The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-03-28

OF business men all over Iowa who
stand pat on the system of private
monopoly. 1t is on account of the
public ownership policy of the Non
partisan league that this organiza-
tion is making it's fight on the farm
ers' league.
Packers Friend Under Fire.
Edward F. Keefer, president of the
State Livestock Association of Him
ois testifying before the Senate Com
mittee on Agriculture made the state
ment that E. Dana Durand had been
in secret conference with the packers
of Chicago, for the purpose of keep
ing down the prices of livestock at a
time when huge meat orders for the
allies were being placed. He charged
that incompetence and ignorance of
the livestock industry and unwilling
ly to see the needs of the producers
have marked the conduct of Cotton,
the Wall Street lawyer, and Durand,
the university professor, in their Of
fetal acts.
The fact that E. Dana Durand, the
Minnesota State university professor,
now in the limelight for his confer
ences with the packers, draws a sal
ary from the government of $2,760
for his services on the food commits
sion was brought out in the senate by
Senator Reed of Missouri. Some of
the other salaries for men in the
Northwest under the Food Adminis-
tration are also disclosed.
In the Minneapolis office of the
Grain Corporation the salary of C.. L.
Bostwick, general office manager is
$4,000; that of F. C. Holbrook, head of
wheat distribution $780,; E. H. Con-
key, chief inspector, $4,000; E. A.
Forsyth, at Duluth gets $4,000 and
J. E. McGregor $4,000.
Mail Order Data.
One Of the most generous salar-
les is that received by DR.. Raymond
Pearl, who got up the chart which
purported to prove that the price of
farm implements has gone up less
than half as much in the past seven
years, as the price of wheat to the
farmer.
Farm Machinery Price Scars.
From'a statement prepared by DR.
Pearl the following is an extract
'While in October, 1917, the price
which the farmer received for hi
wheat was 1877 per cent higher thai
he received in May, 1911, he was pay
ing only 81 per cent more for hi
farm implements. AS the Presiden
has fixed the price of wheat, the fig
ures for 1917 will hold good in 1915
Farm implements however, hav
advanced so that the ratio in May
1918, will be 1877 increase in the pric
of wheat and 70 per cent more fo
farm implements"
This statements has been receive,
with derision by the men familiar witt
the facts. DR.. Pearl, when aske'
where he had secured his data on tn
price of farm implements replied tha
he had taken them from the quota
tions of mail order houses.
He admitted that the figures he hat
used were below those being paid tt
local dealers for plows, drills, binder
and mowers, but said that was tn,
fault of the farmers in not purchasing
IN the cheapest possible market.
Favor Importation Chinese.
It seems to be impossible to secure
reliable data in regard to the farm
labor situation. The passage of the
Furlough bal under which farm work
will furnish some aid but no one seems
to know just how much.
There is no doubt but that farm
wages will be high, but the officials
of the Federal Employment service
are confident that the demand can be
met with proper arrangement for the
distribution Of surplus help.
In connection with this question,
the measure to allow the importation
of Chinese labor again comes to the
fore. Senator Gallinger who is pro-
noting this measure says that the
purpose of the bill is to import 8OO,-
600 farmers from north central China,
under contract to work during the
war and to be sent home at the end
of the war period. He declares that
these laborers will not be coolies but
will be genuine farmers who are anx-
ious to learn. American Agricultural
methods.
Senator Sterling of South Dakota,
who declares that there is an alarm
ing farm labor situation in his state
says that while not committing him
self to the subject that he thinks the |
question of the importation of Chin
ese labor is worthy of the serious con-
sideration Of congress.
BOttineau Loses to Bowman.