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

are poured into human stolnachs at
the innumerab!e dramshops Of the
country. In year like lass. when
corn crop was some eight hundred
millions Of bushels. this quantity
could be abstracted by the distillers
without sensible inconvenience to the
consumers of food; but in 1854. when
he utmost yield Of The country will
not exceed four huncred millions Of
bushels. it will be terrible addition
% the distress 10 take quarter of that
quantity Of food for purpose so
much worse than throwing it into the
mud under the feet Of the cattle and
swine OF Illinois or Indiana.
The low price at which corn has
been sold of late years by the great
western producers will account for its
Extensive use in distilling. and viii
,stonish all uniformed reader. Ten
cents bushel has been considered a
paying rate by those la.ge farmers
whose prairie fields are often meas
ured by miles, and even a much lower
price has been received for the grain.
rhe contracts of Jacob Straun, of III.
nois, (his farm contains 1000 acres)
he greatest corn-grower in the United
States. in bushels. though perhaps
Exceeded in acres by Mr.. Johnson. on
he Roanoke River in North Carolina,
we're made this year at seven cents n
oushel for the labor OF grow ng the
crop. deliverable on the stalks in the
ield as it grew; the quantity being
.stlmated ate. examination. or by
proving part of the field by meas
ire. a few years ago, Henry L.
ellsworth Of Lafayette, Ind, had
5000 acres in one field. contracted in
he same manner at five cents n bushel.
The average yield was sixty bushels.
These facts afford an illustration both
)f The abundance and cheapness of
his grain IN fruitful seasons, when it
grows 10 The greatest perfection. In
Iced. it has been so plenty and so
cheap that it would not bear trans
portation, and as We have before sta
ted, il was thrown in the most waste
Iul manner to swine, who were COM
PEELED to carry their own fat to mar
Set. because its price was so low it
would not pay for hauling. and when
the corn was converted into beef, it
was still worse.
Under this state of things it is nor
at all surprising that the producers of
corn have not only countenanced its
conversion into whisky, but have be-
Iieved that distiller es furnished the
farmers their only market. They did
not. however. consider that the same
amount of capital invested in lard
oil mandatory would give them
better market for their surplus corn,
beside retaining upon the land val
liable portion OF the fertiIizing proper
ties of the refuse part of the grain,
which could be given back TO the
soil. DistiIlcrs. Of course, contend
that they have right to waste the
vasL quantity Of human food that their
business must, in the very nature Of
things, put out Of existence. though
million Of starving fellow-crealures
may stand within call of their estab-
lishments begging for bread; even
while millions of bushels Of corn are
converted. right before their eyes, not
into the staff of life. Tut into the spirit
that nourishes famine. breeds disease.
suffering, sorrow, starvation. crime,
death.
There can be no doubt that the pres
ent and future high prices of grain
will prevent its use in distlleries TO
very considerable extent, but it poss-
rle we would still further diminish the
amount so employed, by urging the
moral considerations against whisky
to which the sufferings grow
ing out of the short supply of food
may well lend additional cmphasis.-
Certainly there could be no wrong
more gross than TO employ in such
crop that with extreme
economy can barely carry us through
the year without famine. When bread
is scarce and dear. il is tcnfold crime
to transform it into poison; and we call
upon the people at large to use every
means TO prevent its being sn pervcrt.
ed There is nowhere u surplus OF
breadstuifs. and in some of the most
productive regions there is an alarming
scarcity. Whole fields Of Central II.
Iinois are given up as not worth
bushel for the year. and The most pro.
ductive and best cultivated farms on
The Scioto bottoms in Ohio, are rated /
from 90 to 45 Bushels. ia place of 30. |
%, or 100 bushels to the acre. The
sam state of things exists relatively |
everywhere.
There is no Disgusting the fact that
while the present crop Of corn is dis
Iressingly short, that of wheat is not
above the medium; that Of huckwheat.
which is very much used by all chs.
SEES. Is deficient; while potatoes. the i
greatest of all substitutes Tor bread /
Stuifs. are very small and very few in
Ihe hill, rrematurely ripened. affected
by disease. unfit in most cases for
food, and now, when il
should be a season Of plenty, they are
selling in our market for 80 bushel:
Iiour at the same time is sic barrel
at retail; corn 81 bushel and rising.
and every article Of food almost be-
yond the reach of the hard working
poor, while coal is forty per cent.
higher than it twas last year.
Now, while through the effect of the
drouth and actual scarcity Of Indian
corn all over the country. the price of