The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-09-24

as class, desire that this shall be done
the most active cause in producing II
hard times amo ng Western farmers, is
great over production OF their staple
wheat and corn.
What is the cause of this over produ(-
ton, and why is it being but now foun
out?
In 1850, the population of that terri
tory now embraced IN the nine State,
under consideration was 4,721.551, while
in 1870 it was 1l,245,6 S5, showing an
increase in twenty years of 1873 per
cent. Notwithstanding this unparalleI-
ed Increase in population. the number
of acres of Land in actual cultivation
increased still more rapidly, being in
round plumbers $4,000. 900 acres in 1860
and i'll 1870 69OOO,OO0, an increase OF
nearly 200 per cent.
The broad and fertile prairies of these
States, sold by the Government at o very
low price, and since 1868 given to tie
actual settler, offered farms that were
easily brought into cultivation, and that
promised an abundant yield. Every
man who had enough energy and pru-
dence to save few buEdred dollars
could become landowner. Thousands
of men who bad formerly been in the
service If others, were converted into
farmers with estates of their own, sowing
and reaping for themselves. Thus the
West was rapidly settled by a thrifty
and industrious class OF men, many OF
whom were young, and inst starting a
home for themselves. They came with
out mon.ed capital, but they were rich
with determination to make their own
fortunes.
The only possible thing for commu-
nifty of such men to do. was to ask
regardless of the future, "What will
bring the best immediate returns for
our labor ?" The answer came in the
immense crops Of wheat and corn, that
yearly sought market from those new
farms. The quantity of these grains not
only increased as rapidly as the populS-
ton and amount Of land brought into
cultivation, but as already stated much
faster. as there were raiAed In 1850, forty
eight bushels of corn and wheat to each
inhablsant, and 68 bushels in 1872, an
increase greater by 40 per cent. than
that of the population. This condition
of things extended over SO large terri
tory that for several years there has been
neither at home nor abroad a market
sufficient for the greatly increased pro-
duction.
The evil effect OF Cutting the market
with these two cereals, began to show
itself before the war. But the greatly
increased consumption by our armies in
the field, combined with the fact that
large number Of men were taken from
the farms for military service, so changed
the relative amount of production and
consumption, that there was again a de-
mand for all the wheat and corn the
whole country could produce. This
new demand acted as q great stimulus
upon production. The amount of wheat
sown and corn planted, was only limited
by the land and labor at the command
of the farmers, for ready market at
remunerative prices awaited the harvest.
But this marked was not permanent
one. The close of the war both destroy
ed the market and increased the pro-
duction by returning Thousands of SOL"
diers to tie farms. Gradually since
then. farmers who were largely grain
growers have seen their means of support
pass from them. Years have come and
gone with these men, years of hard toll
and rigid economy, without increasing
their wealth, and often they have found,
at the close of the season, that the yield
of the farm would not pay for the labor
expended upon il, and interest on the
money invested.
s. CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.