Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-03-31

The interest paid for the use Of thu
money is nominally from Z to 10 per cent
but il is really from Z to IL per cent, as
large commissions are exscted By the loan
agents from the needy borrowers for nego
siatiug rhs loan. The average rate OF In
teress paid is about 10 per cent In other
words, 500, 900 per snnum is drawn from
the county 10 pay the interest on the farm
mortgages. In small grain farming the
plant necessary to operate farm OF loo
acres is q header or se]f.binder, three
plows, six horses, two harrows, two drills
two wagons and few small hand tools
The cost of the plant il about 81, 200. The
average life Of the tools and horses is about
nix pears. The wear and tear amounts to
$500 annually. In corn culture the tools
are different and cheaper, but nore horses
are needed, and the cost OF the plant Is the
same, and the life the same. The expenses,
unavoidable and collectable OF all
farmers whose lsndis mortgaged for 81, GOO
are, for interest 500, for wear and tear
$500, total Of $500. Add to this sum
the taxes he must pay and the dozens OF
little expenses connected with the farm and
household, and for which cash must be
paid, and the total amount viii be sWeIled
to $500; and to this amount the sum paid
for wages must be added. The $500 10
more than most farmers who till l60 acres
ofland can pay. There Is not that amount
of profit in Ice acres of grain at the pres
ent prices. Annually the farmer runs
deeper and deeper in debt. He hopefully
figures that he is slowly growing rich
he owns hogs and cattle, but all intel
6gent men who are familiar with farm
ing and stock growing know that the
average farmer has not made money dur
ing the past two years, and that he viii not
make any for years to come unless his bur
den is hghteued. If there is any increase
in his apparent wealth it lies in the in
crease of his land-ths direct result of the
exhaustion Of the arabic land ofthe pubic
domain. And it is on this increase that
the mortgage encountered farmer lives. 1t
enables him to renew his mortgages when
they fall due. Il Is his capital. Heis OF
necessity deyouriDg it. And the unmort
gagged farmers lines have not fallen in
oleaeant places. The smile was wont to
year has faded from bis tsce.
So heavy is the burden laid on Western
farmers By our urwise tariff laws, and the
excessive cost of transportatipg their pro-
luce to market over dishonesty built and
operated railroads, and the COM
petition forced npon them by the poverty
tricken sgriculturiSts OF India, that hun;
lreds of thousands of them have ceased 10
i'll the soil. They have adopted the uE-
American plan Of renting their land to ten
.nts, who pay q high cash rent per acre. or
i've from ope-third to one halt OF the crop,
rec of all expense, for the use Of the land.
I the landowner shrsnk from cultiSating
lis soil because Of tie burdens laid
IN the only wealth creating
Industry In orr country pre-
'ented his earning profit, 1t can early
70 seen that the tenant farmer cannot live
q clover. Clover, indeed Sandbars are
is portion. He lives in howell. His
cam is mortgaged. His tools are mort.
aged His share of the crop is mortgsged
,efore it is grown. he ia wretchedly poor
ais case is harder than that Of any car
river who ever stood on car platform in
New York. Re is most wretctedly poor.
The farmers Of this country Gpst have
heir load lightened. lfthey are forced to
ell IN q cheap market they must be al.
owed to buy there. If the relief is not
peedils given, the manufacturing industry
md the transportation companies will de-
Iour the land Of the entire nation.
FRANK WILEEsoN.