St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1915-01-29
PAYROLL Of
CIVILIZATION MET
BY FARMER
WANTS NO "DEApuEADS" ON
LIST OF EMPLOYEES.
A CALL UPON THE LAW MAKERS
TO PREVENT USELESS TAX
UPON AGRICULTURE
BY Peter Radford
L.c,urer National Farmers' Union

by Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers' Union
The farmer is the paymaster OF
industry and az such he must meet
the nations payroll. When industry
pays its bill Il must make n sight
draft upon agriculture for the amount,
which the farmer is compelled to
honor without protest. This check
drawn upon agriculture may travel TO
aud fro over the highways OF com
mercc: may build cities; girdle the
globe with bands OF steel; may search
hidden treasures In the earth or
traverse the skies. but In the end II
will rest upon the soil No dollar
will remain suspended In I1idair; II Is
as certain to seek the earth's surface
ss an apple that falls from tree.
When a farmer buys n plow he pays
tho man who mined the metal, the
woodman who felled the tree, the
manufacturer who assembled the raw
material and shaped Il into an ar
tiole OF usefulness, the railroad that
transported II and the dealer who
sold him the goods He pays the
wages Of labor and capital employed
In the transaction as well MS pays
for tho tools. machinery, buildings.
etc, used IN the construction OF the
commodity and the same applies to
all articles Of use and diet OF him.
self and those engaged In the sub
sidlary lines OF industry.
There is no payroll In civilization
that does not rest upon the back
OF the farmer. lie must pay tho bills
all Of them.
Tho total value OF the nations
annual agricultural products Is around
$4,000. 900. 900. and II In safe 10 osti-
mate that % cents on every dollar
goes to meeting the expenses OF sub.
sidiary Industries Tho farmer does
not work moro than thirty minutes
per day for himself. tho remaining
thirteen hours OF the days toll no
devotes 10 meeting tho payroll OF the
hired hands Of agriculture. such as
the manufacturer. railroad. CONNER
eisl and other servants.
Tho Farmers Payroll and How He
Meets II.
Tho annual payroll OF agriculture
approximates ti2.OOO.0O0.O0O. A por.
ton OF tho amount In shifted TO for
eign countries In exports. but the
total payroll OF Industries working for
tho farmer divides substantially as
follows; Railroads. si,252.OO0. 900:
manufacturers. t4.365. 100000: mining.
$685.. 900. 900. banks. 100000. 600,
mercantile s3.5OO.OOO, 600, and heavy
miscellaneous payroll constitutes the
remainder
Il takes the corn crop. the most
valuable In agriculture. which sold
last year for Si.692. .0OO. 900. Co pay on
the employees OF tho railroads; tho
money derived from our annual sales
of livestock OF approximately $1,000
100000. the yearly cotton crop, valued
at t92O.OOO,OOO; the wheat crop.
which Is worth t6lO.OOO.OOO. and the
oat crop. that Ii worth $4,000 900.
are required to meet the annual pay,
roll OF tho manufacturers. The
money derived from the remaining
staple crops is used in meeting the
payroll OF the bankers. merchants
etc. After these obligations are paid.
the farmer has only a few lunches OF
vegetables. some fruit and poultry
which he can sell and call tho pro
eeeds his own.
When the farmer pays on his help
he has very little left and TO meet
these tremendous payrolls he has
been forced 90 mortgage homes. work
women In the field and Increase the
hours OF his labor, We are, there
fore. compelled to call upon all In.
dustries dependent upon the farmers
for subsistence 20 retrench IN their
expenditures and TO cut on all un-
necessary expenses, This course is
absolutely necessary In order TO avoid
n reduction In wages, and We want,
n possible. 20 retain the present wage
scale paid railroad and all other in
dustrisl employees.
We will devote this article 10 a
discussion OF unnecessary expenses
and whether required by law or per
mitted by the managements Of the
concerns, is wholly immaterial We
want all waste labor and eXtraya-
sance, OF whatever character. cut out
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