Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1919-09-12
SENATOR FRERE ISSUES
WARNING

10 the Editor of The Sun-Tr: In
all the investigations | have read OF to
over the high cost of living it seems to
me there is one fact that is entirely
overlooked Mr.. Editor, as see it,
here is what would call a silent strike
.aking place over the country that il
iomethmg is not done to stop it fear
viii prove a very serious obstacle in the
way OF lowering prices. This strike, il
may be permitted to so call it, is MOI
me Of the organized and well-planned
strikes we read Of It is not the choice
II those who are part to it.
The farmers OF today are facing a
iSat they cannot overcome, ana
Athem are being forced to
Nl their farming opera
Of making enough to
and their families. Not
Sheir own, | repeat, for no
yic people live than the farm
But labor is impossible 10 get, ana
khen you get it the price to be paid is
3rohibitiye Fertilizers, it is true, have
leen lowered to some extent, but are
I'LL very high, while machinery is from
90 to $50 per cent higher than few
years ago. The only man who can farm
1t ali with any satisfaction is the man
who has sons OF his own and is willing
o sacrifice their education and make
farm hands of them.
Now let US take the price OF pork in
he papers last week read where
every road leading to Chicago was filled
With hogs and cattle, farmers unloading
,heir stock before the decline. Owing
% the war on meat prices hogs had gone
down to IL cents pound.
Mr. Editor, you cannot raise 15-cent
pork on $50 per ton middlings and $40
per barrel corn. 1t simply cannot be
lone l have been hog raiser for 40
years and know it cannot be done
And, again, If the farmer unloads his
stock to save himself will he run the
risk and raise more' Hardly.
The Investigators had better go slow
On the farmer. The idea that the aver
age farmer is living in luxury is mis-
gaken one. Let me ask how many farm
srs have the comforts and eonveniences
IN their homes that the workingman OF
the city has How many have electric
lights and bathrooms Not one in a
hundred, and are they not entitled to it ;
suppose the farmer should strike for an
eight-hour day. Do you realize where
prices would go' And still he is face to
race with 10-hour help at three and four
times, even higher, prices than formerly
paid that is, II he can get it. Then is
ehere any reason why the toiling farmer
and his family should not resort to one
Of two thngs-do Just what they can
Tor themselves or give up and join the
ever growing mass OF consumers, there
by decreasing the produeera
And they are decreasing very rapidly
How many OF the soldier boys are GO
ing back to the farm9 About or ID
per cent, think, will cover it. No. Mr.
Editor, the cost OF production has gol
to be lowered and all the strikes the
workingmen or organized labor car
make will not improve the situation If
The country. 1t will, on the other hand
only make matters worse. OF course,
do not want to be understood that there
are no grounds for lighting the prohteel'
Tor / firmly believe he should be sought
out and when found be severely deal
! with. What | am eontending IS that ths
farmers cannot stand any lower price
than they now receive, and that to tam
per with that part OF it is very serious
and dangerous thing to do. His lot is ne
bed Of roses. 1t is not an eight-houl
4 day he works. 1t is a twelve or four
teen hour day, and no pay for oyertim
and Sunday. So if the city man think
it is such nice thing to be farmer W
extend TO him an invitation to com
down some time when it is 20 degree
in the shade and take hand at thresh
ing wheat. What we farmers want i
fair and just reward for our labor.
1 WILLIAM J. FRERE.
| Tompkinsyille. Md, Sept 4.