The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-12-22
WHY LIVING IS COSTLY

The New York World has been fol
lowing to their source some of the
chief influences contributing to the
high price of food products. The pur-
suit led it, not to the East and the
war zone which has to bear SO many
of the sins of the forestallers and
famine makers, but to the midconti-
mental region of the West. At Chi
cago, the pursuit halted.
That city is the scene of the worlds
greatest dealings in cereal crops. 1t
has snatched from other centers pre-
eminence in dairy products. 1t is the
home of tremendous meat packing
plants composing that elusive but
still highly corporal entity, the "a,
pacious Beef Trust. We know that in
recent years the packers have been
extending their control to many food
products other than meats.
These are some of the things the
World discovered in its investiga-
tons: -ttIts .5 r. ~
5i That the wheat actually har-
vested in the country amounted
to 642,000,000 bushels and that
80,000,000 bushels of wheat was
carried over from last year.
That the maximum require
ment of this country for food and
seed is 600,000,000 bushels. That
our actual surplus of wheat was
122,000,000 bushels, of which on
ly 68,000,000 has so far been ex-
ported.
That the visible supply. not
including wheat in farmers
hands and wheat stored for seed,
is 63,262,000 bushels compared
with 46,820,000 at this time last
year. ta
And still the wheat quotation
this year has been as high as
$1.95 and closed Saturday in the
neighborhood of SITS.
That the hogs in the country
number 68,047 900, compared with
64,618,000 in 1915 and 58,933,000
in 1914; the cows number 81
$4,000, compared with 21,262,
900 one year ago, and 20,737,0
two years ago; the other cat
tie 39,453,000, compared with ST.
067, 900 one year ago, and 49,
$4,000 two years ago; and sheep
amounted to 49,162,O00, reduc-
ton of a few hundred thousand
compared with 1915 and 1914.
That the corn crop amounted to
2,71793S,000 bushels, one of the
five greatest corn crops in MS
tory, and that 1,13S,7T3 bushels
was carried over from last year.
Still corn closed Saturday at SO
cents.
That in spite of the increase in
hogs and ether live stoci: and the
enormous supply Of corn, pork
and other meats are almost IN
precedentedly high.
That three men who travel the
80 miles between Chicago TO Ell
gin, Illinois, every Saturday morn
ing, fix the price at which mil
lions of pounds of butter is sold
so fixing it sometimes on per-
functory transactions involving
not more than rs tubs of butter.
That in spite of the increase
in cows, dairy products are out
rageously high.
That the eggs in cold storage
amount to 2,794,295 crates, de-
crease of "a per cent compared
with last year, while prices have
increased 100 per cent.
Such data are fundamental in help
ing us to an understanding of the
problem of high prices. A study Of
them in their proper relation is es-
sential to intelligent measure of re-
lief from the burden Of vastly in
creased living cost.
The complex causes leading to adj
vanced prices include many artificial
rs well as natural influences. A ten
dency toward higher prices growing
out of unavoidable conditions has
been accelerated by adroit, experience
I'd hands. New relations established
n world production and world con-
have been seized on as al
Reuse for merciless extortion.
Control of the nations food supply
Ike control of its credit supply AM
money prior to the reformation of tn
system, has fallen into So
NV hqna7 as ~ eeaaie = lnerees r
&c 0oviis III TIE country