The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-09-17

propaganda thesis that farmers are
living high off the hog at consumers
expense.
BUSINESS WEEK, a magazine
friendly to the administration, says
Eisenhower hopes to cut the COP in
on Democratic city votes. The deter
nination to get away from high, rigid
and expensive farm price, supports
is aimed at the city workmen. The
idea is that food will cost less if
Washington lets farm prices ease
down There's only one thing
wrong with this: It's such a complete
phony that no one who knows any
thing about American farming could
advance it sincerely. The figures
show that it's sucker-bait for city
voters, whom the administration must
consider stupid or ignorant. Farmers
income has gone down steadily for
two years, but has the price of food?
Hal
In May 1851, farm prices and farm
income were close to their highest
point, and city consumers were pay
ing $11.26 for the same food they'd
have paid $40 for at the 1947'49
average.
In May 1854, the farmers were get
ting nearly 20 per cent less income
than in 1851, but the city consumer
was paying $11.33 for his same bas-
ketfull of food, or 7 cents more than
in 1861.
The total cost of living in May
1854, was at lis per cent of the AT
40 average, nudging the all-time
high of 1854.
Here are some more facts and
figures along the same line;
The total take-home pay, or net
income, of all American farmers
dropped from $15,6OO,O0O,OOO in
1851, to S12,8OO,0O0,0O0 in 1858,
drop of almost ome-fifth. (Mr. City
Teller, has YOUR take-home pay
dropped 20 per cent in two yearsO
"Parity" is the concept that the
farmer should break even, as between
prices of what he buys, and what he
sells. This is the figure you hear all
the talk about. AS against high of |
1913 in 1916 (Which means that all |
farmers were then more than break
ing even by about % cents on the |
iollar) parity had dropped to $40 |
4 year ago and stands about 900 now.
Mr.. City Teller, has YOUR income
gone down SO in the past year, and
one-third in eight yearsO
When you spend dollar for food,
1 certain proportion of it goes back
% the ultimate producer, the farmer,
md the rest to the professors, whole
;alers, middlemen and retailers who
)ring the food from the farm to you.
During World War II the farmer
rot his all-time high share of the
dollar-54 cents. In Feb
uary, 1851, this share had dropped
o 40 cents. In the two years since,
t has dropped further to As cents.
Yet it is the farmer, who has lost
ut all along the line, whom this ad-
accuses of profiteering,
n terms so direct that its propaganda
SITS might as well use the word. And
whom it proposes further to debate!
4
Here are some facts nearer home:
In November, 1851, the average
rices of Colorado farm land were
t their all-time high. Now they are
bout 1870 of 81 levels. For each
ollar of 1851 worth of his basic as
ct, the land, the Colorado farmer
ow finds he has only 83 cents.
(Mr. City Businessman, has your
capital worth declined 17% in less
than three years? Mr.. Corporation
does your balance sheet ,
show a 1870 loss in assets in three
yearsD
Again, the value of all livestock
n farms, nationwide, is now approx
natelv tWO-thirdS of what it was ]