234 THE GREEN RISING 



tion in years of panic; that it is practically on the 

 same basis as during the time of the panics of the 

 past; that its ills are imaginary; and that they will 

 cure themselves if we just let them alone; and that 

 the farmer must work out his own destiny/ 



"Mr. Fess: 'Mr. President ' 



"The President pro tempore: 'Does the Senator 

 from Idaho yield to the Senator from Ohio?' 



"Mr. Gooding: 'I yield/ 



"Mr. Fess: 'The relative purchasing power of the 

 farmer in 1925 was about 90 cents. Agricultural 

 products have increased since 1921 from 116 to 147. 

 The wholesale prices of nonagricultural commodi- 

 ties have decreased from 167 to 165. The purchas- 

 ing power of the farmers' product has increased 

 from 69 to 90. 



'I say to the Senator that I will join him in any 

 remedy by law by which we can increase the facili- 

 ties of marketing; I will go the limit with him; but 

 if this matter is permitted to go on in its normal 

 course, aided by what we can do in cooperative 

 marketing, we will reduce the differential between 

 the articles nonagricultural and those agricultural.' 



"Mr. Gooding: 'The Government reports, I regard 

 as reliable, are all based on wholesale prices, and 

 there is no question but that the increases have been 

 entirely out of proportion to the wholesale prices, 

 because in a large measure it is the retailer who 

 pays the freight rate and passes it on, and the in- 

 crease in freight rates has made the spread a great 



