Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-09-08
AME RICAN FARMER
Gets WORST OF IT
HE is BEARING MORE THAN HIS
SHARE OF THE BURDEN OF
AFTER-WAR DEFLATIoN.
WALLACE PRESENTS FIGURES
Margin Between Price Aqriculturist
Receives for Products and Price
Consumer Pays Has Increased
Greatly During Last Eight Years.
BY JAMES p. HoRNApAY

BY JAMES P. HORNADAY
Washington.-The secretary Of ag-
riculture, Henry G. Wallace, has re-
Gently been making a study of the
margin between the price the farmers
receive for their products and the
price the consumers pay for those
products. The margin has greatly in
creased during the last eight years.
The secretary finds that "a good deal
Of this increase is due to the increase
in the wages paid the people who han
die the products.
What the figures show is that the
wages of the farmer, as represented
by the prices paid for his crops, are
lower than his wages were before the
war, measured in purchasing power,
while the wages of the workman, and
especially in organized industries, are
considerably higher than they were be-
fore the war, whether measured in
dollars and cents or in purchasing
power" says the secretary. 1.-THE pur-
chasing power of the wages of the
railway employee in 1921 was 81 per
cent greater than in 1913 The pur-
chasing power of the wages of the
coal miner in 1921 was 80 per cent
greater than in 1913. The purchas-
ing power of the farm hand who
works for wages in 1921 was per
cent less than in 1913, while the pur.-
chasing power of the farmer himself
was, on the average, from % to As per
cent less than in 1913.
In short, the farmers of the coun-
try, numbering almost one-third of
our entire population, have borne alto
gether the heaviest burden of def1a-
ton. They have endeavored to get
relief by all lawful means. They have
appealed to the administration, to con-
gress, and to every other agency which
they thought might be able to help
them, but while making these efforts
to avoid their heavy losses they have
not struck.
Set Good Example.
They have not created disorders.
They have kept on producing, and in
the face of extraordinary low prices
have this year grown one of the
largest crops in our entire history.
The farmer believes in law and order.
He believes in government. He be-
lieyes in fairness between man and
man. He believes in working hard
and producing efficiently.
IF other groups would do as the
farmer has done" said the secretary,
'our economic troubles would soon be
over. Prices would soon be adjusted
to their normal relationships. There
would be work for everybody and at
Just wages. But there are too many
people who seem to be thinking only
of themselves and how they can profit
at the expense of the community at
large, and especially at the expense of
the farmer. The farmer is sick and
tired of this sort of business. He is
disgusted with these recurring dis
putes between capital and labor, espe-
cially as connected with the essential
Industries. He sees no reason why
such disputes cannot and should not
be settled in an orderly and lawful
way, and without the Interruptions Of
service, which cost him SO dearly.
eff the various groups in this coun-
try are determined to prey upon one
another and abandon law and order
for strong-arm methods, the farmer
can take care of himself He can
reduce his production to his own
needs. He can follow the example of
some others and refuse to sell what he
produces. But he does not believe in
that sort of thing. He knows that
such policy would bring about in
this great republic exactly that same
sort of conditions that exist in Rus
STA. The farmer calls upon capital
and labor to cease their petty bicker-
ings and resume production, trusting
to American institutions and the Amer
lean sense of fair play to see that JUS
tice is done to both Of them"
Look at These Figures.
Secretary Wallace has compiled
some statistics on the subject that are
interesting. Take the average wage
received by the coal miner for mining
ton Of coal. In 1913 this wage per
ton would buy IL bushels of corn in
Iowa in 1921 it would buy % bushels
of corn in Iowa. In 1913 the ton wage
would buy Z of bushel of wheat in
North Dakota; in 1921, 3 of bushel
In 1913 it would buy At pounds of cot
ton in Texas; in 1921, 8.5 pounds. In
1918. Z pounds Of hog in Nebraska );
in 1921, IA pounds. In 1913, s of a
busl,el of potatoes in New York; in
1921. IL bushels. In 1913, II pounds
of sheep in Wyoming; in 1921, IS
mounds. In 1913, 1.6 bushels of oats
in Illinois; in 1921, 81 bushels. In
1913, "a pounds of butter in Missouri !;
in 1921, 80 pounds.
Taking the average yearly earnings
of railroad employees, we find that in
1913 the yearly wage would buy 1892
bushels of corn in Iowa, and in 1921,
471o bushels. 1t would buy 1923
bushels of wheat in North Dakota in
1919. in 1921, j, 466 bushels. In 1913
# would buy 6,449 pounds of cotton
in Texas: and in 1920, 1884 pounds.