The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-11-26
FARMERS GREED A HANDICAP


That farmers, who, just now, seen
to be getting decidedly the worst Of
it because of the slump in prices Of
all they produce after having pait
higher prices than ever before tt
produce it, are human and just like
other people is being frequently
shown. That the farmers are just as
greedy and anxious to "profiteer" as
any other class cannot be doubted
Several instances have recently
brought this prominently to the no
tice Of observing people.
When the farmers held their con-
vention in Kansas recently and de-
cided to hold their wheat for higher
prices "to get the actual cost of pro-
duction" they became as avaricious
profiteers as the sugar profiteers of
the United States and Cuba. They
demanded "$3 per bushel at terminal
warehouses for No. l wheat" There
is no reason for wheat being So per
bushel than there is for sugar being
80 cents a pound. The spirit that
would demand one is just as grasp
ing, greedy, avaricious and dishonest
as the spirit that prompted the ask
ing of the other. George G. Jewett,
head Of the Washington-Idaho Wheat
Growers Association, was in the Of
flee of this Newspaper when the Asso-
ciated Press dispatch telling of the
actions and demands of the Kansas
convention, was received. Mr.. Jewett
truthfully said:
"They are shooting too high and
will spoil the entire effect of their
demands. They are asking more
than wheat is worth and will array
all other classes against them" He
vas absolutely right.
Spokane has had an experience
with the farmers along this line.
When food prices were at the very
peak and farmers were complaining
that when they brought produce to
the Spokane stores it was sold with
difficulty ct about one-third or one
fourth what the retailers charged the
consumers for it. They told the truth.
It has long been the habit for retail
ers to demand about twice as much
for handling farm produce Except
butter and eggs} what they paid the
farmer for producing it and deliver
ing it to the market
The city took %cognizance of the
of the farmers and arran
ged to give them free stalls at the
city market in which to sell their
produce. Stalls were built on the side
walk where farmers had a better OPP
portunity to display their produce
than the stores had. They did a
thriving business, but the city is to
these markets because of the
grasping greed of the farmers. In
lis report to Mayer Fleming one Of
The city commissioners said:
INSTEAD of the farmers dividing
he middlemen's profits with the con-
as was hoped would be done,
hey are charging exactly the same
prices as the stores. The farmers
been given free use of these
which are better places to dis
,lay their wares, yet they put their
PRICES at exactly the same figures as
he stores and the gets no
while the farmer takes the
rade from the stores that pay rent
md taxes and clerk hire. Instead of
he consumer being able to buy
heaper and the farmer get a slight
Y better price, the farmer is taking
! all and the consumer gets no bene-
e."
All OF which shows that the farmer
!, merely human, that he protests
Utterly against p~rofiteering by 9th
RS but that he is just as anxious to
rofiteer as anybody and when given
1e opportunity to become a profiteer
g does not hesitate, but joins the
at once. I
- - !
Pullman people seem really in earn |
It about building a good road from .
lat town to Moscow. The Pullman :
lamber of m has discussed .
matter on several occasions and /,