The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-18
NATIONAL WAREHOUSES.

10 answer 10 a communication from the
Farmers Alliance Of Milan county, Texas
requesting him to favor the establishment
Of government warehouses for the storage
Of agricultural products, and the issue upon
them of treasury notes 10 the extent Of ~
per cent. of their value, Representative
Mills has returned reply in which he
shows the impractical character of the plan
rs means of anording relief TO the agri-
cultural classes. as well as its objection
able nature from a constitutional stand
point, and also in the light Of the evil con-
sequences 10 which it would inevitably lead
il once put in operation lie very justly
points out that if the government can issue
treasury notes on such products ofthe farm as
cotton, wheat, corn, oats and tobacco, it can
also do so on bacon, pork, beef, butter,
cheese lard, and hay. The principle can be
extended indefinitely. The Treasury notes
can, with equal propriety, be issued ON
every form Of manufactures, however for
eign 10 the uses Of the government, until
finally there would not be a single product
of nature or art, which could not be brought
forward to be thus mOrtgaged TO the gov
crnment.
The scheme Of storage warehouses origi-
mated with Senator Vance, Of North Caro-
lima, and so wild did it seem at The time he
advanced it in his well known bill intro
duced in the Senate n the course of last
winter. that ii was regarded as a jest, by
which the Senator sought 10 show the UNI
practical. fallaciOus and unjust char
acter Of the Window bill. which pro-
,ded for the issue Of treasury notes
upon silver bullion. Nothing reveals more
clearly the extent Of the depression
in agriculture than the serious view, which
80 many branches of the Farmers Alliance
have taken of this plan Of storage ware
houses. Ii is wholly chimerical and vision
AIRY. The condition Of the farming classes
can lonly be benefited by the Intervention
OF three things; First, by the reduction Of
tariff, which will lower the cost Of the va
rious articles which they are compelled to
buy to meet their personal and business
wants; and, secondly, by the increase Of the
population Of this country, which will eX-
tend the domestic market for the products |
Of the soil; and, thirdly, by the gradual con-
traction OF the area Of land in the United |
States under cultivation.
The first OF these, the reduction Of the |
tariff, must inevitably be brought about 10y
the agitation Of the question now going on,
which must only Increase in force with the
progress Of every year, until the object it has
in view is fully and finally accomplished.
That the population Of the United states
will continue TO swell enormously in value
is AS assured AS any future event can possibly
be, and that there is every probability that
the value OF lands and farm products will
rise in consequence of the area of cultivation
IN this country having reached its limit
has been recently shown upon the strength
Of statistics that il is impossible TO refute.
The farming classes Of America have only
Ia wait 10 be blessed with ample prosperity. F.
They should not mar their own future by
seeking 10 realize for their private benefit,
schemes that must necessarily bankrup,
both the character and the purse Of the Ma
tiOnai Government.