The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-04-09

holder, because no one so clearly ex-
poses his condition as the farmer. If
he is prosperous he builds new houses
and barns, and dresses up his place.
If not, he simply repairs old buildings,
Or neglects his premises altogether.
Any n going through the country
will now SEE few signs OF improve
ment among agriculturalists, exceptin
the eve sections, where new build
ings mean fresh mortgages. But it is
a matter of statistics. In 1860 the
farmers had one half of the wealth of
the country. They constituted one
half the population. Between 1850
and 1880, as the records show, they
added 81, l22, 588,481 to their posses
sions. But during the same period
the other half of the population added
$23 79l 1851, or five to one, to
theirs. AS the farming population
largely increased during that time, it
would not be difficult to show that the
average of loss and gain in respect to
property was against it. But how has
it been since 1880? How many farm
ers since then have become m~illionaires
in the prosecution of their business ?
When has wheat been so low? The
flush times among agriculturalists,
during and after the war, were before
1880. But here again statistics come
to the front. If there r any States
where farmers ought to flourish, when
population, soil, climate, and location
the chief elements of agricultural
resource-are considered, they are
Illinois and Michigan. They have
marked advantages. Both, fortunate
ly, keep records of farm mortgages.
In both they appear to have been
growing almost unprecedently. In
the former nearly 5000, 900 acres of
f~arming-land are now encountered,
being pledged for the enormous aggre-
gate Of 1914, 900, 600. But have
values kept pace with debt? Alas,
no! The general testimony is that,
in Illinois, farms have materially de-
preciated in the market, one excel
lent authority putting the decline in
the past eight years at twenty-five per
cent. And when we come to Michigan,
although not so wealthy as Illinois,
we find the debt on it's farms still
greater, rolling up to $l3O,OOO,O 900:
and we r told that, taking the State
as a whole, one half of all it's farms
are m~ortgaged, and in the new por-
tions fully th~ree-fourths.
Such figures are terribly signif-
cant. What a sickening story they
tell of i'll paid labor, of pinching
economy, of actual want And yet
there are sections of the country, with
which the writer is familiar, worse off
by far than Illinois and Michigan
not one, but maryland ONE of
them where not only does the mort
gage rest upon the farm, but the crop
is usually pledged long in advantage
of the harvest.
Of the blight that has fallen upon
the observation-disclosures of the country,
there could be no stronger proof than
the extent of the business latterly
done in farm matgages. It is a ter
rible traffic. The mortgages that are
sold are really written in blood. They
represent the sweat and tears of a
prolonged but utterly hopeless strug-
gle. The high rates of interest that
are pledged-which alone furnish the
inducements for the purchase of these
instruments--in most cases make
their payment impossible, and point
at last to the inevitable foreclosure.
What that means, needs no explana-
ton. All the world pities the poor
Irishman who, because he can't pay
the rint," is evicted from his hold
ing; but wherein is his case harder
than hat Of the American culturalist
who, because he can't meet the in
terest, d-ispossessed of his home with
the loss of all his investment d?
We now have companies in this
business with millions of capital;
which proves the extent and success
with which it is carried on. The
tempting advertisements are every
where. They fill whole columns-not
only in our financial, but our religious,
journals. 1t is nolonger possible for
the pious capitalist,-most probably a
"protected latter his
his Sunday repast, to take up his
favorite church paper for spiritual
nourishment, without meeting these
mind-diverting offers of the flesh and
blood of our impoverished and un-
happy husbandman. The growth of
this business is one of the most inaus-
picious signs of the times. 1t shows
how extensively our farming popula-
ton is sinking into debt, and losing
control of the soil upon whichit labors.
Is it any wonder, when he is thus
heavily handicapped, that the farmer
falls behind in the race? 1t would
be strange indeed, when he marks the
better condition of those in some of