Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1918-10-04
HOME PROF|TEERS
\. AID GERMANY
They Must Be Cleaned Out, De-
clared Governor in Speech at
Liberal, Kansas

delivered by Governor Capper las
week:
"The war is teaching the American
people what the American government
can do when called on for the exercise
Of extraordinary powers in defense o.
national existence. And the result!
are inspiring and glorious, worthy o.
a strong and vital democracy acting
for the whole people.
"The war also is teaching US what
the government can debut us yet
hasn't done-to protect the millions OF
whom It leans and must lean harder
and harder for strength and support
in the trying months to come, from
the traitor profteer. who daily ana
hourly is attacking the very source OF
our national vigor.
"The entire national debt, accumu'
lated since the time of Washington, is
twelve times larger than it was yeal
ago. It has increased 1000 per cent
in q single year. Every month the PEG.
pie are contributing and pledging to
the war more than twice as much
money as would have been needed to
pay off the whole Of this debt yeal
ago. And the wars financial burden
is steadily growing larger. A year
from now, it is estimated, an oppro-
priation of $4,000, 100000 will be re-
quired for the army alone.
This enormous tide Of wealth comes
from the labor and producing power OF
the people, and must continue to flow
freely, from the little child's contribu-
ton of thrift stamp, to 100000, 900
bushel wheat crops from Kansas.
II we are to win the war at the least
cost of life it will be by u solid front
here at home. We must maintain the
spirit of the third liberty loan and the
second Red Cross drive. A letting
down here will inevitably be felt at the
front and even possibly be followed
by letting down there.
Our morale at home is the very
sheet anchor of the boys at the front.
How long will it be possible for the
people to hold up their end if we let
the profiteer continue to put the COM
mon necessities of life and Of produc-
tive labor out Of their reach?
How long can we stand spread of
33 cents a pound between the price Of
cattle and the cost of beefsteak?
How long can we support spread
Of ~ cents a pound between the price
of hogs and the price of bacon?
Why does shoes cost from Sc to $15
a pair and a harness $50, when cow
hides bring only cents more a pound
than the old normal prices?
Why should cotton sheeting cost 20
cents q yard even with raw cotton I'M
regulated?
Why should binders, mowers, farm
wagons and other machinery, cost a
farmer three times as much as their
entire expense of manufacture
The answer is we have price regula-
ton by agreement" on manufactured
goods, if at all, and profits continue
enormous. This week United States
Steel breaks all records for quarterly
profits. It's total earnings for the last
three months to q net total of $52, $780,
900 after paying the regular quarter
ly dividend, interest on bonds, and
setting aside go per cent for income
tax and war taxes.
Last year the copper companies
made handsome profits on an agreed"
price of 231s cents. By further agree
ment copper was raised to 26 cents
last month, and copper now is appeal
ing for another advance to 271A cents.
The western hard-wheat farmer,
with crop failure this year and last
to nearly 100000 acres,
q getting virtually the same price for
his wheat that he got last year, althO
his expenses have nearly doubled.
Cotton sold the other day for 40
.ents, four times its price in 1914. We
nave made no attempt to fix a price
Tor cotton, as prime a necessity Of liv-
ng as wheat.
We have had strict price regulation
# few raw materials, such as wheat,
logs and sugar, and have let the big
miller and the packer run up profits
INTO huge percentages. The producer
md the consumer have borne the
,runt Of it all.
l have a pathetic letter from a
woman living in little railroad town
n Kansas. Her son is fighting in
france. 1--WE have a lot of poor, hon
st, Woodworking men and women
ere" she writes, "and when their
rocsry bill and,rent is paid they have
lmost nothing left. God in heaven
.sant we should have enough to eat !