The Van Buren press., 1875-08-17
The Rain and the Crops.
louisville Courior-JournaL. !

HeaNy Watc'iAh HVHS the Ohio sshcy Has
not only deluged the low country lying
adjacent to the river, but has seriously
damaged the uncut grain as well as that
which has been moved and shocked The
rich corr, region lying on both sides of
the Ohio between Louisville and Cairo
has been for weeks so submerged as to
drown the life of the growing stalk and
to fattcn large fields Of the product with
the ground Nothing but a suspension
Of the rain and the hot, uncouded rays
Of an August sun can save even fair
part Of the crops that have not already
been destroyed, and that suspension we
fear will not he granted until complete
ruin has ovcrtaken the farmer.
The wheat prospect is even more hope
less. Farmers throughout Kentucky are
casting shocks of this valuable grain to
the hogs, and wherever fields Of wheat or
oats or rye have not been moved the
crop has been rendered almost entirely
worthless. We have never had season
so suddenly and thoroughly disastrous.
The ruin has literally travelled as fast as
showers on the mountain side-faster, to
use poetic expression, than the musi-
clan scatters sounds.
Nor has Kentucky alone suffered. The
dreadful waterfall seems to have followed
with wonderful accuracy the isothermal
line which takes in great portion of
Missouri, Kentucky. Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio, Virginia and Maryland, and thence
striking across the ocean runs through
Great Britain, a portion OF France and
Germany, and thence east through the
middle Of Asia. But small areas within
this broad and extended line have escaped
the ruin which seems to have visited us
with more protracted if not more
des olating severity The crops in some
portions Of France were suddenly sub
merged some weeks ago, and so strong
and broad was the torrent that flowed
down from the Pyrcnees that two cities,
one of which was larger than Louisville,
were almost entirely swept away. Eng
land has not suffered SO severely, nor
has Germany; but while that fact will
lessen the general distress which has been
anticipated, it will not soothe the ruined
farmers, the broken tenants and sub.ten-
ants who have fallen directly under the
ban of this destructive destiny.
This extensive suffering it seems like.
" will be increased by the overflow of the
Mississippi and the repetition ofthe loss
es we were called upon to record some
months ago, Should that be the case,
the cotton interest will also be serious
injured, and planters who have been con
graduating themselves upon an eXtraor-
dinary crop o! that staple win suddenly
find their hopes dashed and broken aud
themselves almost ruined.
We need not say such season is ex-
traordinary. Scientific observers have
marked out on charts certain area, just
north of the equator but south of the
Tropic Of Cancer, where there is almost
constant rain attended with severe thun
der storms. but that afflicted zone runs
only through small portion of South
America and an uncultvated portion Of
Africa. 1t seems, however, that under
some influence, which is not adequately
explained by scientific observers, it has
shifted farther north, and has settled up.
on the richest and most productive grain
growing region on this continent. 1t
could hardly extend in a straight or even
cr porrlon Of populous territory, ard a
territory to which the world has become
accustomed to look for most of its bread
The results, both direct and remote, must
DC distressing in the extreme Bread.
stuffs will be hish, and when anything so
essential to life is dear, we know who
will suffer most-where the burden Of the
disaster will fall with most appalling con-
sequences. We may consequently ex
pect great suffering next wine among
the poorer classes, both of this country
and of Europe.
We know, too, that there has not re-
Gently been that prosperity among trades
men or laborcrs which will enable them
to bear up under the experience that
seems now inevitably to await them. In
this country, at least, we have had year
Of severe hardship in almost every de.
partmcnt of business, and many laborers
have been barely able to sustain them.
selves, without regular work, but they
have been encouraged by the hope that
there were better times just ahead, and
that the morrow would prove bright
day. The clouds Of the past few weeks
have cast shadow Of gloom over all
such anticipations, and obscured the
brightness OF each days promise We
do not wish to dwell upon such evil
prophecies beyond what is necessary to
prepare persons of neager resources for
the sacrifices and sutfcrings that seem in.
evitable. But it would be wise for all to
practice strcter economy, and conform
their habits to a more frugal standard
The long.talkcd-of rainy day" has
come, it seems, and those who have not
something lail up! will doubtless ex
pcrience the want and distress which our
grand mothers were accustomed to say
would overtake us
tX The New Haven. Conn, Register saws
that Senator Thurnan's speech covers the
whole financial ground, and Is the only com
men-scnse view to be taken Of the present
condition of affairs. We must "watch and
pray" until the favorable moment for getting
the treasury once more an q constitutional
basis, and that Is about the extent of present
human foresight. We have wandered so far
into the wilderness of paper money that it
will require another Moses to lead us back
without convulsing the business of the coun-
try.--but further imitation or violent contrac.
ton will not accomplish any good end From
the republican Plsgah the promised land :"