Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1924-01-31
THE WAY OUT
SAYS A|KEY

U0IO MUII
Since the friends who seem to ne
so anxious to do something to help
the farmer" don't know how to go
about it, I have decided to reveal the
"way OUT This scheme OF NINE is
not a plan to help the farmer by
loading a greater load Of debt on MS
shoulders by extending him further
credit on Guilt edge security, but
a plan that will not only benefit the
poor struggling farmer and produc-
err, but likewise the consumer. II 1T
is taken according to directions, l
will guarantee a radical cure. The
wheat Grower having been made
the storm centre. I will proceed to
prescribe for the wheat grower.
1 will begin by saying that II |
owned all the wheat in the U. S. and
had the power to keep foreign wheat
out, would not worry about over
production. Well, why isn't that the
solution of the problem
Let's put all our wheat in Uncle
Sans Creamery and he will have
corner on wheat. Then If he can't
make a go of it, we might as we'll
start a revolution. l know this is
socialistic, communistic, anarchistic,
paternalistic, Boshevistic, antiphyis
tic, and very very scarletistic, but you
have my guarantee that it will do
the business. 1t don't require an
impossible organization to get it
started. We are already organized
and about all you have to do is to
throw the belt off the "Free seed
distributor, put it on the Marketing
Machine and touch the button.
1t will give the farmer stable
market for his wheat at a remuner-
tive price and put the money into
circulation to keep business going
and labor employed. 1t is as simple
as Radio. We have only to tune
in and the world is ours. We have
an Agricultural Department in
our institution with thained experts
who are able to forecast the weather
and estimate the yield of wheat as
soon as the farmer begins to plow;
and by the time threshing is done
they know exactly how much wheat
is in the country and what it cost to
produce it, as we'll as what the de-
mand will be.
What would be more simple, then,
for man like Hellen-Mariash DAVIS,
who is quick at figures, to figure out
a price that would be just and equit-
able to both produced and consumer?
OF course I know we will have to
lock horns with the Talent who
claim that it is not the business of
government to do business and espe-
cially to Fix Prices. They say that
prices are fixed by supply and de-
mand and an ascertained by a sys-
tenn of rag-chewing, propaganda, mis-
representation, cunning and force.
They put the thumb-screws on the
producer and lay the consumer on
the rack and then squeeze a bargain
out of them, and that is business.
That is the way prices of farm
products have been set during the
81 years that have been peregrinat-
ing this mundane sphere; and now I
am suggesting that the government,
whose chief duty is to administer
justice, step in and set a price on
wheat that will be just to the pro-
Queer and the consumer as well.
Then | would have the government
buy the wheat, at price so ascer-
tanned, and store it in ware houses
to be acquired by lease, purchase or
and hold it for the
consumer till he wants 1t, and then
sell it to him at cost, which would be
the purchase price plus the cost of
and storing.
l would have the government nav
with non-interest bearing treasury
notes, or green-backs These green
backs would liquidate the farmers
capital and put it into the channels
of business and relieve the annual
strain on the banks when at harvest
time they are called upon to furnish
a World of money to move the
crops. Then as the wheat moves
out, the green backs should be re-
tired. which give us the elastic cur-
rency we have heard of but never
saw.
Brlefly and rather imperfectly
stated, this is the plan that have in
my mind to relieve the situation of
agriculture. 1t is not an appeal for
charity, not request for credit bnt
, straight proposition for a square
zeal. 1t calls for no Bonus" and
requires no extra tax levy. The
farmers will raise the Wheat and the :
wheat will pay the bill. 1t will take :
'ne of the principle food products !
'ut of the hands of the SPECTATOR :
md give it to the consumer at tbe :
owest possible cost. 1t will give the !
armer his pay when it is due, and I
Jay days are far enough apart with r
he farmer at best :
1t will liquidate the wheat crop. +
which we have been carrying as q
lead capital, and let it flow in the
hannelS Of husinace