Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-09-28

work and the rewards of the farm
both from a personal viewpoint and
from a viewpoint gained by national
| dealings with agriculture. He holds
in the following that the majority of
! farmers are weary Of the industrial
unrests that make trouble for every
one and he also shows that the agri-
culturist has woes Of his own that
strikes would not benefit.
At this time when everyone is pom
dering over questions of wages and
conditions of employment in the or
ganized industries, there is much food
for sober reflection in contempla ting
the wages and the conditions under
which about one-third of the Ameri-
can people, namely, the farmers and
those who live on the farms, are work
ing. Let us consider first the matter
Of wages, or income. The value of in
come, whether it be in the form of
wages, or of money received for
sales Of the products of labor, is repre-
scented not in dollars and cents but IN
what that money will buy,-in other
words, by its purchasing power. It
is rather startling to thinking people
to compare the wages paid the work
ers in the organized industries with
the wages received by the farmer, as
represented in the price he gets for
the things he grows. A few specific
Illustrations indicate clearly the posi-
ton in which the American farmer
finds himself in relation to workers ii
these industries.
Take for example, the average wage
received by the coal miner for mining
a ton of coal. In 1913 this wage per
ton would buy II bushel of corn in
Iowa, in 1921; it would buy 2.5 bushels
of corn in the same state. In 1913 the
ton wage would buy 7 of bushel of
wheat in North Dakota; in 1921 it
would purchase g of bushel. In
1913 it would buy AZ pounds of cotton
in Texas but in 1921 it would purchase
S,5 pounds Of cotton in the same state.
In 1913 the miners wage per ton
would buy 7 pounds of hog in Ne
braska; in 1921 ii pounds. IN 1918 the
miners ton wage purchased 8 Of a
bushel of potatoes in New York; in
1921 it would bring him II bushe..
In 1913, II pounds of sheep in Wyom-
ing; in 1921, IS pounds. In 1913 / 6
bushel Ct cats in Illinois; in 1921 81
bushels. In 1913, "a pounds of but
ter in Missucri; In 1921, 50 pounds of
butter in the same state.
Some Figures
If we take the average yearly earn
ings of the railroad employees, we find
that in 1913 the wage for a year
work would purchase 1892 bushels of
corn in Iowa, bat in 1921 the average
yearly wage Of railroad employees
would buy 41l2 bushels The average
yearly earnings of railroad employees
would bay 1923 bushels Of wheat in
North Dakota in 1913; in 1921 it
would purchase 1866 bushels. In
1913 it would buy 6449 pounds of
cotton in Texas but in 1921 it would
purchase 1894 pounds. 1t would buy
in 1913 1902 hundredweight of hogs in
| Nebraska; and in 1921 237 hundred
weight. It would buy 149 hundred
weight of sheep in Wyoming in 1915:
and in 1921 296 hundredweight. In
1913 it would buy 1887 bushels of po-
tatoes in New York; in 1921 1916
bushels. In 1913 2174 bushels of oats
in Illinois; in 1921 51O9 bushels. In
| 1913 1909 pounds of butter in Mis-
souri,; in 1921 pounds.
! In 1913 the freight revenue per ton
mile received by the railroads would
buy IA bushel of corn in Iowa. In
| 1913 bushel of wheat in North Da-
kota; in 1921 IL bushel In 1913 81
pounds of cotton in Texas; in 921 1913
pounds. In 1913 10 pounds of hog IN
Nebraska; in 1921 Is pounds. In 1913
! l bushel of potatoes in New York: il
1921 1.5 bushel. In 1913 IA pounds of
sheep in Wyoming; in 1921 % pounds.
In 1913 81 bushels of oats in Illinois,
in 1921 % pounds. 1913 2.1 bushels
of cats in Illinois; in 1921 8. 9 bushels.
In 1913 81 pounds of butter in Mis-
souri,; in 921 4 pounds.
Prices Go Up.
In fairness it must be taken into
account, of course, that before the
corn, wheat, hogs, sheep, cotton, but
ter or other farm products get to the
consumers table, good deal has been
added to the price which the farmer
received. This margin between the
| farmer or producer and the consumer
| has greatly increased during the past
eight years. At the same time it is
| also fair to note that a good deal of
| this increase has been due to the in
| crease IN the ages paid the people
who handle these products in connec-
| ton with their marketing and distri-
button. The foregoing comparisons
show, however, that the wages of the
farmer as represented by the prices