Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-09-21

The census estimates Of 1870 were
made on basis of a currency which was
deprecated about twenty fiae per cent.
and were consequently about that much
toe high. The proper correction would
show that there was smaller increase
between $50 and 1870 and somewhat
larger one between 1870 and 1880 than
the figures indicate. The estimates of
1850 and 1880 were on the specie basis.
10 return to the census statistics
The number of acres of improved land in
1890 was 113, 032. GA, and in 1850
l 81, 10, 720. The increase during the
decade was 49,07a.106 acres In 1880
the number was 264. I'll, O4b. The in
crease during the twenty yeas was l22.-
66l, 1928 acres. The increase N the value
OF arms between $50 and $40 was 100
per cent in the next twenty years it
was only fifty per cent.
During the ten wears between 1850
ana 500 the incicase In the vaue of live
stock was absolutely greater tnan in the
next twenty years, and the Rte Of in
crease was more than twice as great
This result was brought abou, notwith-
standing that. between 1860 md $50,
an almost boundleSs area 4 natural
pasture land. extending from the Mis-
souri, river to the Rocky Mountains. and
from the Canadian border TO the Gulf
OF Mexico. was brought into rse
In proportion TO their means no great
section OF society is SO economical as
farmers. No men are more solieitons of
acquiring property or more wiling to
prlve themselves and their families of
the elcxancies and even comforts of life.
In order to enable them to increase their
possessions. Never in the worlds his
tory has the efficiency of farm abor
been so rapidly enlarged by new inven-
tlons ana appliances as during the last
twenty-five wears. 1t is probable that
ono days labor on the farm Is now
the average, more than twice as pro
ductivc as in 1850. During the last
forty years. and especially during the
period between ] SEQ and $50. tn, great
prairie States were mainly settled. and
their almost boundless agricultural re-
sources developed. In the whole history
Of agriculture there has been no such
sudden and amazing increase Of the pro-
ducr1ons of the soil as that which fol-
lowed. la $50 there WAS in the States
q. Illinois,. Iowa, Kansas. Minnesota,
Missouri. Nebraska. Texas. Wisconsin,
improved land. The number OF acres OF
land subjected TO the uses Of civilization
IN those States alone. between 1860 and
1850, was almost as great as all the i'm
proved land in the entire Union in $50.
ana 1t was on the average infinitely
more fertile simultaneously with this
enormous extension of the area OF cul-
tvated land, the construction OF nearly
100000 miles of railways brought almost
every acre Of land in the whole coup-
try into quick and cheap communication
with the best markets Of the world
Do not all these considerations point
irresistibly TO the conclusion that ander
any free. normal. unfettercd condition
OF things the growth Of farm wealth
should have been at far more
rapid rate than ever before? II is the
universal law that, other things being
equal. as capital in any business increases
profits should also increase. III the
growth Of farm wealth between 1s50and
1860 were las the figures show it wasl
at the rate of 100 per cent. under the
same condition of things it ought to have
been lar greater between 1850 and 1880:
and under the extraordinarily favorable
circumstances l have stated above, the
rate of increase should have been mach
very kindergarten. But assuming
that only the rate of increase between
$50 and 500 had been maintained, the
first of the following tables will show
what the Increase OF farming wealth
would have been. and the second table
VIII show what it really was in 1870
and 1880:
These tables show that IL farmers had
increased their wealth only ut AS rapid
rate between 1860 and 1880 as t,ey
did between 1850 and 1860, they
would have possessed in 1880 more than
s20,OO0,000,0O more property than
they did possess. II you will deduct
from that sum $4,000. 100000 as their
share OF the cost and losses growing
out of the war, they would still have
had In 1880 twice as much wealth and
several thousand holyyrs besides. II
we could give back To them the s34s,-
100000 which has yearly been flched
from them by an unjust law, thy
would still be vastly poorer than they /
would be under q just law.
The following table shows how much
farmers, comprising half of the entire
population, and starting in 1860 with
one half the total wealth of the country.
increased their wealth between $50 and
1880, and how much the other half of
the people increased their wealth dur
ing the same period:
Farmers increased their wealth, S4,-
122,5sS.4s1.
The other half increased their wealth,
S23.359. 79i, S5l.
The statistics / have submitted indi