Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-06
Farmers Ground by Greed.

Farmers Ground by Greed.
> The farmers of the country, and
more especially those of New England
At this time will read with gratifica
ton the words of the Presidents mes
sage to Congress in which he shows an
actual understanding Of conditions as
they are. He said:
Recent experience has con-
WINGED me that the Congress must
go further in authorizing the
government to set limits to prices.
The law of supply and demand, /
am sorry to say, has been re-
placed by the law Of unrestrained
selfishness. While we have eiimi-
mated profiteering in several
branches Of industry. it still runs
inipudentlv rampant in others.
The farmers, for example, COM
plain with great, deal Of justice
that, while the regulation of food
prices restricts their incomes, no
restraints are placed upon the
prices of most of the things they
must themselves purchase: and
similar inequalities obtain on all
sides.
at is imperative1y necessary that
the consideration of the full use of
the water-power of the country
and also the consideration of the
systematic and yet economical de-
velopment of such OF the natural
resources Of the country are still
under control of the federal gov
eminent should be resumed and
affirmatively and constructively
dealt with at the earliest posi-
BILE moment. The pressing need OF
such legislation is daily becoming
more obvious"
It is a relief to know that the Presi
dent has seen through the fog Of
sophistry and misinformation raised by
selfish interests and the tools in theil
hands. Newspapers that should know
better talk suavely of Supply and de
nand," but the President knows that
supply and demand" has become q
mockery in recent years, for he says
that it has been replaced by "unre-
selfishness," and that while
has been eliminated ir
some brances "f industry it is still i'm
pudently rampant in others. The
President remarks also that farmers
complain with great deal Of justice
that while the regulation Of food prices
restricts their income, no restraints
are placed upon the prices of the
things which they themselves must
purchase.
There is the meat Of the nut, the
thing at which we have hammered fol
many months to get where it would
stick before the administration. d
course we cannot know that a sentence
from the kennebec Journal has evel
reached the President, but we now
know and appreciate that he has ar
exact understanding Of the situation
We know that Mr.. Hoover knows these
things, because we have held persona
with him. He realizes
that the farmer is himself consumer
in a larger sense than is the head Of
any other household, for he buys MOI
only for himself. and his family, anc
ofttimes numerous help, but he buy.
for the livestock and for the other &C
and equipments of q me-
chanical and business plant. He buys
from the West and the South. and the
Middle states, and Of imported goods
if he is New England farmer and Il
he is a farmer of the South or Of the
West, conditions are changed about
But he is a consumer wherever he is
in every sense of the word: and thai
he produces more largely than he need:
for his own use, of certain product.
necessary to the life and business Of
other consumers, do not take him ou
OF the consumer class. Again thu
farmer, while both producer and con.
sumner, has his prices fixed by those O
whom he buys. and by those to whom
he sells.
We are glad that the head Of thi!
administration understands that while
the food restrictions fix the prices be-
You'd which farmers may not sell theil