Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-19
OUR MAIL POUCH.
Agricultural Depression md Extrnvagance
"A Lesson From Turkcy-Trapping.


"A Lesson From Turkcy-Trapping.
To the Editor of The Dispatch:
Isee that THE DISPATCH has taken the
Pennsylvania roads in hand, and no doubt the
effort will lead to good results. notice that
q correspondent hopes that while ascertaining
the quality of Pennsylvania roads, THE DIS
PATCH will also be enabled to enlighten the
people regarding the present agricultural de-
preston throughout the country, upon which
so much has been said and written. Even Con-
gress has taken the matter in hand and pro-
poses to ascertain why some farmers are not
getting rich, but imagine that the Congress
man cares more for the farmers vote than for
anything else about the farmer.
Now mere are two subjects that I would like
a small space to unburden mvself about.
travel much over Pennsylvania roads in a
buggy. in places they have been almost impass-
able this winter, but are now much improved
and are improving every day. There is such
good drainage in this country that the water
heavy rain the roads are dry in many places if
the sun shines. Your young men should have
started in January if they desired picnic
And now as to agricultural depression.
Would it not be well to find out first whether
there is any such thing before making fuss
about it? travel much among farmers, aud
talk with them, and somehow have the i'm
preston that as a class they are as well housed,
well fed and as well clothed as any other class
of citizens and with few exceptions. better.
There are those among the farmers that are
growing and will continue to gTowl to the end
of their days-not because there is anything
wrong with the agricultural interests, but
because they have made mistakes in conduct
ing their business. got in debt and become
chronic GROWERS. You do not hear the genu-
inc farmer complain. He goes along about his
business. works hard, lives within his means
ava r-oar IL NoaIa1 ds.f
men the fact that there Is an agricultural de-
preston will be a surprise. They know moth
lug about such things
The so-called agricultural depression was
brought about by the war and changes in ways
Of living since the war. 1t is not agricultural
depression. 1t is a condition which affects the
farming classes. If farmers would live as they
did In the good old days there would be no
agricultural depression" But neither they
nor the rest of US are content to live in that
way. Think of it. you who are 80 to 80 years of
age. How did your father and mother live?
How did you live when boy? 1 could make
this article about mile long on this very topic,
put what good would it dor You would only
grunt and turn on your heel and say DO you
People don't live that way now and I am not
going to. I'll die first" Very we'll you will
not die, but you will assist in keeping up the
agricultural depression"
Farmers have lived beyond their means. This
is the whole secret; there is nothing more in it
than this. They havel been continually goaded
by their surrounding to spend more and more
money; to live in better and better STYLE until
they have morgaged their farms and have re-
newed these mortgages and kept them going
year after year until the time is arriving when
they cannot keep them going any longer, then
comes-the "agricuitural depression" Why
not call it by its right name-debt?-for that is
what it is. pure and simple. Farmers who have
been careful and kept out of debt are not COM
planning of agricultural depression.
1t is my opinion that the next census will
show a fearful condition of things in this coun-
try, so far as mortgages on land are concerned.
Congress is trying to evolve some method or
frame some law to relieve this depression,
but Congress might as well try to change the
force and direction OF our cyclones by legisla-
tlon. If Congress could make an appropriation
to pay of the mortgage ON every farm in this
country, and then pass a law that no more
mortgages should be given. 1t might relieve
this. and some other way must be
found. Congress can do nothing for the
farmers: the latter hold the remedy In their
own hands. Instead of looking to Congress- or
to any other power, let them turn their eyes
backward and look into themselves for the So
LUTON of this problem.
The situation reminds me of the way we used
to trap wild turkeys when l was a boy. We
would build pen of logs in the woods, cover it
snugly over the top, then dig a trench under
one side and scatter corn in the trench. The
turkeys would come along and begin picking
up the corn and continue along the trench
until they found themselves in the pen. when
the corn suddenly gave out, and the poor
things could not get out, because they would
only look upward, trying to find some way to
fly over. A certain class of farmers are In Just
this fix. They have followed the golden
stream into the trap and now are unable to get
their heads low enough to find the way out
What is the remedy. do you ask? Advice is
like mediterranean easier to give than to
take, but it costs rothing. and there is no COM
pulsion about taking it. My advice is (uo
charge) to every farmer who is in debt-liye
within your means, pay your debts. and nv
word for it, the agricultural depression" will
disappear. H
PITTSBURG, April IS.