The Monroe journal., 1915-07-23
EVEN CHARGE Us FOR RAIN.
Noyus Homo Contends That This l.
the Eject When Showers Increase
the Crcp Prospects.

| III We want 10 Etl q view OA Aus
practical monopolistie operations tbs
present drop in the price of -four viii
give il TO US. All during the present
year flour has been higher than fol
many years. Men have complained al
the high price and have compared the
price of cotton with the price Of
wheat and have contended that theirs
was no reason why there should be
such a difference. The complaint has
been answered by a reference 10 the
demSnd created by the European wal
for food stugfs, and We have beer
told THAI the high price thus created
was due solely 10 natural causes.
Well, il this were true. the natural
causes must have been removed. fol
the recent drop would indicate thai
the demnd had slackened for some
reason and ii the European war is
over the press certainly hasn't heard
about il. for recent reports seem 10
indicate that it's getting worse.
! Iii tell you what | think has leak
ed out: It's recently been made pub
lie that the Western wheat growers
have harvested another good crop OF
A
wheat. and il just simply would new
er do TO allow labor TO reap the ben
eft of war prices for its products.
consequently flour will be cheaper tn
the consumer until the monopolists
have succeeded in cornering on this
wheat crop. Then they will make II
comm and agwine" when the stun
gets out of old hay seeds hands.
Watch out for five dollar flour during
the coming winter. and don't forget
how il happened. for the cotton sea-
son is getting nearer and the market
is on the down grade at rapid rate.
and if the Big Guns are burning IL
up al the rate of Is bales per min
ute on each of the great battleships.
we won't hear any more about il UNI
til near next planting time. Then we
will be innocent enough TO believe ey-
cry word the liars tell us and plant
another big cotton crop.
II we have to pay for this five dol
lar flour this winter with five cent
cotton three cents is not unlikely
we will wish to grannies," If not
worse. that We hadn't listened at the
talk about wars creating demand
for cotton to make powder out of.
Blu, what's the use? The monopolsts
charge us for the rain and we pay
that. even if il takes our home 10 do
il with. and after we have paid il
and been driven out in the cold UNI
charitable recesses of the world, We
brag and fume and holler and sweat
and swear we've got the only right
eous government on earth.
Charge us for the rain. did you
say? Yes sir; that's what | did say.
Have you ever noticed during the cot
ton growing season that when we get
"A good general growing shower over
the entire. or even the major part, of
the cotton belt. that cotton drops as
much as fifty points sometimes in one
or two days? Now what does that
mean if not that the rain will make
old hayseed a lot more cotton, and
we will appropriate the benefits to
ourselves? In other words, we will
charge him two and one-half dollars
per bale, which will amount to $751;
500, 900 on a fifteen million bale
crop and We will think the rain was
worth that much, though. If later.
we find there was more of il than we
thought there was. and II appears
that il will increase the yield TO yet
greater extent than we had figured,
we will figure some more and let the
price drop few more points. See?
Come TO think about il though,
they have just as much right to
charge us rent" for the use of rain
as they have to levy on us for the use
of land Both of these are natural
resources. Both are furnished us by
the bountiful giver of all good and
We are provided with these bounties
in order that we may by industry and
thrift satisfy our desires and develop
a manhood that will have both time
and inclination to serve and adore the
proyider of these things.
The claim is made by good men
that government is organized and
supported solely for the purpose of
protecting the weak against the
strong" But dog my buttons" IL
have ever seen il do II. Have you?
Figure a little and see IL you can re-
call an instance where the little fell
low ever beat the big one. | don't
mean to intimate that the little fell
low ought TO win just because he's
little. But isn't ii generally conced-
ed that when the two extremes meet
and appeal to the majesty of law that
the weak one stands about the same
chance to win that the OK cart would
have in a race with the automobile?
Now, If government fails to do what
it processes to be organized for and
instead really does the opposite, how
long can il continue TO do this after
the dupes find ii out? Ii is charged
by some that government is not or
ganized TO protect, but TO loot, and
the last quarter century hasn't liked
much, If any. of verifying this charge.
yet we are not ready TO do away with
all government but ii does look like
the time has come that we need
little improvement and If we neglect
to see this fact. | would not like to go
on record in venturing a prophecy as
to what the consequences are going TO
be.
Vice-President Marshal in speaking
10 gathering of big" business men
in New York some time ago was re-
ported to have made this statement
to them: II dare you gentlemen,
to disguise yourselves and appear to
be working men, and go down on east
side and hear what the people are
oh