The sun., 1890-03-22
AGRICCLII IEPRESSION.
Statistician Dodge Poiats Out tho Cause
and the Remedy.

Statistician Dodge Poiats Out tho Causes
and the Remedy.
WASHINGTON, March 2l.-The prevailing
depression In American agriculture Is treated
by the statisticau. j. r. Dodge in the March
report OF the Department Of Agriculture. The
main cause OF low prices is referred to the in
exorable law OF supply and demand. Corn and
wheat and other staples are cheap because OF
overproduction. Immigration has increased
the population 5.O0O.OO0 in ten years. Inter
continental areas have been carved into farms.
free to natives and foreigners. opening mil
lions OF acres to cultivation. railroad extern
sion has stimulated production and over
whemed the East with Western products.
Speculation first and utilization afterward
have produced results that have astonshed
the world with plethora OF bread and meat
Extended comparisons show how, in the prog
ress Of forty years. production has outrun
population In Its widest strides.
Mr.. Dodge says while there Is excess o. nro-
supplies Of many other necessary products and
n total absence OF scores Of others which
shoHld fTPnlsh profitable o 70 cIdn
ping. Diversihcation is essential to agrcul-
tural salvation. Ihore are imported t24OqQO;-
900 per qnnum Of agriculture, products which
should be- produced here. These are sugar;
animal and their products. fbres, fruits ana
o ad Of mons
OF dollars that tho sweat OF hrows and dexter.
ity OF hands might produce in raw materials
fol, scores OF Old and new industries.
He argues that there should be no more need
OF going 10 Italy or Japnn for raw SIN than 10
India for raw cotton and as tile need OF going
TO Cubh Tor sugar. lie speaks OF the ,loly OF
whent growers insisting on GoinRto the anti:
podes for binder twIpo, while million acres Of
flax flbre IL wasted In adjoining Holds. and
wien they could grow hemp enough In SIX
months 70 bind the Thcat Of tho world. This;
hs says. Ia exceeded only 10y the twin folly OF
the cotton growers. who are Wild 70 90 TO
India for Jnte; when 1t VI grow in their cotton
eds AZ readily as weeds. depression more
continue TO restrict their efforts. Walk IN the
furrowS their fathers turned. and seok 70 live
and die In the same overdone and prohtcss
Another serious cause Of depression, he says
Is the eXorbitant share OF the farmers
products taken by the middemen and car-
riers.. While growers receive % 30 per cent
beef. MIX is bought for three cents per quart
and sold for eight. The huckster often taxes
more Tor handling q product IN a day than the
growth. The sellers profits on iresh trutS ls
II RuRGestion OF greed AMI extortlon. Ihn
army 81 dealers In futures disturb tlo naturai
prices ana greaier nucInntions. Speru-
lat2rs depress prices when Harners are
nli nn,G0a and boom them when farmeIs bs
community is infested with pesti!ent swnrmb
OF non-producers. The, curse OF speculation
5liRhts and consumes the result OF honest In,
t{Dstry. Leeches asten on every product OF
labor. and suck from IL tho iiieblond ot pr0ht.
Men who produce nothing. who hotter ioIi IN
the farms nor spin in thc factories are absorb
without conscience and service without equity
Is suggested thnt farmers NAV he rnli-
PEELED 10 retail their own fruits ana NeRelhDleS
sell their own meats. and manufacture their