The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-10-29
TIRED OF BACKGROUND.
Farmer Wants Same Consideration rs
the City Worker.

Farmer wants Same consideration rs
the City Worker.
American Agriculturist.
Speaking for the 125,000 members
of the New York state grange in re-
gard to cost of living the following
statement has been issued by S. j.
Lowell, state master and w. y. Giles,
state secretary:
The first factor in happy life is
three meals every day. The next is
adequate clothing and housing to keep
the body warm. After these come the
minor necessities which are more easi-
ly privided.
What has brought SO suddenly into
prominence the food and clothing prob
lem? The war, to be sure, but it has
only FASTENED what every thinking
a2ricuturist has seen for years was
surely coming; that is that the rural
dwcllcr was not receiving the support
and encouragement which his urban
brother so easily obtained. We mean
by this that better schools, better
churches. better homes, shorter hours.
better wages for work under more
favorable conditions have had the re-
suit Of drawing from the country its
population TO an alarming degree
Now, instead Of going into a study Of
our situation and developing a remedy
of conditions. our laboring brothers OF
the city propose to remedy our trouble
by arbitrary measures without any
real knowledge Of the cost OF the
necossarics Of life.
No class Of Americans with rcd
blood in their veins will stand being
told they must labor long hours at in
adequate pay in order that another
class may have shorter hours and
higher wages
If the saying of the city man that
the farmers are rolling in wheat" is
true, why does he refrain so complete
ly from coming out 10 roll and why is
ii that over half Of our farms have
mortgages on them. and that two
thirds arc worked by renters? DO the
laborin: men OF the city think that
BY demanding that the government
pc taxed TO pay the deficit between
what they set and what they earn.
that farmers arc going 10 pay the tax
cheerfully, when they Ghc labOrin2
mcn) use this added power TO beat
down The cost Of the product of tho
farmers Toll?
What is the farmers idea OF rem
cdy? First. lct us say that every man
is & prOhtccr The doctor who comes
TO usher us into the world is one; tho
undertaken who cOnSignS us 10 mother
Garth is another, and al thrOuGh !,fc
CvorE man is happy WHOM he gets more
than his fellow. When this is accom-
DliShcd by the application Or "ift and
Intelligence, he earns it ard all is we'll
though heir labor docs not earn II,
some one else must pay and ;hoy be-
come dishonest prohtncrs
We here challenge the city lGbOrcr
to cost accounting that all the world
may sec who earns his wage We have
asked the United states secretary OF
agriculture time and again for a cost
accounting on farm crops. We want
the world to know just what We are
entitled to. In order that there may
be no chance for complaint on either
side, we desire that the cost be figured
from the city laborers standard of
eight hours, and the convenicnces
which surround the city labor. Let it
be complete and exact.
While this is being done, let us give
you a little food for thought. When
wheat was 81 bushcl, one bushel paid
for a days work. Wheat, by govern
ment fiat, is $2.25 bushel and it now
requires two to three bushels Of wheat
to equal the pay received by labor for
one days work
Formerly, the farmer received three
cents a quart for milk; the distributor
received three cents and the consumer
got it for six cents. One days labor