The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-11-27
THE cooUNTRY's 8 ToILERs.
Demand to Have the Census Show
Mortgages on Farms and Homes

Mortgages on Farms and Homes.
The Western Economic Association, at ST..
Louis has issued the following address:
There is a growing feeling that the farmers
and other wealth-producers do not receiFean;
equitable return for their toll. The state-5
ments are repeatedly made that the r1cm'
that ninety-five per cent. of the wealth OF tho
country is owned by less than five per cent
of the population; that three-ffths OF all the
wealth is in the hands OF less than thirty
thousand persons; and that the sturdy, self.
respecting farmer is becoming the American.
peasant. Lack Of facts upon which to BASE
conclusions has rendered even theor1sng
valueless, and ignorance Of the truth makes
the prevalent discomfort only more danger
GUS. The first requisite to an intelligent dis
cussion of the subject is knowledge OF the
actual facts in the case. Up to this time none
of any importance have been collected.
Much statistical information has been gath.
cred and published to show the production or
wealth in this country, but none to show IT'S
distribution. An important step In this d1--
rection in fact the primary step, would sbe
the collection Of data to show to what extent
the farms and the homes, the bases OF our
civilization, are owned by their occupants and
free from debt. Correspondence has been had
of the various States, asking them whether
they had collected any such information
With singular unanimity they reply that the
facts are Of great importance and ought to
be collected, but that the labor and expense
Of such an investigation are too great to be
undertaken by State Bureau, and that thl
work naturally devolves on the National
Census. Mr.. Robert P. Porter, SuperintendS
ent Of the Eleventh Census in reply to corr;
respondence on this subject says that the act
authorizing the census did not contemplate'
the collection of these data; that before he
can undertake the work there must be special
legislation by Congress instructing him to do
So and thet he viii lay the matter before the
Secretary Of the Interior with a view to So.
curing such legislation. There is no doubt
that if a general public demand existed, the.
legislation could be secured. The country
cannot afford to wait till another census fox
the facts. as at least fifteen years would be'
required to make them public, and In these
days Of the rapid concentration Of wealth into.
few hands that time is too long for fT1
diagnosis Of the case. By that date tEd'
patient may be fatally III. So
With view to creating such demand,
the Western Economic Association, OF ST.
Louis, has issued this address to the farmers
and other wealth.producers Of the country,
Tho practical method Of procedure is for any
DOQy OF SUCH luQlVlQudlS, eltner OrSdu1zeuoI
unorganized. to adopt resolutions Of the fol-;
lowing character and to send them to Wash
ington: 4 53i
WHEREAS, There is growing belief that
the farmers and other producers Of the coun-
Try do not obtain an equitable share OF tbs
wealth which they create, and that the farms
and homes Of the country are very largely
under mortgage: and,
WHEREAS, Exact knowledge on this sub
ject is Of great Importance In the study OF
the social and economic questions Of the day.
therefore, be it by insert here the name Of
the body adopting the resolutions, and the
locality;
RESOLVED. That it is our Judgment that the
next United States Census should show Whist
percentage of the people in this country oc.
cupy their ow., farms and homes, and what:
proportion are tenants; and Of those who o.
cupy their own farms and homes, what pro
portion have their property free from debt,
and Of the farms and homes which are under
mortgage, what percentage Of the value y
so mortgaged; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Secretary Of this meet-5
ing be requested to transmit copy OF these
resolutions to Hon. John W. Noble, Secre.
tary Of the Interior, Washington, D. G., and
3 copy to the Congressman from this district,
with request that he use his influence TO
have these facts collected and published.