Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1920-06-24
EMULATE
AMERICAN
SPIRIT


Dear Sir:-In the issue of June 10
1920, of your paper, you offered sever
al refreshing and timely articles which
deserve appreciation on the part OF
every true American. In that spirit
l express same to you herewith.
l. Your report on the Brazeau-
Shoemaker debate, if such it could be
called, was rightly interpreted, posi-
tive and final. Mr.. Brazeau won,
hands down.
2. Your article scaptioned "The
Cat and the Bird" applies as intense
ly human to many cases in society to-
day. The subject should be giver
more consideration and any steps
whatsoever which can be taken to
Tighten the burden of young mothers
and elevate their station in, society
especially as considered from the view
point of our younger generation
should be endorsed as truly American
and noble in the highest degree. YOUNG
mothers need all the protection and
assistance that can be extended them
at all times if their children should
become such Americans as we would
have them to be. Let us also think
of Mothers Day as applying in this.
sense.
3. "On Profteering." Do not make
the farmer the goat all the time:''
How true! Always the cry More
production, Mr.. Farmer. Speed up
speed up" Who for? So that after
an indefinite period the consumer can
obtain share of his products for his
existence at eXorbitant prices? No
mainly comes the call from the -specu-
lators, not always the factory and very
seldom the retailer, but the brokers
the profiteers in between so that they
can triple their already 100 per cent
profit at his, (the farmer's) expense.
On the first page of the Milwaukee
Sentinel the other day it is stated that
the Purina Breakfast Food & Cereal
Co, The Ralston Co, had just declar-
ed 400 per cent stock dividend a.
mong about 35 stockholders And this
concern manufactures food article
directly worked up from the farmers
products. Sure produce some more,
Mr.. Farmer-You will get what we
give you, but we will take 800 per
cent profit if we can All we need is
more "Production" Is that profteer-
ing? Yes. But it is also UN-AMERI-
CAN, which is a still greater crime.
As an American corporation, the Pu-
rina people ought to be ashamed of
themselves, and ditto for every other
concern in the same boat. Robbing
their fellow-citizens from both ends.
Another form of profteering a
rises in the business of distributing
food-stuffs and supplies as conducted
by numerous so-called brokers in the
big commercial centers. They Break"
every one but themselves. They Sc
cure line of credit at their bank
which enables them to make deals at
long distance in carload lots of sup
plies, not for the primary purpose of
facilitating distribution, but especial
ly to give themselves a chance at a
''rake-off' or commission, as it's call
ed, because the stuff moves thru their
hands but they never actually handle
n1, nf 4h0 4
see only the samples of them by which
they buy and SELL Their game is
merely thatof dipping into it for the
sake of their own profit Prices either
way cut no figure to them, just SO
they can buy low and sell high Their
transactionsare conducted in up-to-
date offices in the city thru a steno-
grapher or an A. d. 7. messenger bov.
Their number is unlimited, as manv
as can crowd into the game, each
wants the biggest profit he can get
there is no law to stop them, and the
consumer pays the BILL It is not only
the case of one or two middlemen al
ways ONt tiiS iAdliiOc1 may bG tloAGiLS
depending upon the speed CD Will
which Railroads can deliver carload
lots at destination. The Railroad
striker today works right into thei
hands 1t is not uncommon for on
carload of supplies to change hand
as to the RIGHT of disuosition severa
times while "enroute," not to men
tion anything regarding the merchan
disc while in storage. A typical cas-
of fleeing the farmer at one. end an
the consumer at the other by sue
middle-men recently, was in the hand
ling of our last potato crop. At har
vest time the market-price last ia
paid to farmers in carload lots wa
around S1.50 per 90 ID. bag at shir
ping point on cars. This price wa
maintained during the season until a
potatoes that could be reached wer
bought up. AS soon as no more wer
in sight, there was suddenly a prit
of $500 per bag, placed on same b
the large commission merchants, brol
ers and the like, and this has been he
there and advanced from Christina
time until now. Who received tt
profit of over 100 per cent without
turnover at that time? The consum,