The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-01-16
How Much to Sell.

TOW "uCn TO DOLL
"Where are tte buyers ?N Is the
cry all over the country. One far
mer with 200 acre farm, dairy OF
twenty COWS. his cribs crowded aud
his garners and cellars filled with
grain and vegetables, his orchards
yielding abundantly, with young
stock ready tor the shambles, told us
that since the lst OF April last he
had not bean able to sell 800 worth
of farm produce Tor cash and yet
he is within twelve hours ride of
New York and less distance from
other large inland cities. 9 Money is
scarce we can get no money. No
one wants prolnce; there is no
money to buy with This is the
cry which reaches US from all parts
o. the country where the population
is dependent tor its income upon the
value OF the products of the soil in
market. 1t is a dishearten.ng CIV
Trre, it is satisfaction to know that
there is plenty OF food in the country
to eat. 1t may be satisfaction 10
know that there are plenty of men
and women somewhere on the globe
to eat it; but it is not so assuring to
know that there il no disposition to
move this surplus, Or, if there is
disposition, there is no means tor do
ing it. Ii the money was at hand the
transportation is inadequate; anl
this .naiequacy compels tho pay
ment of exhorbitant freight tariffs,
which affect the ability OF American
producers to compete III foreign mar.
kets with foreign producers.
We have therefore too many pro.
ducers of TODD products in this coun-
try IN proportion to our population.
We have too little skilled labor EN-.
ployed in manufactures. Too many
are engaged in producing what we
eat, and too few are employed in pro
duclng what we wear and use to con
tribute To our comfort and conven-
iencs. In other words, the food pro-
ducers OF the United States are too
far from the food consumers cngag.
ed In other vocations, or the means
OF communication or transportation
are too limited, which mounts 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 mistake
that IS made. They engage in traffic
They help to add to the cost OF all
products as they pass between the
different classes OF consumers. They
do not add TO, but take from the
wealth OF the country. They be
come leeches upon industry, aud
block the way between producers and
consumers, levylng tax upon the in.
dnstry OF both. Our boys who
leave off producing on the farm
should become producers OF what
the farmer consumes. True, no mat
ter what their vocation, they continue
TO be consumers; but what they con.
the farmers and the manufactures
without adequate return. They be-
come mediums OF exchange but If
the commissions paid them for their
supposed services cripple either OF
the parties who they serve. such ser.
vices can well be dispensed with.
It is therefore becoming serious
question to American farmers how
they can dispose OF their surplus pro
ducts. Shall the consumers thereof
come to them In the shape of labor
employed III developing the manuia,
tures.of the country, or can the tac.
illties for transportation be increased
and cheapened and their products
thus be brought within the reach OF
those who need them? 1t is ques.
ton which every farmer in the coun-
Try is interested in solving, one that
should be gravely considered by
every man who would leave the
workshop tor 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 tor
securing immigrants to settle upon
AID cultivate 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, man
ufaclure our cotton, lead, tin, and
zinc, spin and weave our wool, flax.
hemp, and jute, work up our ramis,
SPIN and weave tho silks OF Calitor-
MIA, produce essential oils from our
hsl hs and flowers, can and preserve
our fruits, make wines from our
grapes, dis,ll liquors from our grains,
Indeed utilise aIl our resoross here at