The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-12-10
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j. e. GRAY TELLS
ABOUT CLASS LEGISLATION
Viola, Idaho

November 20, 1872;
We notice that the agriculture
committee of the American Fedora
ton of the Farm Bureau is opposed
to fixing a price on any agricultural
products. But we do not have to &C
back east to find opposition to price
fixing. We find it right here in the
west. But we should not be dis
scouraged For He that observeth the
wind shall not SOW; and he that re-
gardeth the clouds shall not reap
Eccles LII So it behooves the
wheat growers and those interested
in his welfare to sow the seeds of
price fixing, regardless of the
winds of opposition, in hopes of reap
ing a price of $1.75 a bushel at the
coast or Chicago. Shall the fixed
price be passed on to the consumer,
or shall the difference between the
fixed price and the export price be
paid out of the treasury?
1t is our opinion that it should be
paid out of the treasury. For, first:
If we increase the price of wheat
and flour to the consumer it will de-
crease consumption and leave
greater surplus to handle abroad.
For people will not feed wheat at
$1-75 when they can get corn at $1.O0
or less. They will Hooverize and eat
substitutes. And, second: : 1t is un-
certain whether we can muster Suf-
ficient public sentiment in the east
to pass a measure that will increase
the price of flour rs cents or $1.00
per sack and increase the price of
chicken feed SO or rs cents per bu-
shell. Third: 1t will increas the cost
of living, and consequently
cause an advance in wages, which
already up to the war level, and in
some instances higher. And fourth:
The government, through the tariff,
ETC., has forced the farmer to pay
$1.75 or more, on an average, for
what he should get for $1.00 That is,
the farmer is paying $1.75 for what
he could get before the war for $1.00.
The government has made a law that
"holds up. the farmer while certain
classes of people rob him.
When a man is robbed he has a
right, if he can find the robber, to
demand the return of the goods. The
wheat grower is being robbed of 43 !
per cent of his earnings, principally
by the beneficiaries of the tariff and
the Esch-Cummins act, with Uncle
Sam as an accomplice.
This is a real sham. Uncle Sam
has become an accomplice with rob-
befsI Nothing stinks worse than for
an old man well reputed for honesty
to stoop TO petty larceny or robbery,
especially the robbery of the poor.
Uncle Sam is getting old and EreSh.
easily persuaded to do fOng by his
greedy children So we have found .
the robbers. The farmer has a right
to demand that the robbers return
the money. 1t should be returned
through a tax on excess profits and,
if necessary, an increase in the tax
on big incomes. For in many in
stances. excess profits and big in
comes are made possible only
through the tariff and other class
Legislation. Foreign competition be-
ing prevented by the tariff which
fosters combinations to prevent do
nestle competition. So it seems to
be plain that the difference between
the export price and the fixed price J
should be paid out of the treasury.
A considerable portion of the high
prices now being paid for nearly
goes to make the excess ).
profits for favored interests. The
peoples money will still continue to
90 that way whether the excess prof
It's tax is restored or not. 1t will add
10 greater burden to the general pub .
ic You see the robbers are getting. /.
Ill the money possible, and will not
'e able to take any greater toll from
he public even if the excess profit
8 taxed away from them. and re-
urAed to the owners and victims.
Experts claim that the excess prof
ts tax, IL restored, would yield $780,,
90 900 revenue; and the tax on big
Incomes increased where it was, would
told $50 100000, or total of $780, i
90 900 year. And the taxes from
he increased incomes of wheat grow y
rs would probably boost this to
6O0, 900 900. This would finance an
800 900, 900 bushel crop, with bon
s of rs cents. Un addition to this =