The Somerset reporter., 1890-06-05

laborers are doubtless better fed and
clothed. able to maintain hi.her style
of living, and enjoy more of Tie benefits
of civilization and culture than those of
any other country 1t may be said with
truth that in thirty years the
scale of living has advanced immensely
in this country, not equally in all sec
lions, but manifestly everywhere. There
is "A tendency to extravaganza in town
life that has been initiated in rural cir
cles, and the natural ambition for prog
ress and precedence. when generally
aroused, will express itself in dissatisfac-
ton with prevailing conditions and de-
termination to overpower all obstacles
TO advancement, This is a hopeful sign.
1t is an indication of conscious dignity.
1t is a prophecy of progress.
While, therefore, our own country feels
the effect of agricultural depression less
than almost any other in the world, the
reduction in prices of most staples, and
in domestic animals and their products,
forces disagreeable comparison with
agricultural values at their highest, com
pels reduced expenditure to keep outgo
subordinate to income, inc..aases the
number of unfortunates who cannot
make "both ends meet" and reduces the
profits of the enterprising and skillful
who are still able to strike balance in
their favor. Retrenchment i. not an
agreeable alternative and is therefore de-
layed until it is imperative and perhaps
destructive. The times" are universal
iy regarded as "hard" in comparison
with more prosperous eras of the past.
1t matters not that the prices of inn
plements, utensils and fabrics. Of goods
desired by the farmer, have bi II reduced
proportionately; his interest account, il
he has one, is introduced, and his mort
gage is greater burden to lift He signs
for the good old days of high prices,
though they may have been var or fam
inc prices, necessarily temporary, and
though they may have been the source
Of extravagant views. unnece Ssary ex-
penditure and the foundation of his pres
ent Indebtedness. He naturally resents
and deplores low valuation of farm prod.
ucts. What are the causes of low prices?
They may be various, but the prime cause
is the operation of the memorable law of
supply and demand. Abundance leads
inevitably to low prices; scarcity to high
prices. With either there is fuctation,
a seesaw of prices which increases cost
and reduces profit Medium and uniform
values are therefore best for the farmer.
There has been an increase Of produc-
ton in this country even more rapid
than the increment of population. The
follow ing statement shows the increase in
thirty years in certain products of the
farm, as reported by the census:
coRs-BusHELa
1919. 1859 1859 1879
W. OIL i0i s3s 7o2742 7Gos44,s49 i,754, sol, $40
wHEAT-BusHxIA
100, 485.944 l73 l04,924 7,745 628 49, 49,, 1877
oATs-BusHEIS
6,5s4,179 i72,6431 1856 as2 10, 157 4o7 1858, 100
ENTHUSIASTICALLY.
65,707. 800 1il,i4ss67 1881, 473 100, 49, $50
coTToS-BALEs.
2tG0,09s b,Ss70 8,Oii99e 5.755, $50
nAy-ToNs
l3,s3s,6s2 19,0s3,so6 G,si8Oas 3o,15O.711
If we extend the comparison to the
present date, we find that the corn crop
exceeds 1000, 900, 900 bushels, wheat APP
proximates SOC, 600, 900, oats exceed 7O0,-
000, 900, and hay and potatoes have in
creased in similar proportion. While the
product may be three or four times as
large, the population is less than three
times as much, though the proportion of
workers engaged in agriculture was
larger than now.
Thus the staple products of agricul-
ture, by increase Of farms, by railroad
building and land settlement, and the
increase of agricultural implements, are
grown to excess, while other products
with which our farmers are not familiar
are neglected, and eft to foreign labor
10 produce, while our own rural labor is
only partially employed, or else is crowd
ing production Of these old staples, and
still further lowering prices and intensi-
flying dissatisfaction with the results of
agricultural effort.
1t is futile to attempt to defy the law
Of supply and demand. So long as
farmers insist on growing only the bread
grains, cotton, tobacco and cattle, and to
neglect other products which are needed,
which we import at cost more than
5000, 0O0, 900 annually, just so long will
the lamentation over low prices continue.
Diversification is essential to agricultural
salvation. There are writer's and speak
ers who are doing incalculable in jury by
their influence in repression of any ten
lency to wider range of rural produc-
ton, encouraging Incidence and idle
ness, paralyzing enterprise, intensifying
rural inertia and encouraging depend
ence on foreign production, and the
draining of the resources of the country
10 foreign lands. They appear to depre-
cate any effort towards independence or
the cultivation OF self reliance, the slim
ulation of invention, the acquisition Of
skill or the development Of rural
taste. Their advice points in the direo-
ton Of aimless poverty and practical
serfdom.
The agricultural exports Of the United
States during the past year amounted to
about $3.50, 900, 900 at the sea ports, or
about 4400, 900. 600 on the farms. The
tkiiCuieuidi tLipoitn uuouHtcu w c'CA
b34S, 000, 900 at ports Of shipment, and
fully 500. 900, 900 with fleights and COM
missions added, without further allow
ance for under valuation. Thus it takes
most of our agricultural exports to pay
Tor agricultural imports. These imports
are largely food and flbers. The heavier
TENS for 1888-S0 were as follows:
Sugar and moasses ,,............... $98, 291 ,6o6
Animals and their products, except
wool .......................... <O<lo,b 500
Fibers, animal and vegetable ....... 50, As, 0a8
Fruits and nuts ...................... l6746,47
Barley and other cereals ............ 6N1.7R
Tobacco leaf ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. TO- -
Wines ......................... 7.70d71
Total. Observation-Disclosures. .$280. ~, ~
Most Of this importation should be pro-
duced here and many minor products not
in fact, there is little on the list.
except tea and coffee, that should be i'm
ported. There are many plants yielding
fruits, dyes, medicines and other prod
ucts useful in the arte or for food that
could be profitably grown, after suitable