Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-07-31
SOME STARTLING FIGURES.
An Unprecedented Decrease in the
Value Of Farm Property.

given below are presented TO the far
mers of this county, is il not abOu
time they were beginning TO stud!
the practical operations of our presen
high protective, or "robber tariff
which is each year forcing them near
er the doors of the poor house and
pouring untold wealth into the cot
icrs of a favored few in the Nortl
and East. At recent meeting o
Tariff Reform League, held in New
York, Hon. d. l.. Whiting, Vice Pres
idcnt of the Farmers Alliance, mad
a lengthy speech exposing the out
rageous inequalities Of the tariff, ant
among other things said:
"Agricultre is declining generally
in prosperity. In New York, except
in special lines, it is in ruins. The
fioe farming districts of New York
Pennsylvania and Ohio, show marks
of dilapidation. Illinois farms in
the aggregate have declined in value
during the last ten ears more than
S2O0,0O00OO. The great garden Of
America, stretching from Kansas To
Minnesota, is heavily weighed with
mortgages"
TO back up these startling asser-
tions of Mr.. Whiting a careful invcs-
LEGATION of official data has revealed
the further disheartening outlook for
the farmer:
or the total value of real and per-
sonal property in the country, the
farmers, in 1850, owned 60 81 per
cent. in 1860, 10 80 per cent. ; in 1870,
81 per cent. in 1880, 2774 per cent.
Thus we see that thirty eight years
ago the farmers Of this country own
ed more than two thirds of all the
real and personal property, whereas
they now own less than one third ;
while in the single State of Illinois
alone the value of farm property
within the post ten years has de-
decreased two hundred millions OF
dollars Just think of it. And what
is true in this respect of Illinois,
Ohio and Indiana, may also be said
OF Kentucky. Or to bring the matter
nearer home, there are now in Crit
tenden county more farms and other
farm property under mortgage than
ever before, while the small farmer
is forced to mortgage his tobacco
crop in order 10 obtain supplies TO
make it.
And in Gen. Lieb's book on the
tariff we find the following:
"In 1850 the total wealth of the
country was found to be S7,000,000,-
GOO in round numbers. or this great
wealth the farmers onwed nearly
S4,O000O0,000 or more than one half.
When, as we have seen, after ten
years of low revenue tariff, the total
wealth Of the country had increased
to $4,000, 100000 the faruers share of
that wealth was $1,000, 100000. or still
one half. But when, in 1880, after
twenty years of protection, the nat
innal wealth had reached $40, G000,,
ODOWO, the farmers share was but $l2-
900 100000, or little more than
one fourth. Thus it will APP
pear that while under reve-
nue. tarill the aggregate wealth OF
one half of our population, namely,
the agricultural half, had increased
at an even rate with the other half,
during the twenty years of prOtec-
tiun, The farmers wealth increased
only $l000,000,0OO while The wealth
Of the other half increased $4,000.
100000, or nearly six field"
From the same authority we learn
that the present total mortgage in.
debtedness on farm property in the
States Of Ohio, Indiana, lllinOise, Mi.
chigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa,
Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri ex.
ceeds 81, 297 100000; and upon this
enormous amount the western farmers
have to psy the Eastern capitalist.
who hold these mortgages nearly one
hundred million dollars in interest
yearly.
There must be some grave and con-
trolling cause for this unprecedented
decline in farm values. Why this
vast shrinkage in farm property in
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and other large
agricultural States? Why are the
r'ch lands, the fertile fields, the mag
nicent homesteads streaching west
ward from the banks of the Upper
Mississippi and the Missouri far into
the bOundless praries, plastered over
with mortgages three inches deep
Why have the values of the real and
personal effects of our farmers de-
creased l2j per cent. within the last
81 years Are there less farm lands
titled now than then? Certainly not.
Since 1850 the tillable area of the
United States has been more than
doubled, and the sol thus brought
under cultivation is unsurpassed on
the face of the globe for the
production of wheat, corn, rye,
barley, flax and for grazing pur
poses This land cost the farmer but
II iri1e, comparatively, under the
homestead and presumption law; for
years he has been blessed with bonn.
iiful crops at a lrlling expense for
labor; while vast herds of sleek, fat
cattle are yearly accumulating about
him. And yet, in the face of all
these advantageous surroundings, We
see this farmers paradise-this mag
nihcent domain Of unsurpassed fer.
tiliiv-"plastered over with mortga-
ges"
"There is but one solution TO tho
question, "Why this depreciation in
farm values ~ aud ii lies in the sim
pie word-"Protection !" In order
TO foster and protect few favored
manufacturing establishments in the
East, the entire agricultural inter
e-ls of The country have been sacri-
feed. In closing our seaporis to the