The sun., 1881-06-19

capital. He puts the average yield OF wheat
In Nebraska during the last ten years at not
moro than eight bushels to the acre. or this
he charges three bushels to bread qnd seed,
leaving only five bushels as the surplus for
market. The average price Of wheat in Ne
braska during tho ten years he estimates at
70 cents bushel, which gives the farmer the
small sum OF $3.50 an acre; and from that
he must deduct interest on money invested
in teams, and the cost of labor. Tho railroad
receives % cents bushel for transporting
the wheat to Chicago, but, according to his
calculation, the farmer gets less than 10
cents bushel profit. "The truth is," says
our correspondent, "the farmers arc aware,
and have been for long time, that they are
playing .sloslng game; that they are simply
tho slaves OF the corporatons-making
bricks without straw"
The picture he gives OF Nebraska farming
Is certainly gloomy. II the crop OF wheat
returns on the average less than ten cents
q bushel profit to the producer, and the
yield is no more than eight bushels to the
acre, 1t hardly pays to cultivate wheat
there. or necessity the grain must be
transported great distance to market, and
even at the present reduced rates for freight
the cost OF its carriage to Chicago is moro
than double the farmers profit.
But how does all that affect the question
we discussed in the articles to which he re-
fers We simply showed that freight rates
had been greatly reduced; that since their
reduction the transportation business OF tho
railways had enormously increased; and
that in consequence our unparalleled crops
had been made possible. II the same prices
had been charged in 1880 as in 1870 what
encouragement would the Western farmers
have had to produce their enormous har-
vest OF last year2 II the Nebraska farmers
can now mako only ten cents bushel on
wheat, where would their profit be II the
rates were at the figures OF ten years ago2
But the cost Of transportation Is still too
high. is the inference from our correspond
ent's remarks. That is another question.
II the railroad business OF the great lines
continues toincrease as rapidly as 1t has
done during tho last few years. undoubtedly
q still further and steady reduction can be
made in freight charges. Steel rails enable
the roads to keep their cost OF maintenance
comparatively low, and they can afford to
do the carrying work for less money. Be-
sides, railroad map OF the country shows
that there are many parallel lines, and the
number Is increasing. Railway building is
now going on more extensively than ever
before, and the waterways must be brought
into better condition for business. The con-
sequence will be increased competition, and
that means lower charges to the producer,
even II the dividends Of the stockholder
are less. And this reduction is likely to be
much greater on many OF the lines west OF
Chicago than on those east of that city.
We agree entirely with what our Nebraska
correspondent says regarding the political
evils which have grown out OF the vast in"
crease and steadily advancing consolda-
tion OF railroad power In the Union. They
are portentous evils, and the people must
combine at the ballot box for their cure. But
assailing the railroad business just where it
can mako its strongest and most reasona-
BILE defence Is not the way to obtain the
remedy. The way is to beat at the polls
every candidate for an elective Office who
owes any sort OF allegiance to these cor
porations, or whose election Is pressed by
them. 1t is to drive from power the party
which sQuanders the public lands for their
benefit, and looks to them to fill its treasury
whenever 1t enters upon great political
contest. This is what We meant when We
said in one Of the articles on Mr.. ATKISsoN's
tables that, while the ordinary laws OF trade
would take due care OF the business Of
transportation, the corrupt political power
welded by the vast aggregation OF capital
controlled by few railway men was some
thing OF the gravest concern to the whole
people. They must resist it and break it
down, or they will come more and more un-
der subsection to it.