Telegram-herald., 1890-05-02
OFFICIAL PAPER Or The CITi
GRAND RAPIDS. FmDAY. MAY.
TIE OTHER SIDE

tnE OEh n SIDE
There IS 40 douht that the condition
OF the Western farmer Is not all that 10
~ zht -. Nor Is the condition oil the
Eastern farmer one OF unalloyed hap
pness. Nor Is the lot OF any laboring
man such that he is forbidden TO look,
aud hope, and strive for something bet
ter. So much has been said by Demo
cratic papers on one side OF the West
ern farmer case, tnat the other side IS
TOO often overlooked. II MS produce
has fallen in value, 50 have the prices
of the things be has to purchase. Free
trade shriekers affirm that the farmer ;
prices have gone down, while manu-
fscturers' prices have been held up.
To meet these false statements the Fort
Dodge la Messenger has published q
statement Of comparative prices re-
ceived and paid by farmers. The
prices paid are learned from merchants
OF Fort Dodge. Prices paid in 1850 are
taken 70 compare with present prices,
IN order that the comparison may be q
recent one and 10 show better whether
the late fall IN gram prices has not
been matched by other reductions dur
ing the same period. This is the result
Of the Investigations;
Taking farm implements first. which
are among the most costly and most
necessary OF the things the farmer mas
% purchase. the prlce Of a self-o.nder
has been reduced from S3l5 to $3.50;
corn planter from $50 to $40; a cultiva-
tor from S45 % SIS; wood pump from
SOTO t5; a farm wagon from $50 TO 500,
and 2-seated spring wagon from $3.50
% s15. The completed list OF farm in
plements shows an average fall IA prIces
OF from S3 - So per cent. since 1880,
while the mach mes are TAR better made
and far more mgeniOusly id Lpted 70
the work they are 10 do. Ia lSSO the
price Of caroed gIre, 50 essential 10 the
cu.t,vator OF praIre farm, Was I0c per
pound, now 70 : Sc; then iron nails
were S. per KEY, wlIle today the vastly
superior steel n8u IS but $3.50; DlOw
steel has fallen from I34c TO SIC Der
pound the cook stove that cost S53 can
be bought Tor 81. window glass "a IS
per cent. lower. milk pans have gone
from k--33 TO 81 per dozen, and there q
constant reduction ID the whole list
0f household hardware. which ranges
from 25 90 80 or 20 Der cent. Everybody
knows of the decline IN groceries. In
spite OF tne trusts sugar las fallen from
l2tc % Tc f0r granu at, Il. and kerosene
from 25c 70 l3c per gallon. sat from
f2.25 % IT,. per barrel. flour from $50
20 $50 per cWt.; coffee remains sta
t0uary; CrOckerY IS 2j per cent. lover.
tea 80 per cent. lower. aud tobacco a s.
per cent. less costly than Il was ten
years ago.
"The introduction Of improved ma
Chluarv bad. even as early as 1850.
brought dry goods down % low tigurss.
But the process continues, unoleachsd
muslin having declined from So 70 o..
aico from - 20 &C., glngham from lelc
90 l0c. and worstsd dress goods about
25 per cent al around. There has
been = general red ucron n ready-nads
clothing ~ from So 70 50 per cent. and
0t 3sf per cent. ia boots aDd shoes.
Furniture has gone down from = % Sd
per cent. Lumber and drugs. and all
tls nodeutsis that make up tne farm
er's olll, lave bad a similar experience.
Inore not single exception % the
rule ~ lover. an very nlucn lower.
prices. on the other hand. the bonds
az toe county in vaIch Fort Dodge :
sitrs-ed bore 10 per cent. IN Iss0. while
lts per cent bonds now command a
prem 1u 'n the market. Private loans [
bear per cent interest now, as sgafnst
ll I'd lsso. Railroad charges have d. /
cl-1ed fn IKE proportion; although I
toese cut little squire in the compari-
son, ne-rg inc ldet n she local refa I
prices ready compared. and subtract /
Cd from t1e price of gram in the CEN
sra markets Nov wheat vas worth /
bus TlC o a0C In .rt Dodge IN Apr1l.
$50. Corn tbe1 Fas LsC and 20c. a
e "a ust Dee and -lc lov, faxseed vas I
tneu SIS. now IS g kl25. hogs are I
ucv 81 81 to s. 81, as AGAINST g. 50 and /
; oats have fallen from lIr t0 lre. /
csfte from % and 81 TO s. ard s., eggs /
have risen from risen from re 20 - AMI /
81. and butter has fallen from lSc and 4
3 So to lac and l5c /
B Tn reference ~ these figures savs the /
81. Paul Pseaa~ Press
ole g demonstrated bv these facts /
.nat the farmer has not lost q tle urce
'f what he nas 80 seil as much a. 1s
gained In the prces ~ Wat he has 20 I
,ur Hs r E1t re in rtucn ,efter con-
rror thar 70 a. ard We vish hs were.
k1t re ass certainty shared q the al
IsntsEPs Vnlrh are claimed for zee
,ourl1r RI 49, whole by the progress
~n retrcTc0 0t rrrFs accompany
.le PERFECTION 90 rschirerv ard tha
advance of lnrenaon- Tnere = no e.
ape from the ccncirvon that 8 Gag