Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-10-31
E O RIAL
AGRICULTURE SHOULD BE sAFEGUARDED.

1t is often said, and a large number Of good people believe it,
that the producers of farm products are the only class of people who
are deriving any considerable profit out OF war conditions. The
farmers, many people tell us, are getting rich" out Of the war.
It is true that the farmers of the northwest, in those particular
localities where crops have been above the normal for the past two
years have derived relatively a large income, but those familiar with
the facts admit that had South Dakota produced less than an average
crop in 1918 a very large proportion of itsfarners would have made
no profit at aa
Wheat ana corn ore the only grains generally grown ia this state
that have commanded abnormal prices when the farmers have had
them to sell
We are speaking Of the average farmer, not the comparatively
few who have been able to hold their barley and their oats until the
prices have reached the top notch through the manipulation of the
spectators.
In this connection we reproduce an editorial from the Northwest
Farrnstead, published by the Orange Judd Co. which owns a string of
farm papers throughout the northern section of the United States.
1T deals with the. Question of prices for farm products and the neces-
siy for safeguarding agricultural interests 1t is as follows:
ssFaifnre Of the peace offensive and renewal OF the war more
deterIninedy than ever, should stiffen up prices again for all farm
produets. until peace talk reyiycs once more.
.sThe situation testifcs to the grave danger that confronts agri-
culture ii the economic readjustrnent from abnormal war conditions
tothe ultimately normal conditions of peace. Iut for the government
fixed price Of the wheat crops OF 1918 and 1919, that grain already
might have declined in sympathy with maize. Assurance OF peace
might mean within a shorter or longer period a fall to 81 a bushel of
Me- wheat at Minneapolis, compared with S2.2fR AS the official
price at which the government guarantees to take over these two
creRs. The reason is that the release of ships from the war uses would
afford cheap transportation for whatever wheat or other grain is
now stored in the southern hemisphere. Prices may then recover
somewhat when it is realized that total worlds supply is less than
total worlds needs.
Some weeks ago the French government fixed prices Of wheat
and other grains to be harvested in France during 1919 at a trihe
less than was paid for this years crops, but the French minister of
agriculture at the same time properly emphasized the duty OF the
government to prevent any sudden collapse in produce market quo
tations npon evidence Of possible peace. The markets during the
past two weeks still further emphasized this grave duty.
Unless comparatively regulated by allied governments the dam
ger now is that produce prices will fall more rapidly as to both time
and amount than lis justified by the present aggregate supply Of food
throughout the world. So dire a calamity to agriculture must be
avoided at all hazards. AS agriculture was the last to benefit by
higher prices, it must not be first to suffer by their unregulated
collapse
Chairman Hoover points out that during the past year, while
farmers have Melted more of what consumers paid for produce
prices that farmers received for their produce have not advanced in
any such ratio as clothing and manufactured goods. Mr. Hoover
might we'll have emphasized also that the increase in the price OF what
farmers have 80 buy plus the great advance in labor and freight, has
placed them at ID grave disadvantage relative to other industries. Is
tho war were to end suddenly, our government will have to live up t.
its Nconfracts for war supplies that run into billions. a guarantee u
reasonable prices to food producers is equally as important and Just
No class has done more or contributed more to winning tht
War than our farmers. They should not be ridicned, nor should
policy be questioned that grants them production costs when the