Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-03-05
farmers 9spmtnlerlt
Cause Of our Troubles.

The Cincinnati Gazette, in recent
article, discusses the policy that cen
trolls eur national finances, in connec-
ton with the depression Of the IN
dustrial interests of the country, ana
concludes with the following very
sensible remarks, which we CON-
mend to farmers as In every way
worthy of attention:
And this brings US to speak of the
real cause of our troubles, viz: Crop
Failures. In the first place we have
had too much bone and sinew in the
cities, and not enough in the fields.
In other words. cur trading and con-
suming population has been greatly
out of proportion to our producing
population. Added to this, we have
had in succession, three unfavorable
crop seasons, and consequently three
crop failures following each other
This loss is made up in part, to the
farmer, by the increased price conse-
quent upon the deficient surplus, but
the fact remains that every bushel of
wheat or corn lost by reason Of in
adequate laborior adverse weather,
is SO much money lost to the country
in the aggregate. With full crops
last year and the year before, prices
of produce would rule lower than
currant values, and our exports to
Europe would be four times in guam
tity and three times in value, what
they are. Then besides, the high
price of food adds to the cost of
everything produced, so that the loss
OF the crop comes out of the pockets
of the nation. In our market yester-
day the following wholesale quota
tions prevailed:
Family Flour sl1 90 to IL so.
Corn ear s4e.
Oats &c.
Wheat red 2 so.
Mess pork % 90.
Tierce lard 14c.
These prices are one hundred and
twenty-fi five per cent. above the quo
tatiens for average crop seasons,
previous to 1860, and are csnse-
quence, not of the depreciation of
paper money, in whole, but of def
cient supplies.
To the agricultural interests of the
country, therefore, we must look for
relief from the arrangement and de-
preston of business. The artificial
business caused by the war carried
us through the first five years of this
decade with apparent success; but of
this artificial business we have seen
the end, and are now experiencing
the real fruits. The way out of our
troubles is not through financial leg
islation or make shifts of any kind,
but through hard work that will,
under the favors Of Providence,
cause the fields to blossom and bring
forth abundantly the food necessary
to the support and comfort OF man.
The young men who spend their
time on the street corners will &C.
complish nothing in the work o. re-
covery; nor will the surplus men en-
ployed in trading or standing be-
hind counters. These must be starv-
ed into the country, while to the
farmers we must look for that work
which will give strength to the foun-
dations of business by increasing the
supply, and thereby cheapening the
price of food.
1t is too early, Of course, to form
any opinion as to the next crops
The winter, thus far, has been favor
able to wheat, and farmers never had
greater inducements to plow broad
ly for the spring crops. Labor will
be more abundant in the country |
than it has been for six years PAST, |
and with favorable season, we shall
no doubt, have a heavy harvest
With such a result, a marked i'm
provement in business would be ex-
perienced; but upon the harvest
everything depends. Those who
put their trust in financial make
shifts will fail. Those who are
guided by the agricultural progress
of the country will succeed,