Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1921-04-15
THE AGRICULTURAL SITUATION

able to the live stock farmer. The
man who grew his own live stock
aud own grain and fed his grain to
the live stock, on the whole, made
money although not as much as il
he had sold the grain instead OF
feeding It, The man who bought the
live stock and bought the grain and
fed the grain to the live stock, on
the average lost money. When hogs
were selling at $40 per hundred
weight everybody seemed to think
the hog feeder was growing rich, but
most of the time when hogs were
selling at those high figures the men
who had to buy the grain to feed
the hogs last money.
The second cause of the farmers
trouble is this Prices of farm pro-
ducts have dropped out of all pro-
portion to the prices of other things
as we'll as out of all proportion to
the cost of production.
II VI eAdDDplS, llit plISS VI SOl II anu
oats today on the Iowa farm is about
20 per cent below the normal price
of these crops before the war. The
present price of fat cattle and of
hogs is from 20 to % per cent above
the prewar normal if we take Chi
cago prices, but on the farm the
prices of both cattle and hogs are
down to prewar normal.
Now note the prices of some of the
things the farmer must buy: Wages
OF farm hands are about 100 per cent
above the prewar normal railroad
rates are from 10 to so per cent
above prewar normal such basic
| commodities as pig iron, coke, pc
troleum, lumber, Portland cement,
are far above the prewar normal
from 100 to $50, and in some cases,
200 per cent above the prewar nor
NAL Factory wages and railroad
wages are both more than 100 per
cent above the prewar normal.
In other words, while the farmer
is selling the things he produces at
prices no higher, and, for great sur
plus crops, lower than the prewar
normal, he must buy practically
everything he needs at prices from
so to $50 per cent above the pre-
war normal. The severe agricultural
depression is inevitable as long as
such a condition exists and this de-
preston will certainly be communi-
Gated to industry and business gen
orally.
1t is a situation which should chal-
lenge the very best thought of the
entire nation. If it continues the
trouble will be communicated to
everyone, We are brothers one of
another. Anything which hurts the
farmer will very soon be communi-
Gated to all of our citizens. The
farmers represent probably 80 to 40
per cent of the population. Any
thing which seriously affects their
buying power will bring trouble to
the people who make or deal in the
things the farmer buys.
1t is terrible indictment of our
modern civilization when this great
country is in the period of what al
most might be called economic chaos
because Of our great surplus food
supply, while across the seas, in both
directions, almost half the world is
suffering for want of food. If our
statesmen had given more thought
u getting the world back on a sound
economic basis, and perhaps had
spent less time on idealistic schemes
and theories, they would have rem
dered greater contribution to the
peace and orderliness and happiness
OF the people of the earth
Now, as to this present situation,
surely the duty of the Department
OF Agriculture is evident. We should
do everything possible to find an
outlet for this great food surplus
We should search for ways to pro-
duce more cheaply Our scientific
men should try 10 find new uses for
our surplus crops. We should help
develop more efficient marketing
systems, strengthening curves and
lowering the grades between the pro-
Queer and the consumer. 1t is a
time for every man who can help to
take hold. As in the days when we
dragged our fire enginess by hand
to the scene of the fire and every
good citizen rushed out and took