The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-04-29

lunatic asylum. We are told ere
n hand that n reason w B
farmers of this country are so :,
because they are too lazy, De- I
they are too improvident. Mr.. De-
Senator Morrill,, and many other IL
ing minds of the country, tell
farmer, in the face of that argument.
Why, you are making so much you
can't get anything for it. How are
we to please these gentlemen a? On
the other hand, we are told that we
must have.
A DIVERSIFIED SYSTEM OF FARMING.
There is no State in the American
Union so favorably situated to prose
cute ~proftably and successfully diver
sifed farming as the State of New
Jersey. 1t is the kitchen garden of
great cities, to say nothing of the
cities within its own borders. The
system of farming in that State is not
excelled in any State in the Union.
With all the appliances of advanced
agriculture, they keep in the very
forefront. And yet l saw only last
week al official statement from the
State Of New Jersey, showing that in
one OF the richest counties of the
State lands had deprecated in value
40 per cent. So you see hat argu-
ment did not apply there. Then
comes along the philosopher, who tells
US that we ought to be content with
the present condition Of affairs because
a dollar will buy more to-day than it
ever did before. No man in America
realizes more fully the purchasing
power Of a dollar than the farmer.
He knows that if ten years ago he
owed a debt of $1,000 he could have
paid that debt with 1000 bushels of
wheat, whereas to-day it would take
l,40O bushels to pay that debt. Ten
years ago the cotton farmer could
have paid a $1,000 debt with cotton
at Is cents a pound; today it takes
just twice the number of pounds to
pay the same debt. If the argument
be true that you can buy more with a
dollar than ever before, where are you
to get the dollar? A tramp ap-
preached a gentleman in a city and
said to him: MY friend, can you
tell me where | can get a good square
meal p The gentleman said, Yes,
just around the corner you will find
a nice house where they will give you
a square meal for 25 cents The
tramp rushed off, but when he had
gone a short distance, he suddenly
turned around and ran back to the
gentleman and said to him: MY
friend, you we're kind enough to tell
me where I could get a meal for 25
cents, will you be kind enough to tell
me where l a get the 25 cents p"
FARM MORTGAGES.
"Colonel Polk, do you know ap-
proximately the figures representing
the farm mortgages of the country 2"
81 do not. [ was in favor, and so
was my people, Of the enactment of a
law amending the census act to in
clude farm mortgage Indebtedness,
for the reason that We want to show
the world exactly where this great
industry, the bedrock of American
industries, stands; We want to show
them the real status. 1t will be simply
astounding, If the census is taken cor
rectly."
"But how would you ascertain the
fact whether the notes had been in
part released r? The mortgage on
record represents the whole indebted
ness, for which perhaps there were
| i11,,nI n IN1n~ rNFOo aoI +Lo -o1-E
gage would not be released until the
last note was paid"
"That is a matter of detail for the
Census Department, one which I sup
pose they can reach. 1t is their duty
to study those things and get at them
if possible. What we want is an &C
curate report of the farm mortgage
indie 0tedness of this country; and, as
[ said, it will be simply astounding to
men who have not given the subject
much thought"
A GOVERNMENT DOLLAR.
edo you think, Colonel Polk, that
the depressed condition of the agri-
cultural interests would be greatly
relieved by the government issuing
it's own notes and abolishing the
National Banking system g?
eyes. We believe that the gov
eminent ought to issue it's money d.
rectly to the people at a low rate of
interest. We believe, furthermore,
that whatever the government puts it's
impress upon, whether it be a piece of
leather, a piece of paper, or gold and
silver and calls it a dollar, it ought to
be worth 100 cents"
"And have no deprecated cur
rency 2"
"None whatever. . And if the
quality and credit of the government,
based upon the power to tax, under