buy the reclaimed
land must pay the government back in
ten years. so it does not cost the gov
enment anything to build up the coun-
try by helping the farmer. We should
make more homes and not so many
lighting machines.
II is not the amount OF vegetables.
dairy products and other foodstuffs
which farmer produces that fattens
his bank account; It is the prices he
can get for them and the waste he can
cut out between the farm and the
table.
Home building is the strongest in
stinct in the lives of right-minded men.
and, as 1t is the first duty of man
to provide a home for his family, so
it is patriotic duty of the United
States to make homes for its people
and their children. Thousands of our
people have been moving into Canada
during the past few years, taking up
land and making their homes there.
| Il is just as wrong for nation with
unused lands TO drive its own people
to other countries TO seek homes as
! il is for man with health and strength
to leave his family without shelter.
II is sad commentary on the work
of our government that. of the total
revenue for 1910, $7l out of each $l00
was used for military purposes, and
only Sl.S5 out of each 500 to aid in
the development Of our agriculture,
which is the foundation of our wealth;
and that for good roads, so important
to our farmers, only two cents out of
each $l00 of revenue was appropriated.
The farmer gets forty-six cents for
his products and the consumer pays
lSi for them. This is. not fair. By
Infringing the consumer closer the far
liner would get more and the consumer
pay less. With a $9,000,000,00 crop,
one-thlrd retained on farms, 1t is all
wrong for consumers to pay $l3000.-
900 900 for $4,000, 100000 of products.
The biggest trust is yet to come
the cooperative trust of producers
who raise and sell foodstuffs to the
American people Cooperation among
purchasers has worked wonders in
Great Britain, where 100000 people
are enjoying its benefits.
The increase in the cost of living of
1.-THE railroads the past fifteen years has
been exceptional, labor having advanc-
ed thirty-iive per cent, coal forty per
cent. rails and ties fifty per cent, taxes
eighty-fve per cent. while, as to in
come, they now receive about ninety
cents from the sale of a better class
OF goods. namely, better Transports
ltion, than that which brought them in
one dollar fifteen years ago. In other
words, when they try to use the dollar
of fifteen years. In other Words when
they try to use the dollar of fifteen
years since to buy the labor material
etc, today, they find that dollar shrunE
to ninety cents and that they must pay
about St.40 instead Of one dollar
This country needs what our fore
fathers used in laying its foundation
a lot of old-fashioned common sense.
Corporations should be so regulated
as to prevent discrimination or injus-
tice to the public. giving fair and equal
treatment to all, with favoritism to
none.
Good Judgment and fair dealing are
more general among farmers than
others. ana when they earnestly take
hold OF public questions they will oc-
cupy a place in our political structure
that viii make their good Judgment
and fair conclusions felt in solving the
relations of the government and its in-