The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1920-12-16
MlN0T LOCAL TALENT WILL
PRESENT "A PAIR OF SIXES''
day it takes s cowhides to get the

uoy ~ e"NSS So"HNSS w e~' o'A>
shoes.
To buy his wife a pair of $40 shoes
Kansas farmer recently sold q
bushels of corn for $3.50 and big
cowhide for 81. Then had to pay
so cents to boot to close the trans
action.
Last year 3k bushels of corn would
buy $5 hat. Today it will take
16 2/3 bushels.
Last year bushel of corn would
buy pounds of coffee. Today it
will buy only a little more than half
a pound.
Last year = 1/3 bushels Of corn
would purchase a 48 pound sack Of
-four. Today it takes 81 bushels.
A farmer feeds hog 7h bushels
of corn to make 100 pounds of pork,
but he pays bushels of corn for l
pound Of bacon.
For pounds of wool, enough to
make "a genuine all-wool suit" a
farmer is now glad to get 81, but to
buy such suit costs him 500 lbs. of
wool.
And so it goes up and lown the
line. Whether prices raise or fall
the farmers gets the wors. Of it.
If on a parity with the present price
of corn. Mr.. Rockefeller would sell
gasoline for 6 cents instead of 30:
the Coal Trust would sell a ton of
coal for $3.50 instead of $3.50; the
clothier $50 suit for $12; the shoe
dealer $40 shoe for So; the halter
a $5 hat for 81; and the packer would
sell bacon and buy livestock at pre-
war instead of at post war pr'ces.
American agriculture would not today
be in need of the credit pulmotor. Corn
should be and is worth more, if thes ?
conditions are worth what is asked
for them.
What is it going to profit lis to
keep knocking the farmer down and
taking his profit away from him ::
How are we going to be clothed ana
fed when we finally have knocked him
out completely?
know nothing more worth ponder
ing than this question. Its solution
is the key to our other vital prob
lens and the way it should be solved
is plainly before US.
There should be immediate re-es-
tablishment of the War Finance Board,
the present credit crisis being more
serious and far-reaching than the one
which called it into being during the
war.
Immediate suspension by the ex-
changes, of future trading in farm
products during the present crisis and
collapse of the farmers markets, as
gency to protect the country from SER
was resorted to during the war emer,
ious consequences of unrestrained
market manipulation.
We should Immediately re-establish
trade relations with foreign countries,
and arrange credits that will enable
Europe to buy our surplus products.
Ultimately we should provide tor
a national marketing board, in which
the producer will be represented, with
power to the hoard to regulate the
rate If marketing and to advise and
assist in stabiizing prices, that in
Jury to producer or to consumer thru
ruinous practices or conditions may be
avoided.
And finally we should see that in
the future adequate credit is provided
for farmers through short-time and
longtime loans adapted fairly prac.
tically to the peculiar conditions OF
the farming business, to afford farm
ers the same credit accommodations
now afforded other lines Of business
and that they may not be compelled
to dump their products on glutted
or demoralized market.
ARTHUR CAPPER,
Washington D. c.