The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-06-14
A Letter From a Roanoke Farmer.

erS' Association tnat we uO uOt 'lhu
apy kickers, and with the excep-
ton of one or two chrouic soreheads
everybody is happy" Now, being
one of said sOreheads it would not be
fair if our side of the question was
not known first Let me state the
history of certain one OF the parties
referred to in the article. The GER
tain soreheads I will refer 70 as No.
and No. 2. No. |, having been here
longest has had high as we'll as low
prices; but No. 2 came here five years
ago last December with capital Of
$240 all told, and borrowing $500
more was able to make payment of
81 900 down on $50 acres at $40 per,
The first wear he rented out same and
when fall came had to send north and
borrow 81, 800 owing to said crop be-
| ing on the bum.
Next spring said sorehead took
charge himself, buying everything on
time, or with borrowed capital, and
started in to paw for the farm, many
neighbors saying it could not be done
as tie place was Az per cent red at the
time.
Now, passing over the time to date,
after four wears of low prices, let us
see how said sorehead stands. First
after buving a new pumping engine OF
50 h. D., he has paid all outside debts,
engine, and payments on place: in all
over $4,000, also interest OF over
1000 year.
If we had more rice farmers that
would do as No. 2 did-get out and
see to work themselves, instead of
sitting around on dry goods boxes
expectorating tobacco juice across
the sidewalks, seeing how often they
can succeed without mourning liza.
bility of fine, tie rice country would
be in far better condition, and there
would not be SO many las they used
to say in schooD great big fellows
standing around bawling for butter.
milk" instead of being men and earn.
ing a living as the Lord Intended.
Said sorehead is not holding up for
any certain parties, mills, or associa.
ton but wishes TO note few things
about prices that have come under
his observation in past years and
present time:
He has seen oranges sold in the
groves at Is to sixty cents crate
according to grade. The same oranges
sold at retail from 30 to 80 cents a
dozen, and the same year only two
months later he was in central Oregon
200 miles from Portland sixty.fve
miles from rail transportation an6
had oranges shipped from Portland
at 81 rs to $500 a crate delivered
Will said correspondent tell why they
retailed at 80 to SOC and who made the
profit?
The same year another party haG
four pockets of rice which were taker
from here, and tried to sell to retail
ers In Roseberg, Oregon, at five cents
a pound. They laughed at him, say
ing That they could get it at -four
cents. Who made the profit wher
they were selling it at eight anG
twelve cents?
The next year apples from the Hood
River Valley sold ia Portland at So. OF
to $3.50 crate under the Association
and only the ones who had certain
grade were allowed to ship. The re.
tailers in Portland and other towns
sold the same apples at Is to so cents
dozen and some as high as five cents
piece, while said sorehead walked
three blocks and q half and Dough,
the same grade at $3.50 a crate. Who
made the profit, the producer or re.
taller?
Three years later a certain party
) who raised peaches and had beer
selling at 81 90 crate joined the AS
ISOLATION and sold his crop the fol.
) lowing summer through them, realiz.
ing less than 40 cents a crate. Did
they increase his profits?
: Then, coming back to rice again
. the retailers at home here sell al
:: - cents pound, and only q
: few days ago sorehed No. 2 received
price list from Kansas City quoting
. rice at from A. to 81 cents. Who il
making the profit on rice?
. For wears the Standard Oil co. has
. been called robber. The rice farm
er speaks OF the harvester trust in ne
. very complimentary terms. The mea
. Barons are thieves. The men tina
. use LIQUOR do not call the wbiske,