The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-09-27
THE PRICE OF WHEAT.

THE PRICE OF WHEAT.
The government has fixed the
price of this years crop of wheat
at 1920 at the terminal market in
Chicago.
| The farmers of the Northwest are,
! or at least a portion of them are,
protesting against this price as be-
| ing too low, and claim, that owing to
the increased price Of everything en-
tering into farm consumption it
| leaves no profit for the farmer.
In one thing we are in complete
sympathy with the farmers of the
country and that is if the govern
ment arbitrarily fixes the prices Of
things produced on the farm there is
no reason in the world why the gov
eminent should not also fix the
prices of things used on the farm.
We do not claim to be financier
or a shark on business procedure
but it does seem to our unenlightened
mind that, to use an old expression,
what is sauce for the goose is sauce
for the gander," and it strikes us chat
to fix the price on farm products
and leave the price of other COM
modities to the mercy of Spectators
is q rank injustice. But instimes of
stress like these, we do think that
the government should fix the prices
Of all necessaIies of life at the cost
of production plus a reasonable pre-
fit. At the present time we have
including the volunteers and selected
men nearly, if not quite, two mil
lion men in the military service of
the United States. These men have
offered their lives in the cause of
their country and those who remain
at home should not strive to ac-
emulate wealth out of the situation.
If our boys offer their lives those Of
US who remain behind ought to be
satisfied with reasonable profits and
the corporation, firm or Individual
tnat' tries to turn the present situa-
ton into a profit producing affair
is, in plain terms an enemy to the
country and friend to his countrys
foes.
We are however, constrained to
believe, that the farmers of the
country have no just cause for com
plant at the price fixed for wheat.
The price Of a farm commodity is
but in the purchasing price of the
same.
At the present time a bushel and
half of wheat will pay for a days
labor in harvesting or stacking.
One Of the leading farmers in
this part Of the country informed
US that for period Of ten years he
paid a man six bushels of wheat
day for harvesting and stacking.
When we were in the farming BUSH
ness, years ago it took 800 bushels
of wheat to buy an old fashioned
self rake Mccormick reaper. Now
it takes less than hundred bushels
to buy the best kind of self-binder.
We can remember, not so very long
ago, that we sold two 200 pound
hogs, bought suit of clothes and |
had to put up 81 additional; now we
buy suit of clothes and now man
can buy suit of clothes, good enough
for anybody to wear, for one 200
pound hog and have enough left to
go to the movies and pay for
dinner even if the landlord holds
him up for six bits.
In the near past it took two bush
els of wheat to buy twenty pounds
of sugar, now one bushel will pur-
chase 18 pounds. Not long ago it
took a bushel of wheat to buy a |
pound of coffee, now a bushel will
buy three pounds and then some.
When we were farming it took three
bushels of wheat to buy pound of
tea, now bushel will by at least
three pounds.
1t is the same with everything pro-
-duced on the farm. There is moth
ing that can be named that will not
purchase from two to five times the
amount in labor or commodities than
it would five years ago. AS we said
in. the beginning, if the government
is going to inaugarate new de-
parture and dictatorially fix prices