The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1882-08-04
NUMBER als
FARMING At ruK 'aFRoNr .,-.Ncvcf

FARMING At rug 'aFsoNr ?,,--Nexcf
before have there been so many people Of
all classes taking a strong, direct, personal
interest in the agricultural situation and
prospect Business men, bankers, capita
lists, stock brokers, merchants, mechanics
manufacturers, operatives, and day laborcrs
even, are Watching the daily bulletins and
| reports Of the weather, with especial refer.
ence t. how it is affecting the growing
wheat, corn and oats, and the further plant
ing of corn. Never before have they sccn
so clearly that farming is the real basis of
all other business aud that upon it rests the
prosperity of the country. They now com-
prcheud the fact tha, it was the good crops
of 1879, 1880 aud 1881, from the export Of
which we received SO many hundreds of mill.
ions Of dollars from other lands, which chan,
Scd the financial depression of 1873, and The
year following, into prosperous activity,
extending through all branches Of trade and
manufacture. Every extra bushel Of wheat
or corn, or pound of meat, cheese and butter
that went to market hclped turn the scale.
! The hundreds of millions Of bushels Of grain
that came from the interior to the scaboard
gave profitable employment to the railroads.
These bought and used more cars, moro
iron, moro steel, and the makers of these,
| from head director to the lowest laborcr,
received more wages and more constant
employment, and they purchased more
freely those articles that 60 to supply the
necessities and comforts ofevery day life
THIS stimulated aud increased the mercan--
tile trade, and made heavier demands up
on all kinds of manufactured com moditics.
The farmers who received the proceeds were
able to reduce debts upon their farms !; to
buy more and better implements to pay
up their store debts, and buy more freely
from the merchants. The merchants and
shop keepers were in turn able to pay up
their debts to Wholesale houses, brokers in
manufactures, and importers, and to buy
larger stocks Of goods for cash or on short
credits. The carrying Of these goods in:
creased the transportation business, and
stimulated the building of five to ten thou
sand miles of new railroad every year.
This brief glance at some leading points
shows the great and far-rcaching Influence
of prosperity to farmers. On the other
hand, the uniavora!l, winter and spri2g
and the summer drought of 1881 cut down
the surplus wheat and corn and meat and
dairy products and cotton, many score mill.
ions in value This of course diminished
exports and has started gold abroad it has
decreased the ability of farmers and all
classes of workers to buy goods and mans
utacturcs. The decline in the demand for
iron and steel, and the fall in prices, pre-
vent the payment of wages asked for,
and there is now prevailing one Of the grea-
test "strikcs" ever knowu in this country. Of
laborers who demand higher pay to meet
the increased cost of living, due in part to
the advance in breadstuffs, consequent upon
the lessened crops of last year Is it
any wonder that this stage of things has
opened the eyes and enlightened the un-
d.rstauding of that half Of the people who
are engaged in agriculture and who have
hitherto been inclined to look upon farming
as OF interior Importance, and suited for
ciod hoppers ? Farming has come to the
front, and it is going to stay there Amer.
ican AgricuHurist