Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-10-22
FARMER IS LOSER.
IN /. c. l., SENATOR
FROM KANSAS SAYS
TELLS COLLEAGUES THAT MEN
WHO TILL THE SOIL ARE HIT
HARDEST BY PRICE REGULA.
TiONS-SEEkS REMEDIES.

Washington, oct. % The farmers
side Of the high cost of living ques-
ton was presented to the senate to-
day by senator Capper, republican of
Kansas, who declared that, while far
mers are selling their products at a
loss in declining markets, the con
sinners are paying rising prices,
Faulty distribution was blamed
largely for this remarkable specta-
Gle" and the senator urged "A number
OF remedies to increase production
He deplored the numerous industrial
strikes and the small representation
given agriculture in the industrial con
ference,
In our efforts to get rid OF the
high cost of living disease" said Mr.
Capper, II fear We are in great dan
ger Of dying Of the remedy As a
result OF Washington's effort to re-
duce high prices by breaking dowt
entirely the cost of food we have the
remarkable spectacle of a rise of one
per cent in the cost of living, coin
cident with market drops that are put
ting livestock raiSers out OF business
and causing serious losses to other
producers.
Illustrating the anomalous situation
of farmers and consumers Senator
Capper said farmers are selling their
wheat at a loss, adding:
1t takes four and half bushels
of wheat to make a barrel of our, The
Oh fAr H..
wheat, the miller S127O the baker
1857 and the hotel keeper here in
Washington as it is dolrd ont in thin
slices, 1857.
The government through the grain
corporation Senator Capper said
profited s23,000'0c0 at the expense OF
farmers last year, the farmers selling
90 to 70 cents less than the guaranteed
price,
The situation of the livestock far
mer is even more deplorable, he
said.
Farmers are selling their grain fed
beeves and hogs for less than it cost
TO produce them but the consumer
finds little or no change in the price
OF meat
buy demands the high dollar the price
of his commodities, the cheapest ii
the market. are held down by for
eign embargo and a government guar
antee. Without visibly helping the
consumer we have brought about {
crisis in our most fundamental ant
vital industry by forcing the pro
Queer to accept prices at which NJ
cannot continue to produce while ~
and the consumer are compelled Il
pay prices at which they are force
to curtail the home demand
Farmers are being driven out %
business and drifting To the cities
because of condition in the agrlcui
tural industry. Senator tapper dc
clared Citing losses sustained by az
ricultural producers Senator Cappe'
said the recent decline in livestoch
prices had cost producers SSo,ooo,ooo
livestock growers, he said, do not
control the markets and, Ike othe'
agricultural producers, must accep'
prices fixed by others.
Farm wages have doubled, Iaho
values have risen enormously, ahd
everything the farmer buys, he sad
have risen from fifty to 300 per cent
Among the remedies suggested bS
Senator Capper were cessation OF
federal government propaganda
which tends to bear down the prices
OF farm products. -,
Executive departments he said
should break by every means at then
command to open wider markets Il
the farmer by lifting the embargo OF
wheat and wheat flour to Europe ny
extending credits to European gov
ernments and by lowering oceai
freight rates.
Legislation to free the livestock
producer of alleged control OF the mar
kets by the packers also was urget
by Senatory Capper, who suggested
establishment of cooperative tafli
selling agencies,
price making in necessities o
life" he said. should never again b'
left to the gambler of the exchange
or to corporate monopoly.