Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-09-15

,onsin and part OF Iowa, IN Isxas and
most of the cotton-grow region
md Of the moderate yield in Southern
Ohio. Northern Indiana and Northern
Illinois. we shall have the shortest
;rop of Indian Corn grown in tn,
country this century with two excep-
lions. The first was that of 1916
caused by the extraordinary Geld o
he entire season--for there was snow
IN June nearly all over New England
md frost in every month Of the year
the second was that Of 1886, produced
5y the vet, cold and backward Spring
But in both Of these years, though
Corn was more deficient than now
Grass was good, and Potatoes better
han this year. We doubt whether
The aggregate Of loss in either yea'
was greater than that which now con
fronts us.
We estimate the total Corn crop o
he United States for this year at less
han two-thirds of an average, or no
ibove fifteen bushels FER acre. Their,
ire thousands on thousands OF acres
hat will not yield FIVE bushels-man,
in fact. that will never be harvested al
al. One heavy. general. soaking rain
on the LIST Of August would have add
I'd at least One Hundred Million ol
Dollars to the aggregate value of oul
:rop the current year. The total de-
iciency of the corn crop cannot fall
below Two Hundred Millions of bush
els, worth One Hundred Millions oI
Dollais-for much of our Corn IL
usually worth seveny five cents to 4
lollar per bushel on the farm where il
is grown; and the loss on Roots. Grass
and Vegetables cannot fall below an
other equal amount. In other words.
the Harvest of this year will be worth
to the country Two Hundred Millions
of Dollars less than we had reason to
suppose il would be one little month
ago. This loss will not all fall on tn,
farmers; they will be partially COM
pensated for deficiency Of yield by en-.
hancement of price: but that merely
shifts a part of the burden from their
sholders to others. The ,ggregate
loss is quite as severe as if fire, flood.
or some other terrible calamity had
swept property worth Two Hundred
Millions of Dollars completely out ol
existence.
The magnitude of the loss can only
be appreciated upon reflection and
comparison. Tie total cost OF the
Mexican War was computed by Mr..
Corwin, when Secretary of the Trea-
sury. at Two Hundred and Fourteen
Millions; but that was spread over
several years Of general prosperity,
while Sixty Millions of it. by means
of National Debt, was cast upon the
future. The Great Fire in our City
ir Dec. 1885 was generally held To
have sensibly contributed TO the sea-
son Of disaster and bankruptcy which
commenced the next year The ex-
cessive importations of 1857 and
1886 were undoubtedly most inauen.
tial in bringing on the tremendous
commercial revulsion hich so speed
lily followed; yet it may be well ques.
toned whether the Short Crops of 1919
and Sc were not the deeper and truel
causes Of those seasons OF calamity.
Not that the heavy impo, tations were
other than most untimely and injurious;
but their i'll effects were greatly inten-
si6ed by the coincident deficiency oil
our Harvests. Such importalions
must have caused trouble anyhow, but
no such sweeping devastations as were
actually experienced; because OF the
large demands to meet the cost o
goods occurring simultaneously with
our extreme inability to pay. We
needed all the food we produced. and
had buta few Millions worth Of Cotton
and other non.edible products where.
with to pay Tor over One Hundred
Millions worth Of European Metals,
Wares and Fabrics imported that year.
And it will be found equally imposs-
bic this yer to pay for all the goods
already received from Europe or now
on the way. The means Of paying
for them do not exist, and they must
either be held over for better times.
re- exported. ruinously sacrificed, or
sold TO consumers who will never pay
for them.
In the face of this heavy visitation
of Providence, as many will say,
though it might be more instructive TO
call it ia visitation Of improvidenc'.
brought upon US by our wretched sys-
tenn of semi-barbarian cultivation.
without half plowine our soils, just
about half tilling. and.not at all drain
ing or irriga'ing lhem-the distillerics
arc still devouring something like One
Million bushels of Grin per day, con-
We. ting the staff Of life into deadly
and crime .inciting poison. Dear as
food now is, it is likely to be dearer,
while Millions worth per weeks trans
formed into the most demoniac and
mischief-mak.ng fluid that ever insult
ted the bounty of Heaven. But for
this, we should even yet have bread
enough and to spare. and might pay
Europe promptly for all the imports
we actually need. How long shall
this fearful waste and devastation
this sacrifice Of the sustenance Of the
poor to bloodier idol than Mo.och
BE protected and encouraged By
law?