Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-02-18

not only an economic waste to
farmer, but also n tax on the bal
ance of the population. Upon
reflection, then, is it any wonder
that retail prices of food are I0.9
per cent higher for the lO.year
period? Twelve of the IL articles
of food have advanced more than
30 per cent. For instance, bacon
has advanced 1888 per cent;
round steak lu7 per cent; fowls
742per cent. With the decline
in the production of agricultural
products, and n large increase in
our total population, Is IL strange
that the cost of living has in
creased so enormously: We may
also ask the question that il our
cities continue to grow, and our
rural population to decrease in
proportion. how long will it he
before we cease TO export food
products at all. beside going
hungry at home:
In 1900 our imports of food
supplies amounted t, 23l mil.
lions. In 1913 they had risen to
i0G millions, an increase of It's
millions. During the same period
our exports of food supplies de.
creased to A millions.
In 1880 81 3 per cent of our to
tai exports were agricultural
products. In 1913 this decreased
to 46.l per cent,
In 1880 l4.7 per cent of oul to.
tai exports were manufactured
products. In 1913 this increased
to lS.S per cent
In 1880 55.71 per cent of our
exports were food supplies. In
1913 this had decreased to- 20. 70
per cent
Let us see what Srme other
nations are doing where they
have had the benefit of long time
loans at q low rate of interest.
Let US compare our food supply
production with that OF Germany:
America
Cattle ........ 81 per cent decrease
Swine .......... "A per cent decrease
Poultry ..........lT.0 per cen increase
Germany
Cattle .......... q per cent increrse
Swine .......... 81 per cent increase
Poultry ...... .... % per cent increase
During a period of - years
Germany has increased her yield
per acre, owing to her financial
plans for agriculture. as follows:
Rye -. rs per cent Potatoes.5l per cent
Wheat SO per cent Oats....5j per cent
Barley 50 per cent Hay ....5l per cent
These same items compared
with Americas production, show
the following almost unthinkable
percentages of Germany's pro,
ductiOn per acre over Americas:
Rye. so per cent Potatoes 100 per cent
Wheat. l20per cent Oats. % per cent
Barley 30 per cent
We are buying III million dol.
lars worth Of hides per year be.
cause Argentine and Chile furn.
nish their farmers an issue of
bonds by u state act, thus Secur.
ing low rates of interest. This
is also reflected in the fact that
meat. formerly exported from
America to Europe. is now cCm.
ing from South America; and
South American meat has now
made its appearance in New York.
We witnessed the fact that our
government advanced 400 million
dollars to complete the Panama
Canal: that we are appropriating
about 800 thousand dollars annu.
ally for the Missouri State Uni.
Versity: thousands of dollars for
the School of Mines, and a large
appropriation for the Worlds
Fair at San Francisco. All of
these are worthy objects. Why
are they thus supported: Be.
cause they are supposed to be in
the interest of all the people.
And yet can any one say they are
as much for the interest of all
the people as q movement that
would stop the de.population of
almost u of the counties of the
state;
In reply to the argument that
the farmer himself should do all
this | answer that history shows
that it never has been done in
any other nation, and never will
be. A certain amount of state
Aid mnSt ha Uiyap opu prnpooi.