Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-01-31
Too Much to Sell.

cry all over the country. One far
mcr with 200 acre farm, dairy
Of twenty cows his cribs crowded
and his gar, ers and cellars filled
with grain and vegetables, his orch
ards yielding abundantly, with
young stock ready for the shambles,
told us that since the lst of April
last he had not been able to sell
500 worth of farm produce for cash;
and yet he is within twelve hours
ride of New York and less dis
lance from other large inland cities.
Money is scarce; we can get no
money. No one wants produce;
there is no. money to buy with"
This is the cry which reaches us
from all parts of the country where
the population is depenpent for its
income upon the value Of the pro-
ducts of the soil in market. 1t is a
disheartening cry. True, it is a
satisfaction to know that there is
plenty of food in the country to eat.
1t may be satisfaction to know
that there are plenty of men and
women somewhere Oh the globe to
eat it; but it is not so assuring to
know that there is no disposition
to move this surplus, or, if there is
disposition, Their is no means for
doing it. Ii the money was at hand
the transportation is inadequate;
and this inadequacy compeIs the
payment Of exhorbitant freight
tariffs, which affect the ability of
American producers to compete in
foreign markets with foreign pro-
ducers.
We have therefore too many
producers of food products in this
country in proportion to our popu-
lation. We have too little skilled
labor employed in manufactures.
Too many are engaged in producing
what we eat, and too few are en-
ployed in producing what we wear
and use to contribute to our COM
fort and convenience. In other
words, the food producers Of the
United States are too far from the
food consumers engaged in other
vacations, or the means of COM
munication or transportation are too
limited, which amount to the same
thing.
The boys are told to "stick to the
farm;" and yet the farm does not
need them, Judging by the present
status of things there. But if the
boys leave the farm they cease to
be producers, and here is the mis-
take that is made. They engage in
traffic. They help to add to the
cost OF all products as they pass be-
tween the different classes of con-
sumers. They do not add to, but
take from the wealth Of the country.
They become leeches upon industry
and block the way between produ.
GERS and consumers, levying tax up
on the industry of both. Our boys
who leave off producing on the farm
should become producers of what
the farmer consumes. TrIe, no
matter what their vocation, they
continue to be consumers; but what
they consume is taken out of the
granaries of the farmers and the
manufactures without adequate re-
turn. They become mediums of ex-
change; but ifthc commissions paid
them for their supposed services
cripple either of the parties whom
they serve, such services can well
be dispensed with.
1t is therefore becoming serious
question to American farmers how
they can dispose of their surplus
products. Shall the consumers
thereof come to them in the shape
Of labor employed in developing the
manufactures of the country, or can
the facilities for transportation be
increased and chcapened and their
products thus be brought within the
reach of those who need them? 1t
is question which every farmer in
the country is interested in solving
one that should be gravcly con
sidered by every man who would
leave the workshop for the farm,
impressed with the idea that the
farmers is the only independent
life that can be led. 1t is plain to
us that the schemes for securing
immigrants to settle upon and cult
vate the cheap railroad lands of the
West and the rich soils of the South
ought not to be encouraged. We
need more men to spin cotton, work
our mines, forge our iron, manutac-
ture our cotton, lead, tin, and zinc,
spin and weave our wool, flax, hemp
and jutc, work up our ramie, spin
and weave the silks of California,
produce essential oils from our
herbs and flowers, can and preserve
our fruits, make wines from our
grapes, dis'il liquors from our
grains, indeed, utilize all our re-
sources here at home, expanding
upon the raw material we may pro-
duce all the labor Il Mt can be en-
ployed upon it to fit it for our null
hilarious uses. This is what we
need. Then our farmers will not
complain of too much to sell and
too few buyers. We shall have
markets at our doors. Our money
will be retained among ourselves
Exchanges will be direct. Trans
portation monopolies will cease,
and yet the local traffic will rcmun-
crate railway investments. VIII
cheap food and Astounding natural
resources invite such immigration?
Ne,r York World
IT, E,ffor, Ch ;cJrau,