Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-11-23
Grafton that can appeal to GUY sen;
justice.
Farmer Must Pay More.

| justice.
Farmer Must Pay More.
ut has been said by some shallow
| thinkers that the farmer mas no rlsht
, to COMPLAIN because the hours OF !ah"i
| for others are reduced so long as MS
! own hours are rot increased. but me
fallacy Of that position viii instantly
appear TO any man who will give II the
slightest thought. With the hours OF ia
Dor reduced from ten to eight. ana that
reduction made universal, except on the
farm. the farmer will ind himself UNI
der the necessity OF paying more for
I everything he buys.
THE congressional enactment which
excited the present agitation for an
eight-hour day we'll illustrates what 1
I have just said Nobody doubts that
when they make their purchases our
farmers pay share of the vast sum
which the railroads OF this country
collect in freight charges; and I Go not
see how any man can doubt that the
farmers must pay still more whenever
those freight charges are increased. II
the hours OF all railroad employees are
reduced from ten to eight, one or two
things must happen-either the wages
Of those employees must be correspond
inSly reduced, or the cost Of operating
raill Dads must be correspondingly IN
creased. The Adamson law prohibits
any reduction In wages. and as it rep
resents the settled policy Of those who
advocate an eieht-hour law. the rail-
roads will be compelled to meet an in
creased cost OF operation.
Will Pay Dividends.
"How vii! they meet that increased
cost Of operation? If they could meet
it by reducing the dividends of their
stockholders the farmer would not be
concerned: but they will not meet it in
that way. In fixing the present rates
the interstate commerce commission
and the various state railroad commits
sions. so far as the latter are now per-
mitted to execute their functions, take
into account the entire cost of operat-
ing the road, and allow over and above
that a fair return on the capital invest
ed. With all rates based on the cost
Of operation, they will be increased
Whenever the cost of operation in
increases; and as the cost of operating
the railroads must be increased by re-
ducing the hours Of all operatives from
ten to eight, the farmer will be COM
PEELED to pay part of those increased
freight rates every time he makes a
purchase.
Increasing Selling Price.
What is true of railroad rates will
also be true with respect to all other
services or commodities. Every in.
dus,ry which reduces its day from ter
hours to eight hours, must inevitably
increase the labor cost of producing it's
commodities 20 per cent; and that in
creased cost of production must inev-
itably be followed by an increased
selling price. Keeping this in our
minds, and also keeping in our minds
the further fact that they are the
largest purchasers of every commodity
in general use, we will readily perceive
mat our farmers mus, pay a very large
part OF this increased cost of produc-
ton.
III they were accorded the privilege
or free trade in what they buy, they
might escape the additional charge of
purchasing goods imported from other
countries; but with an average duty of
more than 40 per cent. on almost every
manufactured article. they will look in
vain for any competition which will
relieve them from this new burden
Wilson's "InsuIt."
In one of his recent speeches made
at Shadow Lawn. President Wilson at
temrts to justify the exclusion of
farmers from the eight-hour law UNION
the ground that God has 40 divided +ba
Day and the season that this progress
i've plan which he deems SO benefcent
canrot be extended to our farms. It is
difficult for me TO understand how anv
man with character and ability suft-
cient to command an election to the
presidency OF this republic could insult
the intelligence OF American farmers
with such an argument"