The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-12-10
From the Hartford Times.
FLOUR, PORK, &C.

The prices of produce are now in very strange
condition. They aIe generally lower, yet ale very
unequal, result which is evidently produced by
the state OF the local Currencies and the acton OF
the Banks. Flour has recently taken a sudden rise
OF about one dollar on the barrel: and this mas not
been occasloned by the markets abroad, or any Tor
elgn news, or by any scarcity of supply at nome.
II has been brought about by comb 'na'ion among
the millers, aided by the Banks at Rochester, Bull
falo, in Ohio and elsewhere The banks have made
large loans to the millers, to enable them to mo-
nopoze the wheat and to hold on to 1t until spring
to force up the price, they have combined and de-
terlnined to send no more -four to market this fall
the banks aiding them, SO as to enable them to
hold on 70 their wheat.
To encourage the speculation and monopoly in
-four, many Of the banks have loaned their bills to
the millers so literally as to have destroyed their
own credit. or the twelve banks in Buffalo, all
have failed, with the loss of nearly their entire cap
ital, amounting to about 1000, 900 of dollars. In
Rochester, the banks may mol he in quite so bad
a condition, but their means are all used up by the
mers.
Rye is worth only 10 cts per bushel in New York;
Corn IS, Oats so, aud Pork but cts per pound.
To maintain any proportion with these articles,
-four could not be worth more than five dollars, or
five and lfper barrel. The additional sum is
the result Of speculation occasioned by the agency
of the banks; and to sustain thes specula,ons, these
"red dogs" and " wild cats" have bankruped
themselves, and subjected the community to an
immense loss.
BY the late accounts, pork was selling at Bata-
via, N, Y, 50 so per cwt., and in Ohio at 100.
1t has been sold for $50 in this city, and we learn
that 400 only is now offered, aud beef cattle sell
at from $50 to $50 per cwt. Butter brings Is
CENTS and cheese from to s. These are not the
prices which were promised to the farmers year
ago. Working oxen and milch cows are also very
low. Every kind of produce except flour, which is
raised only by speculation, has fallen the present
year below what it has been since 1920. How is
this can't wing policy regulate prices as well as
the currency 1t pronsd to do so. The farmers
were to have high prices for their produce, and la
borers two dollars per day for work. The low
prices last year, though much above the present,
were charged to the administration. They were
accustomed by their hostility TO the banks and the
"credit SYSTEM" but when the bunk party came
into power, whc would favor credit, and restore
confidence, prices were to come up. There was
no mistake about this; it was sound wing doctrine.
1t was the business of government to regulate pr-
ces, and if they were suffered TO fall below the
proper standard, the fault was Justly chargenble up
on The administration. This has been the wing doc
hHo iol se'eu" rcuis Pust, anu 'hSy hus' ho" pS
Judged by their own rules and weighed in their
scales. What were sound principles in govern
ment, in 1910, are equally so in 1871: ard what
was just last year, must be just and right the pres
ent year. The wing administration is condemned
by its own principles, and is justly responsible for
the present low prices Of produce. When the far
mer sells his pork four and hafor five cents per
pound, he will bear in mind, that the loss of four
cents per pound, justly chargeabe to the wings,
who were pledged in case they got into power, to
advance prices TO the standard Of 1886, when the
credit system was in full operation. The loss to
the farmers of the United States, in the reduction
of the price of beef and pork, as compared with
what it was one year ago, cannot be less than ten
millions Of dollars. This Is the way in which
whiggery has promoted the interests of the farmer,