Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-17
Are Farmers Growing Poorer?

EDITOR OF THE REFLECTOR-The
above is fruitful theme for discus.
sion, especially in agricultural journals.
The greenbacker charges it all to the
government in not issuing unlimited
greenbacks. The George theorists say
if we had free trade and only land
taxes we would be happy. The festive
democrat cries, 1.-THE tariff is tax and
the fruitful mother of trusts" etc.
do not think that the depression in
farm products is attributable to any
one cause, but to a combination of
causes. And one of the chief ones is
the reduction of the tariff on wool in
1889.
In discussing this as any other pollt-
ical question, it is best to confne our
selves to facts rather than random as
sertions. Through the kindness of
Secretary Mohler 1 am permitted to
state the number of the sheep in Kan
sas in 1884, also in 1889, with assessed
value o. same, thus giving an object
lesson. Mr.. Cleveland chose wool as
an object lesson to show what temporal
/ blessings would accrue to the farmer
by placing it on the free list. l wish
to employ it for the purpose of showing
what reduction of or cents per
pound has done for the people of Kan
sas. Here are the figures which is evil
dence in any court and therefore can
not be controverUed.
In 1884 there were in the state of
Kansas 1,154,1 sheep, valued at two
dollars each, or S2,2O8,3 1896. AS the
custom of assessing property in Kansas
is to put it at about two-thirds its cash
value, therefore we must add one-third
to the above statement which would
put the total value Of old sheep in 1884
at So, 1916, 769.. The number of sheep in
1889 in Kansas, according to the asses
sOrS' rolls are 2S3 ,S53, decrease in five
years of S6O,243.
L find by examining the agricultural
report of Kansas for the years 1856 and
49,, that the assessors valuation was
623 cents per head; adding one-third
would make 923 cents, but for sake of
easy count, will call it a dollar each,
making a total valuation of 1898 1858
Deducting that amount from the
assessment of 1884 we have a remain
der of SO, l22 1881.
We find, therefore, there is loss to
the farmers of Kansas in sheep of the
enormous sum of So, 122 931. No in-
telligent person will attribute this loss
to anything else but the reduction of
the tariff Of 1888. But this does not
show the full loss to the farmers as it
is fact that sheep husbandry paid
from 80 to so per cent. on the invest
ment. Add that amount to the above
each year and you have some adequate
idea of the enormous loss the wool in
dustry has sustained. The present
duty on wool is wholly inadequate to
protect the American wool grower,
against the cheap pastures and cheap
labor of other countries.
The late presidential campaign was
fought and won in the tariff issue, and
the people expect congress to enact the
necessary measures for the relief of the
producing classes. With the restora-
tive of the tariff of '67 on wool, mil
lions of dollars would soon be invested
in the industry, and tens of thousands
of men who are now raising cattle and
hogs and wheat would engage in the
wool industry thereby relieving these
industries from over production.
With the meager republican majority
in congress, and the wonderful demo
cratic hostility to tariff legislation, it is
doubtful if we get the needed relief
very soon. VIM. RAMSEY.
SOLOMON, Kas., Oct. 8.