Fergus County argus., 1890-10-16
Farmers and Farm Prices.


Much? Is the Republican party re-
sponsibe for prices and prosperity. 1t
is directly responsible for "a large slice
of the munilicent increment OF the
wealth of the country during the last
thirty years. In twenty years the in
crease was rom sixteen to forty-three
billions, from S51I to $50 per head.
The policy of the Republican party
has favored utilization OF natural re-
sources, employment OF labor, increase
in variety and quantity OF production.
1t has been one OF work, invention ard
progress. The Democratic policy has
discouraged labor, effort, advance
ment, spending its strength in holding
back, kicking like n mule when sprrred
to endeavor, and obstinate as the
mules parent under incentives to
progress.
When Democracy is rife and ramp
ant there is Incidence and poverty,
land is cheap and life "A waste, produc-
tion extremely limited, and consump-
tion measured by the little there is to
consume. OF course home production
is discouraged and foreign goods Gov
eted, without the means Of paying for
them. The Democratic policy is to
repress production and encourage i'm
port alton. The Republican policy is
| .
plies OF food and clothing at home, ex-
port surplu, products, but keep our
gold and silver for home circulation.
Democratic legislation and admins
tration have always driven bullion to
foreign market and glutted our own
with foreign goods. IT. is fortunate
that for thirty years they have had
little scope for this unpatriotic and
ruinous exchange OF needed treasure
for unnecessary goods. From 1S4S
to $50 there was excess Of imports
in ev ry year but one, and this excess
amounted to S:SJ6, ,3y6,cl6. From
SCI to $50 the excess of export
over imports amounted to SlS2, ,42S,-
912, otwithstandlng the fact that
the war period required large imports,
but since 1873 there has been an ex-
cess oi exports IN thirteen years ont OF
fifteen, amounting to the enormous
sum of 81 ,637 ,99s Al. which has
been contributed to the wealth OF the
country by foreigners. This policy
tends to increase the power OF con
sumption and enhance prices OF farm
products, which would otherwise be
much lower.
Thirty years ago, when the Demo
cratic policy OF repression OF industry
prevailed, there was little or no pro-
ductlon OF cassmcres, carpets, crock
cry, plate-glaSs, glassware, cutlery,
steel rails, and many other forms Oi
production which now are produced
IN extraordinary volume, greatly
lcheapened in value and consumed
more abundautly than could have
been possible without the aid OF our
fiscal system, cheapenlng nearly all the
goods which farmers use, and through
local markets for farm products fur
nlshing them the means OF purchase.
Now there are fully nine million farm
workers, Immigration, mas swollen then
numbers, railroads have opened new
territory, and millions of acres have
b en- acquired in homesteads, increas-
ing the supply OF meat ana bread, and
Cutting home and foreign markets,
while We nave been paying more than
two hundred millions per annum for
sugar, iibres, barley, fruits, wines and
other products ol agriculture winch
should have been produced by our
owniarmers, increasing their resources
ana advancing he prices at their staple
products, relieving them from thecoih
petition ol other lands.
The Mckinney tarll gives more pro
lection TO farmers than any ilscal law
ever before enacted. The howl that
goes up rom Their competitors u
canada and other count ries attests
the value OF the market which 1t saves
10 American farmers.
The silver law has already increas seo
the value of silver enormously. II ha'
advanced the prices oi all farm prod
uets. II has reduced the power o