The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-10-30
FARMER ENTITLED
TO "WHiTE ALLEY%
ISN'T GETTING IT
ev WILLIAM r. sANRoRN

rated as a manufacturer, and the farm
business Of the country be ranked as
great manufacturing Industry, the
largest and by all odds the most i'm
portant of the group.
Its products are the most essential;
they are basic; the foundation upon
which the entire superstructure OF
life and of world commerce are found
ed. The farmer makes a blend OF
seed and soil and labor, and behold
wheat and corn, ali the grains ana
grasses, the cotton and all its result
ant by-products, the fruits Of million
orchards. and the berries upon mill
ion acres.
His outturn includes the raw wool
and feathers OF the world, the meats
all the raw materials in fact that are
absolutely essential to life in the
temperate zones.
Viewed as a manufacturing propo-
sition the farmer should have much
to say as to the price Of his output.
This Is the logical conclusion, and
one not to be overlooked. His prod.
ucts have value; they cost months OF
time, perhaps years, and much laeor
and experience to produce.
And the investment in the land, the
cost of upkeep and betterments, the
depreciation on buildings and the wear
and tear on tools and machinery.
What of all Of these. and of the inter
est on debt and investment?
Takes What's offered.
So far as we have discovered, the
farmer is the only manufacturer OF
raw, or Of any other kind of prod
uct. that takes just what the other
fellow is inclined to pay, or fails to
market. We are speaking in broad
sense, not merely as to individuals
but as to the farm industry as a whole
and In normal times and years. But
not all the products of the farm are
raw MATERIAL; far different
The fruits and berries, the melons
and vegetables, the dressed poultry in
season. the home cured hams and
bacon, which many sell in limited
way, and the eggs which SO largely
supplies the farm wife with market
money; all Of tAbse are 'finishcd''
products, ready for consumption, and
just so too, as to butter, cream, milk
and honey.
Break in Live Stock.
Take the recent smash in prices of
live stock, notably of hogs and the
3
and sheep Not a single farmer any
where had thing to say as to what
.has happened to his product, nor
would any kind of protest have add
ed copper to his reenue, once his
wares were headed for market.
Bear in mind that all feeds have
been relatively high for long time
and that right here in Wayne, for
example, old corn has sold on the
farm within a few weeks. at auction,
at 1925 to $40 per bushel. Recently
marketed hogs were fed on this basis
of cost.
Talk of the markets as we may, SIM
pie equity would insure that the pro-
Queer would have had some show for
his white alley, regardless Of tempo
rary circumstances or the manipula-
ton Of the great speculative intedests.
But the farmers hogs have been
simply chips or markers in this gl-
gantic game, in which the farmer has
merely been the bewildered locker on
Neither packer, broker or consumer
have taken him into account, and
truth to tell the consumer has thus
far only saved cents where the hog
raiser has lost dollars, more's the
pity, for a real cut in the price OF
pork roasts, lard hams and bacon
would be greeted with popular &C
claim. True, we have had some re
auctions in price, but not enough to
greatly relieve the strain.
Makers Of Prices.
The various farm declarations are
the outgrowth of farm price condi
tons; they have come into being be-
cause of just what we have been IL
Illustrating, not merely as to the re-
suits just considered but because OF
the experience of years. Spectators
have made the prices of grain to suit
the season and crops. and packers
have made the prices on all classes OF
live stock, regardless, up to the days
of war legislation and restrictions.
The produce commission men have
made the prices on berries, vegetables
and all kinds of fruits and frequently
their figures have been too low to
cover cost of picking, packages and
freight, notably as to grapes, peaches
berries and melons in the large cities
not so many years ago.
Every thinking man is aware that
the growth Of the Grange movement
of the various farm and live stock as
sociatiOns, werenOt the Outgrowth OF
greed, but were born Of the desire to
be able to live comfortably, to get
an equivalent for labor and produc'
No Nf H.,