Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-26

prosperous MlQQIo anu western othtcc
into which an enormous tide of emf
grafton has been pouring for quarter
of a century. Those States had a
limitless extent OF virgin soil, which
had only nominal value in 1850, be.
cause Of sparse population, lack OF
transportation and scanty tlllage.
Railroads and emigration have been
the principal factors in bringing the
lands under cultivation and increas-
ing property values. Every observing
man in the country knows it,. too.
The TSmfs, speaking on this matter
of the farm mortgages in the States
named, says: j.
All talk relative to this vast sum of
money ever being paid is utter folly.
No agricultural people can pay such
sums. The profit derived from Amer
ican agriculture is now go small as to
be unworthy of the slightest consider
alton. To illustrate this fact: The in
terest money annually drawn from
the ten States listed, If they pay 7 per
cent only, amounts to $239, ,000, 900.
The profits of agriculture do not war
rant the payment of 30 great a sum.
The total value of the farm products
of the United States,was, in 1879, $2,-
213 100000. Of this value the ten
States listed produced $3.50 ,000, 900.
This was the total value sold, con-
sumed and on hand.
Say that the ten States now
produce to the value Of 5000
100000. If but half the farms
are mortgaged the produce they yield
is worth $500, 900, 900. At least $780,
O00, 200 of that value goes to pay in
terest money, leaving $261 ,000, 900 Of
produce to support $4,000 farmers
and their families. or 1894 to each
farmer. Out Of this small sum they
must pay labor, pay taxes, supply
seed, buy tools and they and their
families live. The sum is utterly in
adequate. 1t is not possible for these
mortgaged farmers asa class, to ever lift
their mortgages. Legislative enact
ment cannot increase the price these
men receive for their products, but it
ia possible to decrease the price they
now pay for the goods which they
consume.
These men, though their names are
borne on the assessment. rolls as the
owners of the farms they till, are ac-
tually tenants. They ceased to be free
holders the instant they mortgaged
their land. The price they have paid
to protect American manufacturing
industries have been their birthright.
A continuance of the system will
surely cause the larger portion of the
farmers whose land is still unincum-
bered to mortgage their lands.
Under our present tariff the East
ern manufacturers have accumulated
all that the agricultural West has
created without being able to save.
1t is matter for self-conderation
that our own State is not in such a
condition as the group of great north
western States, but if our farmers
continued to raise mainly wheat and
barley, how long would it be before
they would be mortgaged up to their
ey es? Too many of our wheat lands
are already encountered.
By way of showing that the Ameri-
can farmers are the gamers by having
the burdens of revenue taxation un-
equally distributed, the Tribune lays
great stress on the fact that wheat is
worth ten cents more bushel in Min
nesota than in Manitoba. This very
cheap trick is easily exposed. The
superior transportations facilities OF
Minnesota over Manitoba makes the
difference. Wheat is worth more in
Minnesota because it costs less to get
to market. The surplus wheat of
Minnesota, just like that of Manitoba
and California, is sold in Liverpool,
and grade and cost OF shipping only
cause the difference in price to the
producer. Wheat is worth more in
the San joaquin Valley than
it is in eastern Oregon an Mon.
tana solely because of the difference
in cost Of getting it to market. The
blessings ascribed to the tariff are due
to the railroads and geography. Is it
not about time for tho farmers to get
an equitable share OF whatever pro-
lection is being extended to American
industry? If they cannot get protec-
tion they can at least be relieved of
some of the burdens of taxation
[San Francisco Alta.