Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-02-15
JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL.

Howling at the Non Partisan Lea
que and calling its organizers ~
patriotic is not going to stoI the
producers of this country from or
ganizing for their own protection.
and the protection of the people o.
the nation who are the cons, ler3
of what the producer has to sell
The farmer, like other classes. $
e ting wise to the skin game pl: yed
by the sack trust, the grain h I'D
milling trusts, and the warehouse
interests. Through the Grange, the
Farmers Union. and other organi-
cations the farmer is learning the
going to organize and run the mar
keting end Oh the business for him.
self. When the men who manufac-
ture shoes OF sugar or leather or
automobiles get finished product
they do not go to the farmer or the
public and say: What is my pro-
duct worth?" But when the farm
er grows a calf he must go to the
meat trust and find out how much
they will pay for that calf or steer.
And the meat baron, with vast cold
storage facilities, regulates the mar
ket; manipulates the price to the
consumer of the meat, the hide and
the leather; the grease, soap and
other products. The law of supply
and demand is throw in the face of
the farmer when he sells. but the
interests. by controlling storage. by
being able to hold vast quantities,
puts Mr.. Supply and Demand out
for the count of ten. And we dis
cover this when we buy a little bit
of leather in the way Of harness. or
shoes for the farmers wife and kids
after they have spent three years
raising the meat and the hide. The
farmer of the United States, up to
the war, was making very little in
terest on his investment, and nc
class works harder and serves the
| world better. 1t is the meat trust
the packing interests, controlling
and fixing prices to both producer
| and consumer, that declares fat an
nual dividends and cuts juicy incl.
ons'' amongst the barons.
| There was time, not very many
years ago. when we were told thai
the law of supply and demand. moi
men, determined price to producer
and consumer. But no informed
man will deny that today the bis
combinations. like the packers, BY
cold storage, by manipulating sup
ply, control, to large degree, thu
price the producer gets and wha
the consumer pays.
The farmer knows he has beer
robbed of millions; he knows nov
just who fixes the price of his pro
ducts, and fixes the price he pay
for his own products when he buy
them back as shoes, harness, etc.
and the farmer is going to deman,
square deal.
The demand for state-owned ware
houses, may, therefore, be the solu
tion of one phaes of this question
If it is then how foolish to deny /
or fight it and condemn 1t simpl,
because the Partisan Leagu
has taken it up and made 1t one o
its principles. A more sensible wa
is to forget all about the Non-Parti
san League and Townley and Sena
tor LaFollette, and weight this an
other demands of the producers fair
ly and impartially. Surely 1t is t
the interest of all that any wrong
or injustice in our industrial life b
corrected. Surely, If great comb
nations, like the packers, are fxin
prices on meat and cattle and hide
and leather, and thus on our shoe.
We want to know 1t and help sto
IT.