The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-07-24
Government Price Making.

UOVcfnulcnC IIlCC NdhlHSs
There are always two parties to
bargain, and therefore it is likely
that opinions will be about equally
divided over the amusing contrasts
afforded by, the government policy
has to sell in such quantities that
government prices control trade
prices. France offers $500, 100000
cautiously SO as not to depress prices
States goods, without which France
would Still be fighting. Nobody
France, but the government proposes
to bring home the stuff rather than
to take a fifth of it's cost. On the
other hand, the congress committee
Investigating the management OF the
war criticised the effort of the army
it's surpluses, and counseled that It
was better to Smash the mar et
than to get what might be realized
for what must be sold since it can
not be consumed.
The shipping board is selling tho
plies ever offered and is proceeding
cautiously SO as not to depress prices
against itself. The government has
foods for sale on scale indicated bY
500, 100000 worth of canned goods,
and is offering it to cities on condi-
LlOIS NllCIl lSpl SSClllo dOouI ~ pea
cent loss to the government: The
scarcity Of sugar is explained by the
fact that the government has 21,-
900, 900 pounds, for which there is a
foreign bid of 10 cents, but which
will be sold cheaper to home buyers
Orleans alone there are 100000
pounds of sugar in store, and yet
there is complaint of scarcity and
high prices. The foreign demand is
the explanation, for West, Indian
sugar merely passes through this
ment and export. When goods are
auctioned foreign bidders take them.
and the hope of smashing the market
vanishes. The ingenious grangers
are not sympathetic with the pro-
posal to smash their market, and are
their guarantee of S226 for wheat
so that they may get below cost the
taxpayers stand the difference, but
were the wheat guarantee and mark
ct control to be abolished the tax
payers would be relieved of ST..
dearer food would be transferred to
the bread eaters.
The farmers care so little for
popularity that they are Indifferent
whether their profits come from the
Bacon is higher than beef, one rising
more. When the government sells
because the government left the mar
ket free, and the other falling, al
through the trust reduced prices by
greater percentage than was ever
known in a similar period of time.
The department of agriculture al
vertises that the need for thrift has
passed, and that conservation Of
meat and wheat is no longer COM
mendable for the country's sake.
But the federal reserve board asserts
that prices are rising and that it is
prudent to deny the stomach for the
sake of the money market. The
navy department, which grudges the
price of the oil it buys, has just sold
nearly million yards Of flannel at
a profit of 20 per cent and the open
market quotes a dollar for three
yards of muslin which used to be
four yards for quarter.
1t is useless to try to reconcile,
such contradictions. There are as
prices are or ought to be, or how or
lated. Interests control opinions
rather than policies, and there should
be no complaint of that All that
it is permissible to suggest is that
the government should be neither
bull nor bear. 1t is not concerned to
protect either producers or consum-
ers. but both of them. That can be-
done only by trying to keep the
market fair and free, gradually re-
Taxing the control which it has ex-
ercised for that purpose until final
ly it disappears when the reason for
1t ceases