The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-02-09


ciers become the residuary legatees"
in every bad situation, there is,
nevertheless, good deal Of strength
in his logic in which points out the
fact that most of the remedies sug-
gested are superficial.
THE AGRICULTURAL UPSET
A. Sykes, President of the Corn
Belt Meat Producers Association, told
the Agricultural Conference that
there is "a helpless condition among
large percentage of our farmers in
the great Corn Belt" He says
that the farmers snow have to pay
400 bushels of corn for a wagon
which they used to buy for $50
bushels" He asks: "Why must
they pay $50 bushels of corn for
gangplow which formerly cost 1875
bushels? Or $50 bushels for suit
of clothes which formerly cost 80
bushels, or 33 bushels for shoes that
formerly cost nine bushels 2"
e. B. Cronwall, President of the
Vermont Farm Bureau Association,
supplemented the above with similar
comparisons. He declared that high
transportation rates had made it
impossible to market the apple and
potato crops of Maine. "Our Sec
ton, as WHOLE" he added, "is suf-
fering from the high cost of trans
portation."
James w. Morton, an executive of
the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation
informed the Conference that 'there
must be cheaper freight rates or the
farmers products will rot upon the
farms" He cited an illustration
in a personal experience. Having
bargained for five cars of hay in
Michigan last spring, at $14 a ton,
IL. o. b., he found that the freight
rate to Georgia was SIC ton. Be-
cause the freight rates were prohi-
bitory he was unable to make the
purchase.
The farmers are not alone in tell
ing the story of the agricultural up
set. Charles H. Mcdowell, Presi-
dent of the National Fertilizers As
ISOLATION, told the Conference that
there has been a reduction in the de-
| mand for fertilizers from 100000
tons in 1914 to 100000 tons in 1921.
He placed the estimate OF direct
losses in 1921 to the industry as
mot far from $75,OOO,OOO, and that
fully that much more is outstanding
as past due paper"
The milling industry has also been
hit, according to James F. Bell re-
presenting the millers in the con-
ference. "The effect on the milling
industry of the spectacular and dis
proportionate fall in wheat prices
in June, 1920" he said, twas inn
| mediate and destructive"
Fred H. Bixby, President of the
American National Livestock AS
ISOLATION, described the conditions
in his industry as most deplorable."
He gave the reasons as First, high
cost of production an dthe high cost
Of marketing" This, he said, re-
solves itself into "the high salaries,
nigh prices Of feed, high cost of ma
terials and excessive freight rates,
| to say nothing of too high COM
mission charges at the Central Mar
kets." Mr.. Bixby said that the re-
tailers are the worst of the profiteers,
and he declared that the producers
should insist that business men who
handle what the farmers raise should
'curtail their profits"
The meat packers all report heavy
losses in their annual statment and
Armour & Company lead with de-
icit of $31 100000, which the COM
pany states is more than the profits
Of the best year in history.
In the above we have a few speci-
ic views upon the results that have
followed the agricultural upset. ;"
The men and interests that are quot
ed above represent the backbone OF
the agricultural industry in this
country. Their statements furnish
very clear idea of some of the all
ments Of the greatest of al basic in
dustries.
Out of these conditions there have
come insistent appeals for "relief."
Some of those who have been caught
between the millstones appear to be
Iieve that Congress can enact laws
that will cure their troubles. Whether
this is the solution of the agricul-
tural upset still remains to he prov
en-; and Notwithstanding the fact
that there have been laws upon laws,
the depression has continued. And
those who insist that the Presidents
Conference has only advanced super
fetal remedies" are no doubt juSti-