The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-10-06
LAYS LIVING COST.
TO MARKETING
Expert BIames Lost Motion For
Much Of Burden
WOULD CUT uUT MIOOLEMAh
Says Small Farmers Must Raise Beet
Cattle and Quotes Government Stat.
istics.

istics.
Washington, Oct 1--WE are pro-
ducing many things to eat and wear
in this country, but there is lots OF
lost motion somewhere, which makes
the cost to the consumer too high and
the loss to the producer too great,
said Dr. Beverly T. Galloway, assist
ant secretary OF agriculture.
1.-THE farmer gets one-third of what
the ultimate consumer pays for his
products. We may never have low
prices in this country, as we are a
high priced people, but the tiller of the
soil and the man who consumes his
crops should get closer together.
"The consumer himself has much to
do with multiplying his living expens-
es. The housewife steps to the tele-
phone, calls up the grocer and orders
things in the small for dinner. A
pound of butter, quart of milk, or
something else needed for the table is
put in an up-to-date motor wagon and
delivered three miles from the mar
ket. Somebody must pay the freight
if not Jones, somebody else. Our
mothers used to take big basket, go
to market. and carry back enough for
several days.
- Dr. e a How y does not befiiieV hat
the cost of living is going to be low
cred by legislation or in month or
two
LAS long" said he, "as man can
make 81 working six hours in town
and twelve hours in the country there
is going to be a steady stream from
the rural to the urban districts. We
may preach and paint pretty pictures
of farm life as much as we please, but
that will not change conditions"
"Why is meat high, we are asked. "
said DR.. Galloway "The answer is
simple: Beef making animals are
scarce The changes in conditions in
this country have been so great and
so rapid that we have not been able
to meet the new demands. 1t requires
time to adjust ourselves to the new
conditions. The cattle range of the
west is gone, and the small farmer
has not yet turned to growing beef
cows. The beef eaten in this country
must come from abroad or be grown
on the small farm.
''The work of the department of ag-
riculture is to point out the way. The
southern states are turning to cattle
slowly The eastern farmer should
grow beef cattle for the local markets.
The business ought to develop here as
it has done in Denmark"
The bureau of labor statistics of the
department of labor is making an in
cost OF living. The last bulletin issued
shows a gradual increase in the prices
of the principal articles of food.
Comparing prices on April Is, 1913,
with prices on April Is, 1912, eleven
articles advanced and four declined in
price," the report says Potatoes, SUI
gar, flour and cornmeal declined, and
the change was Al, 1853, Al and 1.6
per cent, respectively The per cent
advance for the eleven articles which
increased in price varied from 0.4 per
cent for eggs to 10 per cent for round
steak. Seven out of the fifteen articles
advanced more than 10 per cent"
Comparing the price on April Is.
1918, with the average price for the
ten-year period 1890 to 1899, sugar
shows decline of rs per cent, and all
other articles show an advance, the
per cent of advance varying from 1872
for potatoes to 1929 per cent for ba-
con. Ten of the fifteen articles adj
vanced in price more than SO per cent.
DR.. Galloway said that THE farmer is
beginning to get more for live stock
than he has been doing and cited the
figures, showing the number and val
ues of farm animals in 1913 and 1912
January, 1918, compared with January
1912, indicates the following changes:
Horses have increased $4,000 and
mules $4,000, but mich cows decreased
100000, other cattle 100000, sheep
100000 and swine 4,232,0O0.
In average value per head horses in
creased $4.S3, mules $3.50, mich cows
1898, other cattle $5.16, sheep As cents
and swine $1.S6.
No general investigation of the high
cost of living is being made by any
department of the government