The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-03-05
RDHl.ENlS Of TAE
FARMER OF TODAY
tContinued from page One.l

FARMER OF TO-DAY
CONTINUED from Page One,
road man. hut farmers are not gen
orally organized as are most all
other classestoday. and owing to
their isolation and temperament
they probably never WILDE To in
telligently consider tho high cost of
living which Is coordinate with in
dustrial unrest to great extent but
not entirely so, one must go back
little. During the war the farmer
Was asked to produce wheat and
meat as two of the most important
food necessities to maintain eff
| cheney at the front. On whept he
was guaranteed minimum price
but this minimum price fixing was
In Its administration actually the
fixing Of certain definite price with
no possibility of obtaining more.
Then scarcity began 10 he felt and
all things produced in any line of
business not regulted by government
control began to rise but wheat
! couldn't rise past the fixed limit,
The miller could only make a GER
! tain fixed profit on the flour he man
ufactnred but that profit was in en-
cess OF peace time profits and far
in excess OF the advanced profits the
| farmer was allowed to make, while
the farmer had to take the chances
of variable climatic conditions and
the miller knew positivet, he could
make a certain number of pounds of
flour out of a given number of
pounds OF wheat OF fixed grade.
Tnen the army andnavy, ship
IA 3Ns6s
called former. Patriotism and the
draft took large numbers of the
aDlest farm workers to the training
| camps. The excessive wages paid in
the government ship building and
other lines took a lot more of the
farmlabor that cared far more for
the almighty dollar than they did
for their country and anyhow they
had the consolation that they were
helping the nation to prepare fer
war. This left the farmer practically
stranded for labor but he did not
hesitate. His government called on
him in the name Of patriotism to
raise wheat in place of other crops
on which he could have made far
mere profit and he raised wheat.
Lots of wheat, More than anyone
thought possible. But labor and ma
chinery and all other necessities
We're going up by leaps and bounds
and much Of this wheat was raised
at an actual loss. AndI want to say
right here that If the farmer would
figure interest on his inve stment,
overhead and operating expense as
me merchant and manufact uryr
does, together with uncertainty Of
vlein owing to climatic conditions
over when life has no control. and
!! wagestor himself and family at un-
ION labor rates and hours his profits
would be represented by a good
round sum placed in the loss col
umh But you say many of our
farmers are we'll to 10 ard ,sosn,r-
Gus. Certainly. Most Of their "a
l.e's gave them farm alraady
stocked. They "ork from IL to 20
hours per day, and the vince fam
lily works. They do not spend much
money, partially perhaps for the ra.-
son they are away f-cm the towns.
and cities most Of Il 6 time a,.i tro
moi tempted ta do 70 But BY far
ire greater Increase in the far1a ,rs'
wealth - represented by the :ncrcas
ed value OF his l:nd This is not
continual but i, Is certain tIrcrr,,
+, 4 period OF years.
!'Ht We are getting away iron,
the question. What 1 have stated
concerning wheat is practically true
OF meat. Government price fixing in
ms case ii is true took a diffnren,
! form but the results were that the
farmers and feeders could never
Know what price nr size OF carcass
| would be in favor when their. stock
s.; ready Tor, market. Then tne war
eaaeu. Skilled labor and trades p.o
"e We're getting from Is to 200 ,le-
cent more itr eight hours than they
'asi received prior tc the war. There
We're thousands more on the Govern
/ Ment payroll and are yet at a great,
| y increased wage. The imitation OF
currency and shortage of all sup
plies had greatly decreased the pur
chasing power of the dollar. LOYAL
peorie had saved and scrimped and
borrowed during the war to buy
Liberty bonds. After the war vas
over many OF these began to sell
their bond and spenu the money or
to trade these bonds for something
they wanted. And right here We are
coming to the real gist Of the whole
question. 1t has been truly said
that the trouble is not the H. c.
L., but the cost of high living.
/ During the war practically ina