The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-08-17
hartley OPPOSES
PRICE FIXATION
FORMER MOSCOW MAN SEES CO.
OPERATION AS OFFERING ONLY
RELIEF FOR FARMERS
Dear Star-Mirror,-

Lear Star-MlrrOr,-
Your paper is always a welcome
visitor in our home and Mrs. BARLEY
and l read it with pleasure and in
terest. We have followed closely the
various moves to secure better wheat
prices for wheat, and hope some way
VIII be found to enable the farmers
to secure, more for their products.
I hope the meetings soon to be
held at. Spokane and Moscow may
evolve some plan. to aid the sorely
pressed farmer I am pleased to see
all classes Joining in the movement
and to know that at last all realize
that every other industry is depen-
dent on the farmer and that real
prosperity cannot come to the country
with its largest class laboring for less
than living wage.
In following the various discus
sions and studying the several plans
offered as solution to increase the
price of wheat, so as to give the
farmer fair profit 1 am forced to
the conclusion that none of them can
succeed.
The Gooding bill seems most in fav-
or In your vicinity, which is quite
natural, as it originated there. 1t |
is to be hoped, however, that the Mos
COW representatives to the meeting
VIII join with all others in an earnest |
endeavor to reach helpful conclu-
sion, and not stand solely for that
plan, because of local pride
l am not familiar with the proyi-
sIons of that bill, but relief cannot
be expected from that direction for
many reasons. We might assume
that such a law could be passed, but
all will admit it could only come after
a long hard fight against conflicting
interests. If passed it would almost /!
surely be assailed in the court and II
In all probability held to be uncon-
st1tutional. Again we may assume
that the court might uphold it, but
II so, the delay Occasioned would pre- \
vent any relief in time to save the I
FARMERS crop this year at least. And :
he needs help very badly in handling ID
this crop.
Opposes Price Fixing
Waving the small details of its ,
passage and constitutionality, it is
radically wrong in principal at least
until such time as the people are :
willing to have the government fix
he price of all commodities. To fix
he price of wheat at $175 per bush
81, or at any other arbitrary figure
IND not limit the price of flour and
vi other wheat food products, would
'e an economic crime against the
consumer. 1t would be economically
nsound, unfair to all other pro-
ucers and unjust to the public.
Ii such price were fixed it would
ave the opposite effect from that |
laimed for it. Suppose such price
liked by law; who would buy the
armers' wheat? Certainly there
7ould be no foreign demand for it
Mess we Joined the League of Ma
ons and secured the passage of a
ssoiut1on through that body, making-
an unfriendly act on the part of
reign nations, if they refuse to buy
If wheat at the legal price. and
len we might have to loan them
le money to buy with, If they de-
ded to do So
The millers in this country would
u ouy a bushel, until their well |
led warehouses had been emptied,
their contens being manufact- II
ed into flour and immediately on
e passage of such law. their wheat
hand would be worth s1.75 per
shell and they would proceed to
uble the price of flour and feed
d thus turn a neat profit.
SPECTATORS would not buy, be-
Use the possibility of speculation
uld be gone, and they would be
OF job, which is the only CLEAN
light in the whole scheme. Then
o would buy the crop? When the
,ply upon hand was exhausted.
iers would buy sparfngly, as their
'iness required. In the mean time
re are thousands of farmers who
1T have relief and have it as soon
possible. It should be borne in
I'd that the farmer who must sell
borrow heavily on his crop to
1t necessary expenses is the man