The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-09-12
FARMER PUTS HIGH PRICE OF
LIVING UP T0SWORKER
CHALLENGEISINCUBATEO
City Hired Help Asked To Make
Accounting; Comparison of
Figures
lAssociated Press Dispatch


Albany, N. Y, September 10.-Offi-
Gals of the New York State Grange
representing $4,000 farmers, in a
statement issued here today PLACING
responsibility for the high cost OF
living upon labor. declared that ear
economic adjustment must be made
IL the world is to be fed and agri-
culture preserved" The indictment
OF all workers except those engaged
IN agricultural pursuits is made by
Sherman j. Powell and w. N. Giles
master and secretary. respectively
or the grange, who allege that strikes
have been an important factor in
raising the price of food, clothing
and shelter
Three calls Every Day.
The first factor in a happy life is
three meals every day." says the
statement. "The next is adequate
clothing and housing to keep the
body warm The war has only hast
ened what every thinking agricultur-
alist has seen for years was surely
coming. Rural workers have not re-
ceived the support and encourage
ment which the urban workers so
easily obtained in the form of better
school, roads, churches, houses.
shorter hours and higher wages for
work under more favorable conditions.
This had the result of steadily draw
ing from the country its population
tc an alarming degree. Now. fn-
stead of going into a study of our
c;t,at;or md dayoiopip0 q rop,ady
our laboring brothers of the city pur
pose to remedy our trouble by ar
bitrary measures without any real
knowledge of the cost Of producing
the necessities of life.
Speaks For the Farmer.
mo class of Americans with red
blood in their veins will stand being
told they must labor long hours at
inadequate nay in order that afother
class may have shorter hourf and
higher wages. Even the faithful
farmer, who mas always produced
sufficient food for all. feels he has
about reached the limit, and that no
laboring man OF 4he< city should find
fault IL he applies the same rule that
his city brother has taught him.
sswhy is it that over half our farms
have mortgages on them. and that
two thirds are worked by rentersg
When a class of men demand
HIGHER wage although their labor
does not earn it, some one else must
pay. and they become dishonest
profteers.
1--WE here challenge the city la
borer to a cost accounting that all
the world nay see who earns his
wage. Let there be an authorlta-
tive cost accounting of farm prod
ucts and a wage scale for labor the
base of which shall be its earnlns
power.
Some Comparison Made.
z"When wheat was 81 bushel. one
hushel paid for days work. wheat
br government fiat, is now S2.26
btshel, and ii now requires from TWO
TO three bushels to pay labor Tor one
davis work. Again when wool was
thirty cents pound, allowing four
mounds for suit of clothes, the
farmer received for the product sl.zo:
Figuring the cost of SUIT OF
clothes at $40. thirteen DAYS LABOR
at 81 so per day paid for suit Ioaay
wool is sixty five cents pound. lpui
mounds brine'ng $3.50, the aToun'
rereiyed bv the farmer. The same
suit of clothing is now $40 ana tne
laborer can obtain 4 suit by elsht
DAYS of labor at S. per day. Ihese
comnarisons will hold good WIN
every farm product"