The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-01-09
Farmer Differs as
To Feeding Horses
Thinks Business Men Make Profit of
20 to 80 Per Cent ON all Charity
Work They Promote
CARE FOR FOOD ANIMALS

The following letter explains it
self, and commands respect by rea
son of its being backed up by th'
signature of the writer, even tho peo
pie may not be able to agree with hi
judgment. He says the business
men make from 20 to 80 per cent OF
all the money they put out fol
charitable purposes, and they can af
ford to give land then get it back IL
foreclosing mortgages. Some phil
! osophy, we admit! We publish i
for what it seems worth to our read
ers, the same as we published g
| statement some time ago, taken from
testimony given in a senate ipvesti
cation that said the retail grocers
make from 100 to 5000 per cent
profit on the goods they sell; 8
statement too absurd for serious re-
Election. Merchants who are struggl.
ing to hold their places in business
during the present disturbed prices
are condemned on such philosophy
A short time ago visitor at our Of
flee asked about the cost of print
paper and we told him that the same
grade of paper we bought at $65 a
ton before the war is quoted now at
the mills at over 5000 ton and that
the last we bought in quantity cost
$50 ton. We mentioned that we
still sell our newspaper and our ad-
vertising at the pre-war prices, and
he promptly condemned us for hav-
ing robbed the people so fearfully
before the war. If we had trebled
the price of the newspaper when
print paper trebled he would prob
ably have thought we were doing
very proper thing, but because we
are trying to pull thru on losing
proposition in that department, he
was wroth. Such philosophy as that,
used against men in business breeds
disgust in them, the same as this
other philosophy breeds distrust
with a farmer or laborer who be-
lieves all that he is told about pro-
fiteering. 1.-%
Here is the gentleman's letter
about horses and mortgages:
"Blackfoot, Idaho, Jan. 6, 1920
Editor of The Idaho Republican,
Dear sir:
"While reading your paper of
January 8, noticed the article
Save Horses From Starving But
can't agree with you, that we
farmers should take care of these
stray horses. In the first place the
majority of the horses are of an in
feriOr class, ranging in value from
$40 to $50. Now if we were to keep
stray horses for the next three
months, there would be an output
in hay alone of about ton and a
half. At the present price of hay
the feed bill would amount to about
$35, which is about an average value
Of the horses that are turned loose
to rustic for themselves.
Now, Mr.. Editor, would appre-
ciate an explanation of how we as
farmers could come out even, tho we
may sell these horses for expenses
otherwise if, as you say, we donate
as charity our feed and time, why
not, instead Of feeding such animals,
put our hay into sheep or cattle and
not let so many of them dye of
starvation.
Doesn't it seem reasonable, that
for the benfit of all, we save our food
animals instead of the horses that
are thrown on the public and as
suming we did care for them, would
be an extra expense without any re-
turns for our feed.
Are the majority of farmers able
to give something for nothing in this
Or do they have to sell
their extra hay to pay some of their
bills accumulated and payable to
some of the credit business houses of
Blackfoot?
Then you mentioned also in this
article that the business men were
called upon to furnish all the cash
'or such misfortunes. Yes, l admit
hey do furnish the cash in such en-
but the majority realize
rom 20 to 30 per cent on all money |
invested in this way. For all this
cash placed out among the farmers,
t is not very hard to collect, because
hey foreclose the mortgage and re-
suits are certain.
NOW, MI. IulIOI, 1 Icdu dlu Gil |
10y your paper because you print |
whatever is sent to you and then are
Wiling to back up what you believe
% be the truth. l don't want you
,r Bingham county to think I'm a
Kicker, for I would much rather
)oost and whenever the business
nen are willing to give as charity |
to those in need, such as dry farm
,rs and some wage earners) l am
Wiling to give my share to the same
,ause in proportion to my capital.
IF you have space in your paper
o give to this letter l would appreci
lte the same.
Thanking you in advance for
'our attention to this matter, I beg
o remain,
your friend and customer,
CHARLES FARNWORTH,
'Blackfoot, Idaho, route 4, box A."