Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-10-25
[Conainued from first page.]

engaged in its preparation. 1t was pre-
scented to the people of Missouri for the
purpose of convincing, it possible, the
people of the state that the claim made
against Missouri in the republican plat
form is true. l assert that the table
presented by Mr.. Ford has done and is
doing O great injury to the state; and
that Missouri, instead of being 'spoor
old Missouri as charged in that plat
form, is happy, prosperous democratlc
Missouri and has grown more rapidly,
everything being taken into considers
lion, since it passed under the control
of the democratic party than it did for
the same number of years under
republican rule. will not only COM
pare Missouri with the state of Illinois,
in the speech made on this occasion,
but will give tables that are incontrO-
vertable, comparing it with the states
of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Nebras
ka-four republican states; and if those
tables are carefully examined they will
convince even the %intensest republican
that Missouri has marched hand i'll
hand with those states II all the evil
dences of material prosperity.
1t is not an unnatural result for states
admitted into the union and bodies Of
land organized from territorial con-
dition, to become populated
rapidly than the Older states;
and the reason for this is OBJ
vious to all. The lands presented are
fresher, cheaper and more often within
reach of every man who has the en-
ergy and fortitude to remove to those
states. 1 call the attention of the peo-
pie to a table that l think is more rea-
sonable than that presented by Mr.
Ford, and that will give a better idea
OF the real condition of things.
Mr.. Ford's figures find an explana-
ton in the fact that Iowa is almost ex-
clusively an agricultural state. 1t does
not compare with Missouri in mining
and mineral products, and we have
twice as much as Iowa III manutac-
turtles. If the entire products, agricul-
tural, mineral and manufacturing, Of
1879 be added in Missouri it will show
the total products to be S2,666, 127, 710;
and Iowa $4,000 ,314,7S3. That makes
a difference in favor of Missouri OF
S56, 1927. 1t is true the number OF
manufacturing establishments decreas-
ed in Missouri from 1870 to 1880 as
stated; but this decrease is found in
other states such as Connecticut, Indi
ana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, New
Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Yer
mont and West Virginia, all manufac
turing states and the causes for this de
crease are stated on pages 926 and 80,
of the compendium of the last United
States census. These causes are nu,
merous, but it states ssthat the vel
known tendency for the concentration
of labor and capital in large shops ant
factories, is an ample reason"
The substitution OF machinery 70
hand work, and the immense extent O
the contract system of erecting build
ings, the effect of which is to decreas
the number of such establishments
There are numerous considerations t
be taken into account, and altogethe
they show that the decrease mean
nothing. The figures givenin compal
ing the amount of capital invested an,
the value of the products, etc., fror
1870 to 1880 overlook what is said O
pages 296 of the census which is as fol
lows: "In all comparisons betwee
values reported in 1870 to 1881
it should be borne in mind tn,
the values of 1870 were expressed
the currency which was at a great dii
count. For the purpose of conparisc
therefore, the values of 1870 should
reduced by the ratio of one-fitth."
Mr.. Ford having recently been
member of congress and making pr
tension to craftsmanship, especial
with respect to the finances Of Il
country, ought to have known til
much. Certainly he ought not to ha,
sanctioned the figures without exa1
lining the explanation. And being
honest man he should have present,
them to the reading public of Nilsson
fairly, honestly, justly and truly.
fact instead of a decrease in the capt.
invested as stated by him, there will
found an increase of So, 3O2,O
IN Missouri from 1870 to 1880. So