The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-03-08
why Farming Doesn't Pay.

pIeSlueut, MI u. OuiAoWS, IA hiS Soo
alluded to the work of organization ia the
past year, and said that on the whole pro-
gress had been satisfactory. He said State
Alliances had been organized in Wiscon-
sin, Washington Territory and Kansas, that
a meeting had been called to organize in
Ohio; also that much progress had been
made on the Pacific Slope, and that only a
trifling effort would be needed TO organize
California and Oregon. He hoped some
practical means would be adopted to assist
such organization. He briefly discussed the
land question, the money question and the
transportation question He said the money
question was the most important question
before the people to-day, as it embraced
the other two. He alluded to the enormous
and growing Indebtedness of the country at
the present time and particularly to the
producing classes, contrasting this with the
unprecedented production of wealth at the
present time, He attributed ahe long-con-
tinued depression of business solely to low
prices brought about by contracted volume
of currency relative to production. He at
tributed the concentration of wealth in our
cities and in a few hands to this cause COM
bined with the power of money to accumu-
late by interest.
In conclusion he recommended that the
farmers concentrate and unite their efforts.
He said that whenever the farmers of the
country united in specific demand upon
Congress for specific reform, the leading
parties of the country would make race to
see which would first pass the measure.
The glimpses which we publish in the
MIDLAND JOURNAL from time to time
serve to show our readers the steady adj
vance among western farmers which is be-
ing made in organizing, and that they have
commenced the investigation of economic
questions in their associations, in addition
to teaching how two blades Of grass may be
made TO grow where one grew before. The
president of the National Alliance claims
that "the money question is the most inn
portant question before the people to-day"
We have been endeayoring TO impress this
fact on our readers for a long time. This
question has been adroitly keptin the back
ground by the men who own the govern
ment debts of the world which statistics i'm
form us amount to twenty six thousand
millions. The value of this aggregation OF
enormous debt is steadily increased by
shrinkage in the circulating medium, and
the coupe de maitre of the debt owning class
was in the demonstration of silver. When
gold was made the only metal to be used as
coined money, except debased token coin,
in Europe. and the United States, silver was
at once classed as an article of mercha ndise,
and the effort commenced TO lower the
price of that metal in the London market.
This was readily accomplished as the
English owned the markets of Asia where
silver is exported to and exchanged for In
dia wheat, which is shipped to Liverpool
and brought in competition with American
wheat al % per cent advantage to the
English shipper.
The money our farmers sell their wheat
for is silver, national bank notes, silver GER
tifcates, etc. This money is made as good
as gold here. but it is not as valuable as gold
in Europe. 1t is only worth the CONNER.
cial value OF silver bullion in the London
market. With gold the English purchase
all the silver that is taken from our mines,
except the two millions month, purchased
at the London market price by the Treasur-
or of the United States 10 coin into silver
dollars. The balance of our silver is ship
ped to India and India wheat purchased
with it, at the full coin money value of that
country, and shipped 10 Europe where it is
used TO depress the market for our whe:t.
If oul government would remonetize sill
yer, making 412l grains troy weight legal
tender with 25.S grains of gold receivable
for all debts, and receive all the silver and
gold offered on that basis, issuing certificates
payable on demand in silver or gold at these
rates, the importation of our silver would
stop, and the purchase of cheap wheat by
English shippers with our debased silver 10
meet the wheat of our farmers in the
European market would also stop, and the
price of every bushel of our wheat would be
enhanced 25 per cent above what it will be
while our silver is debased by the era # of
English and American bond holders. This
is the kind of legislation that will make
American farming pay, and enable farmers
to lift their mortgages. The following
anecdote forcibly illustrates the above facts:
In June 1886 an animated discussion &C.
CURED in London at the Colonial Chamber
Of Commerce, upon the subject of the low
price of silver and its effects upon the pros.
perity of India, Sir Robert N. Fowler, M.
p, London banker and ex-Lord Mayor,
said that the effect of the depression Of sill
yer must finally be the ruin Of the wheat
and cotton industries of America and be the
development of India as the chief whes and
cotton exporter of the world.
The American farmer calls for protection
against India wheat and cotton bv the de