The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-11-07

production. There can be no over.
production 80 long as the cry for bread
shall be heard from a single child in the
land. It's not over production, but it is
the want of proper distribution or equita-
BILE disposition of the products of labor.
Again, We are told that we can buy
more with q dollar than ever before.
But We ask, where is the dollar? Aud
how much of the products of our labor
will buy that dollar? And when obtain.
ed, will it pay more interest? Will it
pay more debts? Will it pay more
taxes? A pertinent inquiry might be
appropriately introduced just here. Why
should United States bond bearing
per cent interest be worth 127 cents on
the dollar, while good farms cannot he
mortgaged for more than one.third their
value, at I to 10 per cent interest?
And how stands agriculture in the
race of progress with manufacturing
From 1850 to 1860 agriculture led
manufacturing IN increased value of
products 10 per cent. From 1870 to 1880
manufacturing led agriculture in increas.
ed value products 81 per cent, differ
ence of 40 per centin favor ofthe increas.
ed growth of manufacturing.
With these significant and alarming
facts before US, can ne wonder that our
young men are deserting the farms in
favor ofother vocations? In this fruitful
land, where should be heard the husband.
mans happy song ofplenty and content
ment, is it any wonder that we should
hear the universal wall of "hardtiness"
among the farmers? Our national
treasury is overaowing with millions of
dollars needlessly wrung from the hard
earnings of the people, while the business
of the country is clogged and stagnated
for the want of so adequate circulating
medium. With an agricultural popula.
tion whose energy, enterprise, industry
and skill is recognized the world over:
with generous soils, adapted to the
successful growth Of all the leading crops
demanded by comm erce; with the TEEN.
ing millions of the earth as our custo.
mers; with transportation facilities equal
to the productive power oftbe country
why should agriculture lapguish and
decline?
But again. 1t said that the strength
and glory of country is in the homes of
its people. Look at France, that erratic
but gallant, brilliant, prosperous people.
When, in 1870, her proud standards went
down in humiliation and defeat at Sedan
her second Waterloo-an electrical
thrill of astonishmeut shocked the
civilized world. And when the victor
imposed an indemnify ofsl, 100000, 900
in coin to be paid in cash, that astonish-
ment gave way to sympathy, for both TO be
forgotten in the applause which greeted
her as she came forth staggering and
bleeding and promptly paid every dollar
Of it. Whence her power to perform this
remarkable achievement? 1t lay in her
myriad humble but prosperous homes,
the castles of her yeomary, where was
fostered diversified industry and diversi-
fed intelligence.
In this vitally important matter what
is the tendency in our own country :
Let official statistics furnish the answer.
From 1870 to 1880 our farms under three
acres decreased 80 per cent, while farms
of 100 to 500 acres increased 200 per cent.
Farms of 8 to 10 acres decreased 200 per
cent. Farms of 8 to 10 acres decreased
25 per cent while farms of 500 to 1000
acres increased 500 per cent. Farms of
10 to 20 acres decreased over 10 per
cent, while farms of 900 or more acres
increased no per cent. Although cur
population had increased 93 per cent,
there were in 1880 1858 less farms
under so acres than in 1870. What do
these startling 6gures suggest?
John Locke said: "Whoever own
the land owns the people," The figures
quoted are but another powerful witness
10 prove that through the rapid congestion
ofwealth our population is being resolved
into Two classes, the extremely rich, and
the extremely poor classes, which, in all
ages, have been the weakest defenders of
civil liberty and human freedom. The
middle class, that mighty bulwark Of
liberty, the great conservator of the
highest civilization oftbe ages, is gradu-
ally, but surely, weakening and fading
away. Centralized capital, allied to
irresponsible corporate power, is the
most formidable and dangerous evil that
threatens the preservation of our free
government. 1t annuls the ancient law
in trade Of supply and demand" it
overrides individual rights, it controls
conventions, it corrupts the ballot box,
i! subsidies the press, it invades our
temples Of justice, it intimidates official
authority, it fosters official corruption,
it robs the many 10 enrich the few, it
destroys legitimate competition and
dictates legislation, State and national.
Mighty forces are being marshalled which
shall test the strength of our virtue, our
patriotism, our appreciation of self
government and Our love of liberty. In
these closing years Of the nineteenth
century is the struggle again to be
renewed for ascendency. between individ.
nal rights and constitutional government
on the one side ard centralized capital
and arrogant monopoly on the other
When that supreme hour Of our trial
shall come the rejuvenated, self.made
South, which has "conle up out of great
tribalation" and whose honest hands,
E.l ll.-ala:z,a axn