The Mena weekly star., 1920-12-02
POLK COUNTY AND PROSPERITY

asked for suggestions of how condi-
tions and business may be improved IN
Polk county. The price of cotton has
fallen from 38 and 40 cents since last
winter to about 6 to 10 cents for the
common grades and IL to IA Genus Ior
middlings, and there is practically no
demand at these prices. About izoo
bales were offered for sale IN Mena
last Saturday and no buyers came 70
/ hid on the cotton as the farmers had
been led to believe, and the result was
nearly all the cotton was taken nome,
/ or left in the warehouse.
/ The situations is a serious one for
the farmers, the merchants, the oank
and the entire community. The
cause seems to be the result of the H.
nancial reaction and liquidation OF
the after the-waf period; the mgh
price of labor. the terrible strain on
all the people to pay the taxes and IN
terest on the 35 billions America was
called on to finance itself and other
nations bringing this country to the
very edge of the vortex of bankruptcy,
which Europe now is in. 1t IS true
that Europe owes the United states
ten billions Of dollars, but it is unable
to pay any interest on this debt for
several years to come, and as Eu-
rope cannot pay for our cotton, nor
our cotton goods, the raw material has
dropped to almost one half the cost
to produce it, and factories are shut
ting down, banks are refusing further
loans. merchants are crowding their
customers to raise money to pay for
the high priced goods bought the past
year and all the world faces a winter
Of stagnation, of forced liquidation,
and Of money stringency. | well re-
member the panics Of 1857, of 1873, of
1898, and of 1907, and the winter Of
1921 may be the beginning Of another
similar tight money period. Corn
sold at to 10 cents in Iowa and Ne
vada after the panic Of 1873, and in
1884 oats sold in Illinois, Indiana
and even in Ohio for Z to 8 cents a
bushel. Wheat sold for 35 to SO cents
in the northwest. Prairie hay at rs
cents to $1.00 ton in the Prairie
states, hogs at 2 to pa cents a
pound. and common labor on the farm
was 80 to rs cents a day. Going
still farther back between 1880 and
1860 my fathers family clock cost
three steers at Sc head to purchase
it.
It is interesting to note that corn
has fallen from $l.55 year ago to
So and 6S cents in Kansas City, that
wheat in two years has dropped from
$3.50 to $355 down to $l55 to S1.65
and that oats are now AZ to 40 cents
against $l.20 TO S1.25. Hogs are sell
ing to the packers at $1,000 to Sl1.75
compared with s22 about two years
ago.
This is what the farmers and pro-
ducers has to stagger under. While
the wheat grower had to pay from
So to $3.50 day and board for the
labor to cut and harvest his grain, and
the cotton planter had to pay $14 to
SIG a barrel for his -four, from IS to
65 cents a pound for bacon and ham.
While lard sold up to 80 and 80 cents,
corn chops up to $3.50 to SIS, and he
has had to pay from SO to $3.50 per
hundred pounds for picking his cotton,
and from So to SO for ginning IL. and
must sell at 10 to ~ cents.
On the other hand organized and
often inefficient labor still demand
from s6 to SIS day in the cities and
IN the factories, in the mills and on
the public works, in the mines and in
the old fields, and in some cases the
unions are still striking for higher
wages, and shorter hours, and with
less effort to produce the necessities
Of life! Does labor look to the future
anC realize that increased production
and lessened cost of all production.
and lessened cost of all manufactured
goods must absolutely follow in order
that the great majority Of the people
can live and earn to produce the mon
ey 70. keep the factories open and at
work? -'''' ~
And how is the farmer and the ar
binary man to live, and paw his debts
and clothe and provide an education
Ioi ms family unless there is an
equality and equity in the final adj
lustmeent of prices, and labor. But
Is Is the farmer, the producer of food.
ana raw material that must sell and
get the frst cut in his prices. and pro-
nus must disappear and on some cases
ieaVe debts In their place-his labor
lost and his capital diminished bv tbe
ducts. u farm pro-
what ! am trying to illustrate is
mat the present serious situation caIls
aoi community cooperation and action
70 tioe over ne present difficulties. We
must broaden our vision, increase tbo
interest IN our neighbor's affairs and
more tully appreciate our own resnon-
siplllties and continue the snlapd;a
Team work and self denial develonad
81 .nS way during the late war. and
~. ~ inns great work at home, dur
ne me reconstruction period now
laeihg US. We remember what o,..
eaill~atlon, community and individual
cooperation did in carrying this naton
eliiu tne worlds war Ca we do as
4lluoil Tor ourselves. for our commun
w as we did for other countries , IT,
situation calls for cooperation ana ~.
Ieusihg the energy and pr;hl;c s,,;,.;.
y lhe entire community TO take m ~ =
! TASK OF putting Arkansas to tho - sne
~ increasing food production hill hill
ny good roads, by providing w.
aho better schools by improv;no " ans
peautlfylng our homes. bv nlart i.'u
b" \" pt,,l los 70 vegetables and fruits
en- ~ multiplying every means to 1i ;n
t; f9ase tae income and output Of the
or ,Jrs u lne mines and mills. Of the
' orcnards and garaehs, Of The = r, ..,e
b mJmen and children who labor n andi
na,iu up the commonwealth. I rac anu
a axs, appreciate and give credit =
present so snJ OF past years, and Of the
1 p.sssiit ana suggest that everv st = sne
y, siu ana precinct Of the CITY and cn,,'
", ana every school district ons, lvu ~
oIEQnIZe q cnrnnn1,r.iA.- - Vuknl 70