New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-08
THE FARMERS QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER WELLS REVIEWED BY HENRY o.
CAREY-wHY MR. WELLS DID NOT TELL.
THE WHOLE TRUTH.

COMMISSIONER WELLS REVIEWED BY HENRY o.
CAREY-wHY MR. WELLS DID NOT IEIL
THE WHOLE TRUTH.
At the opening of the present Congress, little moro
than year since the Special Commissioner OF Rev
enue. Mr.. Wells, made to that body report one q
whose especial objects was that OF proving 10 me-
chancs laborers, and consumers generally, that their
condition was being deteriorated by reason OF tho
high prices of food and other necessares of life. To
enable his readers properly to understand the cause
of this if 80 it really was it was needed that no
should present TO them the facts, that the three
wears prior to the date he had selected for presenta
tion had been most unfayorable for both wheat and
corn that the total produce of the last of these had
scarcely exceeded that Of 1859; that the waste OF
war as to cows and cattle had not even yet been re-
paired that their total number was still greatly less
than it had been at the opening of the war; that
high prices of both animal and vegetable food wero
necessary consequences of the facts thus exhibited;
and that time alone could be required for bringing
about state of things widely different from 'hae
which as he alleged, then existed For anything Oh
this kind however We look IN VAIN 10 MS report 'no
oosantiaI object Of bis labor having been that or
proving that by of greeRbdcks and protectAon
"e rich become richer and the poor poorer To that
end mere figures, unembarassed by any such expla-
nation were greatly to be preferred; and Therefore
sured that not only had there been duplication OF
the prices paid to the farmer for milk and butter.
eggs and meat potatoes and turnips, but that the
.average increase the price OF barrel Of wheaton
-four throughout the manufacturing states mas Oeen.
from 1860 July 1868. In excess OF 20 per cent WHO
the in tho wages aborers and operatives gen
orally, skilled aud unsked during the same period mas
averaged about SO per cent Measured therefore, p tno
-four standard the workman Is not as well on III 100 as
he was by least 20 cent or To state Tue ae
differently the wages which ls6O purchased one ana
half barrels Of flour now pay Tor about one ahd quarter
barrels"
Admitting. now, that all this had been true, ana
that laborers in the workshop had really suffered In
the manner thus artfully described. is 1t not clear
that laborers in the field must, in a corresponding
degree, have proftedi That they had so done had
been made clearly obvious By the greatly improved
condition of the agricultural interest throughout tho
Jrnion-the mortgages by which farmers had before
the war been so heavily burdened having almost en-
tirey disappeared OF all this however, the repors
said not even q single word. Why was thisi Fr
the reason that better were already giving
better CROPS those of 1861 aud 1868 having been
GREATER by fully - per cent than the average OF tue
three preceding years; the increase thus manifested
bringing with it reason for hoping that the day might
not be far distant when low prices for farm product
| might furnish the Commissioner opportunity i@
| stimulating the men who followed the plow for
| union with those who welded the hammer to war
upon those gyenbacs to which had been SO Largely
indebted for power to make the war; ana upo" "''
protective tariff to which we now owe our rapidly
| growing independence. That all this has since we"
DONE and fully DONE in the recent report oil TIM pro
fessed advocate Of profession, but real brSh foo-
| Trader shall now be shown.