The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-07-06
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

vocates-Why Prices Are So High.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington, July Especial. If
legislation would cure every evil that
besets n people we would indeed be for
tunate. For every iii that aflicts man
kind there is IA Legislative antidote-
that is. some one thinks SO. Bills are
introduced to relieve all things Of
which there Is complain I'm this coun
try. And 1t must also be acknowl
edged that congress goes "a long way In
passing these bills in the hope OF EN-
edying the various evils.
Years ago congress passed an inter
state commerce law, but the country
Is not satisfied with the railroads.
There are a recent currency law, a
farm loan law and many other similar
laws, but who can say they have made
the people any more contented?
Now the Food Law.
There is doubt about the food law
which has recently been the topic of
so much conversation. 1t will be In
teresting to know whether Ii will meet
anything like the expectancy of the
people. Ii is hard to make the laws
of nature, the laws OF humanity, the
laws of natural commercial conditions.
conform to any legislative statute. In
spite of the efforts Of mankind for
ages, trade and human intercourse the
world over have run along pretty well
defined channels. Laws to urn the
current have not been operative.
1t viii be something of a miracle.
therefore, IL the food bin, which caused
SO much talk. proves all that IL claim
ed for 1t and places within the reach
of everybody a supply of food at rea
sonable prices.
Bridging the Gap.
Ever since the first hue and cry was
the present one, | mean, beginning
some time during the political cam
paign of 19l0-there has been a search
going on for IA bridge TO the gap. |
call Ii that for want of a better phrase.
The gap Is between the producer,
whether farmer or miner, and the ulti-
mate consumer. Now, Ii has been
agreed by nearly every person-polit-
ical person-having miners and farm
ers In his district with votes that the
producer has never received more than
a fair price for his products. Likewise
every man having ultimate
as voters and constituents has been In
sistent that these individuals have been
paying too much for all they bought.
They Found a culprit.
OF course n culprit must be found
was found. The middleman, be he
wholesaler, retailer, commission mer-
chant. carrier or handler-he's the fell
how responsible for low prices to the
producer and high prices to the con-
sumner.
And what have they done with this
culpriti What condign punishment
has been melted out to the villaini And
his name Is legion. Nothing.
He has been following the world old
plan of buying as cheaply as he could
and selling at the yerv best price he
could command. Up to the present
time no one has presented a practical
remedy either for furnishing the mid
dleman or dispensing with him.
Have to Take Their Turn.
Ii In the determination OF Vice Pres
ident Marshall to make every fellow
take his trick at the Wheel and he
siding over the senate during a long
winded speech. I'm get EN- all In
time" he Is said to have remarked. II
got Harry New the other day when
Jim Reed was talking, and l got Frank
Kellogg when Charley Thomas made
his speech. I'll show those new sen
ators that they have got to be properly
hazed."
Lost His Can Opener.
Congressman John Langley of Ken
lucky has been trying for a long time
to get a chance to talk on the food
bill. Finally he was given a minute.
He was somewhat embarrassed.
Il had a little speech canned up here
awhile ago" he said, touching his fore
head. but owing to all the belligerency
that has been displayed l have for
gotten what I was going to say. How
ever, I will say that there are two
things which are bound to come-pro-
hibition and woman suffrage"
John certainly lost his can opener"
remarked a man I'm the press gallery.
An italian Score.
1t was La Guardia. the little Italian
member from New York city, who
scored the biggest victory for the Re
publicans In the food control bill. He
had an amendment adopted compelling
the selection of the employees by civil
service. Many good, fat jobs were