The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-04-07

)Undertakers' Agreements, the advent
OF organized agriculture into the strug-
gle for self-peeservation should even
| cause a ripple on the pond.
But as quiet and conservative and
as sane qs the defensive mobilization
of farmers has been, surprising
| amcNnt Of the world b informed--if
not on the reasons. the necessity. and
Justice of it, upon the fact that the
toflers Of the soil are uniting. The
greatest agricultural organisation. the
Farm Bureau movement. has million
and half farmer-members working
fer our common good ~ states in the
Union who invite the Questioners to
come in and scrutinize. Perhaps that
is what has caused the interest-th this
unusual open-house policy.
Another interesting phenomena is
| the fact that each industry and class
ficiency Of organization as a positive
cure for all economic and govern
mental ills, but firmly believes that
organization in other classes is really
responsible for the difficulties that be-
set the country. ~.
Organization has met organization,
NNs-~A'S's ~iaHNAhCNs anu NOuAPAoHlSeu
When the berak came in 1920 otter
capital had raised the prices on COM
modities and labor had raised its
wages and capital had let the public
pay for the same and labor had raised
agin, 1t VS. the unarmOred farmer,
really quite an innocent bystande. at
that time, who got a thrust in the
ribs from both swords. And both cap.
tNrep f~pn fNSrP to
for the deed.
All industries are paying, or having
to pay in the reacttonary financial
wave-tiue to the absence Of purc' as
ing power with IS per cent of the pop
ulation for the farmers unprepared-
ness. Prices would have lowered more
normally had the farmer been braced
for the 1ancinR.
The great American city boothlack
who pays 50 month to belong to a
union which dictates whether or not
he shall shine shoes. when, and fer
what price. and whose knowledge of
farm life had been gained from pcpu-
lar songs. slaps a rag across your
cal fskin (Which brought the cattle
breeder IL cents and the shoe dealer
$13) answers your questions abcu. Or
born of ignorance ami says enviously
"Sure. the farmers are all rich--lcolk
what food is WORTH whereupon If
you happen to be produce man you
explain righteously that you only
make cent or two on a sale and that
you have to have something for :.our
services. If farmer is getting his
shoes shined he slghs YEARLY and saws
that 1t is the produce dealers assc cia-
tons that are responsible. Statistics
are on the farmers side-they show
that the prices on the products he
sells are only IL per cent higher than
the 1913-before-the- times. prices.
while the food that is available to tho
consumer is 80 per cent or three ;1mes
as high.
The dry-goods storekeeper, who be-
longs to the retailers union and mcr-
cantiler's association, etc, and runs
his business according to rules laid
down by the ether city merchants
reads column or two concerning the
ch-heralded Agricultural Bloc and
wonders virtuously how long the pub
lie is going to stand for what he terms
"class legislation" Let 1t b.. Said to
his credit that he does not know him.
self that he has been doing business
under the protection Of a manufactur
ers b1oc-a bloc which has kept q re-
strictive tariff or imports. morph:ned
the Truth-fn-F Fabric bill. and fos.cred
"a sentimentality ever our infant in
dustrfes. ever since those good old
days when the storeseepers GRANDPA
Their traded 5 cent red calico to the
trappers for $50 furs
Speaking of manufacturers VS.. farm
ers. the December record Of whole sale
prices, as made public on January 10
by the United States Bureau CT Labor
Statistics shows that in comparison to
the farmers Is Ier cent advancement
since 1913 cloth and clothing is still
So per cent above normal. BUILDING
material is 1O3 per cent higher and
household furnishings are still touring
the zenith at IFS per cent above pre-
war prices. Fuel and lighting cost 81
per cent mere and chemicals and drugs
are Gil per cent above. The farmers
who are soberly getting together to
see what can be done about it. are at
the bottom Of the list with Is per cent
Agriculture has been against the
| sales taxa tax which would hit
| hardest the consuming middle classes
The regulation CT the packers and the
| grain exchanges merely takes away
| unfair privileges of two other classes
The entire public benefits by this lev.
cling of power. The Farm Loan FUND
is no gift. It Is loan which requires
Interest and credit. The farmers pc.
culiar business situation of long tim.
turncvers is accommodated in order
that he may continue to produce Will
| once-a year sales
| While legislation and transportation
are subjects in which the farmers ar.
vitality interested. the real reason fol
Organization. and the one in which tn,
Farm Bureau is nest active. is the ad
justment OF the farmers marketin:
system-one end of his business tina
he has neglected. 10 these many years
The Farm Bureau is n voluntary co
operative association having for It
object the well.being of agriculture
economically. educationally and social
~. It's purpose is to assist in making
the farm business more profitable. tn
farm home more comfortable ana at
tractive. and the community bette
place in which to live IT seeks [