The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-04-25


singing. The grass is beginning 20
peep through the sod. The baby
white-faces are scampering over the
pasture and the people are beginning
to talk crops. How do you suppose
feel IL they knew, actually knew,
they were going TO receive GER
tain fair price for their crops as
soon as they were ready for the
market this Summer, Fall or Win
ter? Suppose We every one knew
at least a year ahead that we would
receive 90 cents for every pound Of
cotton we raised; $3.50 for every
bushel Of wheat. so cents bushel
for every bushel Of oats, corn,
cane, kaffir, maize; 30 cents a pound
for every pound of butter; S5 cents
dozen for every dozen eggs, and
10 cents a pound for every pound
Of meat we produced for the mar
ket. Just suppose such a thing.
Imagine il for thirty minutes, and
try TO estimate the effect II would
have on the food producers Of this
Nation. Food. the most essential
of all the products. Food the one
thing on which all life depends.
Food, the source Of wealth, and
health and happiness. Food and
feed and clothing. the production OF
which employees nearly half the peo-
pie Of the Nation. The biggest busi-
ness in all this world. But what
does anybody know about the mar
kets for all our raw materials, for
food, feed and clothing? Nothing
The farmer and his whole family,
sow and cultivate, reap and thresh,
pillow and plant, milk and churn,
gather the eggs and set the hens,
work day and night from Spring TO
Spring and never have one idea
what their work will amount to.
They cannot count on anything for
sure. Because every interest, every
comfort and every pleasure in their
lives depends after all on the wealth
er and the markets. The weather Is
not in their hands. Neither are the
markets, but they ought TO be. Ev-
cry man knows now what he will
have TO pay for certain brand
cigar al this time next Spring. Ey-
cry one OF us know what the interest
on the money We owe viii be next
Spring. Everyone OF US known
within a very few cents what IL viii
cost to ride a hundred miles on the
railroad next Spring.
The President Of the United
States and the Governor Of Texas
know what the income from their
salary will be this year. Every SAT-
aried man and woman can make
some definite plans for their year Of
life because they know what then
income is TO be All but the farmer
and his family dare plan a little
because they have some way Of
measuring their financial outlook a
few months ahead Why all this
difference Because nearly every
boyd's time and labor have a uni
form market and price except the
farmers The manufacturer. the
merchant. The banker, the railroad.
the steel trust, the automobile deal
ers, even the preacher, the teacher
and the politician have some idea
Of what their years income will be.
Bat even these latter wage earners
would be surer u their salaries II
the farmer knew for certain VIVA;
he was to receive for his products.
But he does not
The farmer aud ms family SOW
and reap in the dark, and live on
faith, hope aud charity. They know
they viii get something for their
products, the most Of them anyway,
because people have the habit Of
buying and selling, and Il is not
customary for a farmer 20 haul his
stuff TO town and Just unload il for
nothing. That would be humiliating
to the man who received II. But
the farmer has no way Of saying
my cows and my hogs and my
butter and my eggs and my Gotten
and wheat are worth just so much
and you can give il or let II alone
as the railroad and the banker and
the merchant say 20 him.
II is, and il always has been, a
game Of take anything you can get
for your products and give anything
the other fellow asks for his. This
condition more than any other Is
responsible for all the discomfort
and Encouragement Of the Amer
lean farm. Why has not the farm
or a right 10 a regular and uni
form market for his products the
same as any other human being!
This condition keeps more people
homeless than any other. Here h.
good man and a good farmer,
buys a home this year. Promises
to pay $1,000 a year on L. The
very next year he raises just the
same number Of bushels Of feed
and farm products, but the market
Oh, where is Il? Gone. And he Is