The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-08-16

Diuk MIN. IL tuctc 10 any thhk III WIS
world that should be rev arded it is hard
labor at something worth while. con
graduate my brothers in the city who
are getting better pay and shorter
hours and if it lay in my power, would
better the conditions of the city laborer
for know that they are yet very far
from ideal. deplore the fact that our
real Americans are fast leaving the
farms and our fertile fields are being
handed over to an alien people. They
say that the young Americans are leav-
ing the farms for the bright lights Of
the city. say that such talk is an I'M
mitigated SANDER on the men who have
left the farms for city work. The truth
is that it is pure business proposition
with them. They see that there is no
guarantee to the farmer that he will re-
ceive fair compensation for his toll.
The raising of crops is a gamble with
the seasons and when they are ready
for the market the farmer must accept
price put upon the result of his labor
by few INSCRIPTIONS men who control
the prices of everything the farmer
raises and everything that goes to feed
the people. The farmer is the only per-
son in the world today that is selling his
labor at the other fellows price. Just
one more comparison. Wool is bring
ing the farmer 65c per Id. today. Wool
en- knitting yarn will cost you $4. 90 per
Id. at the retail stores. Is it not time
that this extreme range of prices was
looked into a little? And one of the
strange things about this whole bust
ness is that our retail men in the stores
and shops are making less profit every
day. These men as well as the farmer
and the industrial worker must be
given a square deal. A few years ago
about all we heard was how some
statesmen were going to smash the
International Harvester Trust. the
Standard Oil Trust, the Beef Trust and
various other monopolistic Concerns
The only result that l have observed
from these vicious assaults on preda-
tory wealth is that all commodities con-
trolled by these combinations of capital
have gone up about 100 per cent in price.
Binder Irvine few years ago cost the
farmer &c per h.. today it costs him 25c
per Id. Even the threshers have
combined and raised the price of
threshing grain 100 per cent Bear in
mind that am no 'croaker' in regard
to these things but wish to sound a
note of warning to the leaders of this
government that they must see to it
that the farmers are at least guaran-
teed living wage for their labor or the
very foundation of this Republic will
crumble. Pardon me for changing one
word in Goldsmith's famous quotation:
I'll fares the land to Fastening ills a
prey, where wealth accumulates. and
farms decay" If / 60 to the legis-
lature l shall endeavor with all my
energy to put through resolution in
structing some of our u. S. Senators
or Congressman to introduce a bill in
Congress fixing fair minimum price
on all farm products, prices that are
just and reasonable and such that will
give the farmer living wage and in
duce the American boys to stay on the
farms that have been cleared up by the
noblesr men of all time, the pioneers of
this country. We must have middle
men and they are entitled to reason
able profit. 1t is not our local middle
men who are making football of the
farmer and consumer in this country.
We have laws now prohibiting gam
bling in foodstuffs but they are farce
and have never accomplished bit of
good. Guarantee the farmer a fair
price for his products at the time when
he must have the money and send the
men to Jail who are manipulating the
markets of this country and the farm
Ell and consumer will get square deal
and you will hear no complaint. Our
farm organizations and cooperative
societies are doing great deal of good
but l maintain that the farmer will
never get his rights until he puts them
in black and white on the statute books.
/ have heard of the Non Partisan
League of the Northwest. We do not
want this organization in this state. /
have faith in the Republican party.
The party itself has always been one of
progress and prosperity despite the
fact that some of it's leaders have prov
ed traitors to their constituents.
My father was born in Scranton Pa.
in 1889, and came to Clayton Twp.
Genesee Co., when he was seven years
of age. In 1861 he enlisted in the Fifth
Michigan Infantry and was with that
regiment for four years in practically
every battle in which the army of the
Patomac was engaged. He died in 1891
1 - L.