Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-05-05

ates the announcement that comes
from the many conventions that are
being held throughout tho country. to
consider what he should do. but he
would welcome some evidence Of as
sistance from many Of those who at
tend these meetings. and % far very
little evidence OF such Is forthcom-
ing.
Everybody that gets a chance to
thing else, 10 inclined to tell the farm
or nov that 1t IL up to him" and
that ut is his efforts that will win
the war" The farmer is a little
suspicious In many cases.. as to just
why he should become 10 important
all at once. In many cases he does
not know but what 1t is simply an
other scheme to get him to increase
production and 80 help enrich the
middleman. or somebody else, At his
expense.
The farmers Of the northwest had
no voice in bringing on the war. but
!! h farmers are not towards, neither
are they ignorant, and the needs Of
our Nation are understood by them. in
war az we'll az in peace. They always
produce up to their ability. probably
pA0FOA sAVAs SA0II any Otkl0T
class, even though they get less re-
turns for themselves. And in this sea-
son now upon US, 70 u~nfavorable in
outlook. they will not fail to do their
best. They would also appreciate
some acts from those who are telling
them what to do and how to do, be-
cause acts will go . great deal further
than words.
He would like to 50. speculation
taken out Of food products. He does
not like to sell his products in the fall
Tor nfty cents or a dollar or a dollar
and a half. and then see them 20 up
In the spring. after they have gotten
out OF his hands. He realizes, as we'll
as anyone else. that raising the price
Of any commodity does not Increase
the quantity Of the commodity. and
that both he and the consumer are
bushels OF wheat, and 90 many
bushels Of potatoes produced. and the
addition of fifty cents or q dollar or
two dollars per bushel does not make
another bushsl Of these commodities.
20 what reason fs there for Increasing
the pricss7
The following experience will be in
teresting to many who are not farm
ing. or who are not making their liv-
ms on the farm which they do han
die. What we need in this country Is
more producers-and also producers
who max better livfngs on the farms.
A Consumer Becomes . Producer.
"A laborer living n the outskirts
Of Minneapolis used to spend most Of
his spare TIM talking 'down-trodden'
politics to all who would listen. Mr..
Rockefeller was frequently honored
by prominent mention in these fervid
remarks. while Mr.. Carnegie and q
few other well-to-do mon were not
wholly omitted on special occasions.
so earnest did this man become At
umes denounctnE the high cost Of
living and a%ttributing 1t all to the
fault Of someone besides himself. that
he n day declared he would buy no
more from the robber middlemen. He
hted himself into the country with a
returning milk peddler, bent upon
: contracting his potatoes, garden stuff,
pnua,y: esss. nutt:r etc. from the
expedition were so satisfactory that
few Of hts neiEhbors were induced
to accompany him on some Of the
forays and they too were rather pleas
ed With what came Of 1t.
Along about the third trip made
INTO tho country-when they were
laying In the winters supply Of pota-
Toes. beans, onions. turnips and a few
49, IHo noticed
mat Messrs. Carnegie. Rockefeller, ct
A.. no longer occupied the center Of
the stage when their friends attempt
90 TO enlighten them on the total de-
prav1ey OF man, the w%ell-to-do ones in
particular. but tho heartless produce
or began to loom up in the places
lone sacred to h aforesaid gentle
mon OF thrift. Why should they
honest with large and rap
10y increasing familiestbe robbed In
this heartless way, when his father
used to throw his hat in the air and
kick he bushel basket over the top
OF the corn crib when he could get "a
cents Tor potatoes, IS cents for onions
n Z s-4 cents for butter? There
must DO a way for the honest and
hungry consumer to get around this
he would find It or know why.
n h Game Himself.
out across the river from where
ne had been buying his supplies there
was some rolling sandy land covered
with q thin growth Of young oaks
Mnicn gave small promise or rich soil.
ina land u friend learned could be
cost and with but q small payment
DOWN. II LAM on this side Of the
river would grow onions worth M
a bushel why wouldn't the soil on the
other side turn out q few worth 100
cents for four peoks. II hens laid 40
cont eggs over here. what could pre-
vent their doing nearly as we'll YER
there! That settled It. This was tho
last year he would be robbed in this
heartless fashion and before the frost
was on the pumpkin. the erstwhile
consumer was on Is acres Of the Zoo
est land in Minnesota, putting IN q
small three-room house-cost ss75-
n grubbing of 10 acres for the
springs planting. All winter he
worked at his trade in town. but everv
spare hour he spent out on he
farm In place Of showing up the
shortcomings Of Mr.. Rockefeller he
showed a big pile OF grubs for the
heater and in place Of beratinr the
ironmastsr for building 80 many H.
brartes he began getting 1 library Of
nis - on gardening. potato growing.
nenolosy and pig. COW and other
oloeies. until ever local polite. had
no interest for him whatever.
Az Time Went BE-.
Less than three years have passed
and last fall this 'heartless' producer
put over 100 bushels Of beans in his
little granary which today he Is SELL