The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-11-01
600 Bushels Of CGTn In 1894
and Only Il5 Bushels in
1912, Yet Wagon Had
Gene Up In Price.
FARMER CHANGES HIS MIND

Ing Prices Have Been Kinder to Him
Than Anybody EIse-Not So Anx.
ious For Change Now.
BY ELBERT HUBBARD.
Written for the American Economist.)
Perhaps you remember the time. 1t
was not so lenE ago. The papers
printed much about the farmers of the
west using their corn for fuel. They
burned it--burned their corn-for two
very good reasons. To begin with, 1t
was cheaper than coal; and to end
with, the price of corn was so low
that it didn't pay to haul it to market.
In 1894. and for two years thereaf-
ter, corn sold in Kansas for 10 cents
a bushel. In other words. a man had
to raise a bushel OF corn for the price
Of a shave. If a farmer wanted to
buy pound Of binder twine he had to
sell two bushels of corn to get it.
Today binder twine sells for about
7k cents a pound And what is the
price Of corn? Why. corn is 65 cents
a bushel
Well, back in 'e4 a farmer bought a
farm wagon of Hutchinson (Kansas)
dealer for $50. 1t was a good wagon,
and the farmer took care Of 1t. 1t
pays to treat a good thing well. This
makes it better and gives II longer life.
The other day the farmer came back
to this same Hutchinson dealer, and
said he wanted to buy another wagon
just like the one he got in '94.
ut was a good one" he said. That's
why want another one just like it,
How much are you going to charge
me for it?"
The dealer rubbed his chin, and
passed his fingers through his hair.
We'll, now, let me see. 1t seems to
me you paid $50 for that wagon, didn't
you?"
That's right" said the farmer;
$3.50"
"All right, that same kind of wag-
on-a little better, perhaps. for some
improvements have been added-that
wagon will cost you SIS" sx
What" exclaimed the farmer He
was surprised, and began to object,
and then wanted to know the why's
and the wherefores Of the rise in
prices.
well" said the dealer, "the ma.
terial, like lumber and iron and steel,
has gone up in price, wages have ad-
vanced-and it costs me more to buy
a wagon now. Maybe the tariff has
something to do with it, too"
At the mention Of the word tariff"
the farmer went straight up in the
air. He began to eIpound against the
theory OF the whole thing.
The dealer let him run along for
while and then asked again. Say,
when you bought that wagon from me
in '94, think you paid for It in corn,
didn't you?"
"Yes-sure I did" said the farmer;
but what's that sot to do with it?"
"And. let me see. Corn was 10 cents
a bushel, and you had to give me 600
bushels of corn for that wagon. didn't
your" asked the dealer again.
Eyes. guess did," answered the
farmer, after recalling in his own
mind that corn was selling at only 10
cents bushel In those days.
'T1l tell you what you do" said the
dealer; bring me in 600 bushels of
corn tomorrow. and I'll give you this
wagon"
well, say, hold on" began the
farmer. The dealer interrupted him in
turn. But that isn't ALL" he said. "In
addition to the wagon. I'll let you and
your wife go over to the warehouse
and pick out a carriage. Then you go
and help yourself to the best six-foot
binder in the shop. And"
Here, wait a minute" started the
farmer.
I'm not through yet" said the deal
er. when your wife comes in, I'll let
her 90 to the hardware department
and pick out one Of the best ranges
we've got. And. Just for good meas
ure, you tell your wife that she can
have enough kitchen utensils to re-
Furnish her kitchen. Now, I'll give you
that-and all OF that-for 600 bushels
RI corn. In "a the same amount of
corn got you just the wagon. That's a
fair proposition, isn't it?"
The farmer was stunned He hem
med and hawed. removed his hat, and
scratched his head.
'I'll just work this out in figures
and show you what you are getting"
continued the dealer. "Well put the
wagon down at SIS; the selfbinder at
1925, and that1l get you beauty; the
carriage at $125; the kitchen range al
$50, and that certainly ought to be
good one! and the kitchen utensils az
SIS. and that ought to buy few. Add
these together and you have $500. Fig
bushel and you have $780,"
The farmer dug up his SIS for the
wagon without saying another word
and motioned to the dealer to Join