Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-01-11
THE GREATEST INDUSTRY.
Farnaing, the Source of Wealth, Is N,
Protected.

the FourCF OF WCAlGus Is MOI
Protected.
Special Correspondence EVENING JOURNAL
CHRISTIAN, Jan. IL. 1890. Corn only
worth 81 cents q bushel wholesaler
soberly remarks e farmer
shall try to sell my wheat or hold IL
awhile longer7' anxiously asks another.
why, the price Of grain is lower now
than it was before the war, observed an
old farmer, who declared that he had
never sold corn for less than 40 cents
bushel before the war, and that he re-
ceived a higher price for wheat then than
be does now.
These are the topics which interest the
farmers. The representative of the
EVENING JOURNAL has interviewed some
of the most intelligent and popular FARM
ors of this vicinity, and all agree that
farming is an Improbable occupation.
Republican as well as Democratic farm
ers % not hesitate to acknowledge these
facts. A prominent Republican farmer
not only admitted that farming WAS
rapidly declining, but declared that It
would continue to decline. Yet in the
face of these facts, some INSCRIPTIONS
psrtisans and politicians, who know very
little about farming, try to put the blame
impudence to try to teach the farmer
what to raise. aud how to raise it, in
fact, trying to teach those who have
served a life apprenticeship to the occu-
patton. The farmers really are as well
acquainted with, and know practically as
much about their business as other bust.
ness men know of their employment
The farmer knows his business too well
for any ignoramus to try TO teach him.
The present depression in farming is
becoming serious and demands general
attention, especially from the press.
Farmers Sre compelled to sell their
grain to meet expenses and carloads are
being shipped daily. The grain dealer at
Bear Station alone is shipping large
quantities, mostly corn, for which the
farmers receive but 81 cents bushel
Allowing that corn will yield an average
of so bushels to an acre, land that is a
high average)the tenant receives but one
half as his share, which is % bushels, or
at the above price. 81 70 an acre II is
not necessary to add up the cost of rails
ing to ina the. profit, as any fair minded
person can see that there would be no
profit left
Wheat is worth only from IS cents to
rs cents bushel and is hardly wanted at
any price.
Land is also declining in value Here
is an example:
The late ex Sheriff Cannon bought a
farm at Salem number of years ago and
paid 50. 600 for It. he erected farm
house thereon which cost him So, 600, and
also built all the necessary out buildings
He purchased thirty or forty acres of
land adjoining and added it to the farm,
making its total cost not less than So.
| 600 1t was sold by the executors Of bis
estate at public sale on the 18th of last
month. The first and only bid was
| 81. 000
While the decline in the value of the
land may not be as great as the above
sale would indicate yet there is decided
decrease in the price Of farms.
The farmers approve of the eorrespon
dent in bringing the attention of the
public to their condition, and agree that
he has in no way misrepresented them.
II is to be hoped that the party which
is now in power will fulfill the promises
1 to protect the farmer, for surely he II
not protected now. The great part,
which advocates protection to oil indus
tries seems to be devoting very little tim
to this, the greatest Of industries.