The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-02-01
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 1, 1890.
AN1rLANCnOLY PETITION.


One Of the most remarkable, and at
the same time, one Of the most melan-
choly evidences Of the extreme depress-
ion prevailing in the agricultural inter
ests OF Virginia at present, is TO be
found in the petition Of the farmers Of
Creenville county, which was published
in Yesterday issue Of The TINES. This
petition declared that owing to the
heavy rains Of the summer and fall,
tho agricultural class Of that county
were in state OF as complete ruin as
If they had passed through the fright.
full calamity Of Johnstown, or had lived
in the track OF Western cyclone. That
this petition gave an accurate state
ment Of tho destitutiOn Of this class is
shown by the fact that there was at
tached to it the signatures Of about four
hundred farmers, which would repre-
sent at least two thousand people, who
in their own language, which has the
sound Of the utmost sincerity, are ap-
pealing Tin the name Of charity, bu-
msniiy and mercy" for the simplest
necess aries Of life.
There is every reason to believe that
the same extreme restitution prevails
among the members Of the same class,
not only in all the surrounding coun-
tries IN Southsido Virginia, but that IT
extends as far south as the turpentine
region Of Eastern North Carolina. That
a cry for bread should 20 up from a
people who live so near several Of the
most fouIishing towns in the South,
aud who inhabit region in easy access
of the markets by means of great lines
Of railway, seems peculiarly strange,
aud only applicable in the light Of the
fact that the special interest they rep
resent, has fallen into the last stage Of
decay. IL that interest had enjoyed
any degree Of prosperity, the failure of
the crops Of one year would not have
made so vital difference. but coming
Z s it did at a time when all agricultural
products were selling either at loss or
with no margin above the cost of pro-
duction, it signified the removal of the
last prop that had sustained the farm
ers, namely-the possession Of at least
corn and wheat enough to furnish
bread for their own use.
The condition Of the Greenvllle farm
ers is that of the farming classes
throughout the Union, only in an ag-
grayated form for special local reasons.
IN the most fertile, populous and
wealthy sections Of the West, it is esti-
mated that. the product of 800 acres Of
land hardly insures the profit that it
was a very few years ago derived from
40. a decline of over 30 per cent. in
value. In New Hampshire and Yer
mont, farms have been abandoned by
sheir owners without an effort to dis
pose of them, as such an effort would
have been considered hopeless before il
was even undertaken. From every part
OF the Union. irrespective Of the char
acter Of the soil or the size and wealth
Of the cities, the same condition of agri
culture is reported TO prevail, and il
cannot continue without involving
every class and every interest in a simi
lar ruin. What will be the final out
come of the existing universal depres-
sion, it is hard to predict with accuracy.
hut there can be little doubt that it will
exert most direct and powerful infiu
ence in the end in modifying the high
protective tariff now prevailing in this
country. Ard if it will accomplish so
much, it will not have been devoid of
use and advantage.