Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-12-30
Says Legislative and Governmental Aid
Necessary in Providing Cold
Storage System.
EXPLAINS HIGH PRICES
DUE TO LACK OF FACILITIES
Declares They Are Not Due To Shortage
In Production and Thinks He
Has Remedy For 1t.
BY PETER RADFoRD.
Necturer National Farmers Union)
LIMITED pnrsa LEASED wInn1

UNITED PRESS LEASED wIRE.l
Fort Worth, Texas, Dec. 3O.-The
queen of the American barnyard has
had more revolts among her subjects
during the past few weeks than perhaps
at any time during her rule on the
western hemisphere, and lest the histor-
jan Of the nations poultry yard do her
an injustice in recording the insurrec-
tion, | want to make n few observations
in her behalf.
Consumer Not Whole Thing.
The consumer should not be taken
too seriously; he is always complaining.
Many times he has called King Cotton
n tyrant, has rebelled against the steer
and the hog, and in mutinous moods, he
has refused to eat bread, but his sedi.
tons do not last long Responding to
the wall Of the consumer, the Federal
department of Justice investigated the
hen as unceremoniously as though she
were Wall street millionaire; the
housewife has Failed at her, passed reso-
mtions questioning her business integ.
rity, and the press has carried sensa-
tional stories accusing her majesty of
disloyalty to her subjects, until the
friends Of the hen have cried out "God
Save the Queen"
| When the consumer raises howl, the
entire machinery of government is set
in motion and the power of the press
rushes to the rescue. The consumer is
n great talker, but he is not the whole
thing, and what he has to say should be
taken with a grain Of salt
Whose OK Is aored2
If patriotism and Justice were the
motives that actuated the investigations
and resolutions which the hen has been
subjected to on account Of the high
price of eggs why is it the low price
Of eggs has never received the attention
of these public spirited citi2ensl should
not the farm housewife feel as deeply
outraged when she is compelled to sell
eggs at low price rs the city house
wife when she is compelled to pay n
high pricel Is it not question Of
whose OK is goredl
II would be interesting to know when
aud where the hen entered in an agree
mcnt with the consumer to furnish eggs
on demand at prices fixed by the city
housewife Can anyone produce the
documcntl Why should she be arrain.
gcd before the highest tribunal in the
land and Inundated by inquisitoriOl pro-
cocdings and her conduct subjected to
review by mere consumers whose knowl.
edge Of the poultry business has been
acquired at the breakfast tablet
During all this furorc the hen has
stood upon her constitutional rights,
cackling merrily as she laid fifty mil.
lion eggs per day and producing wealth
approximatcng more than half billion
dollars per annum in the United States
is equal to the annual gold production
OF the world, The yearly egg produc-
ton alone is double the value Of the
annual petroleum supply Of the nation
and is equal to the value Of the iron ore
production Of tho United States,
Hon Not At Fault
There arc many causes which have
contributed towards sending the cyclone
Of high prices raging through the mar
kct places, hut in my opinion they arJ
largely artificial and am sure did moi
originate in the poultry yard,
Tho pure food law has forced lorg'
quantities Of ancient stock, usual,
available In emergencies, to be dumped
The Italian hand OF the spoculotor east
Its shadow over the wreokore and on
iaulty system Of distribution has snap
acd In It's weak places. All these fore
"a of trade have combined TO brn
about riot in the market places hu
, ho hen has eutercd no consWwc
, ,rainst tho consumer As n rule sh
has been doing her duty Perhaps sh
. may have hcsi,ated TO perform the fu
+, service allotted her by civilization,
: ye an sometimes do, but she has bee
+. on the job all the time and no cou