Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-25
The Asficu turaI Depression

Ine Aeficu turaI Depression
Ia the March number Of the Report Of
the Department Of Agriculture. the able
s,A,isticisn Of the Department. Hon.J. K.
Dodge. brings the results OF his deep re-
scare rs and vide And careful study of the
agricultural and economic conditions OF the
l-sding agricultural countries Of the globe
to bear upon the facts Of the prevailing de-
preston In farming. This depression. as
We stated il an article last week, is not cot
tl1ed alone to this country. II exists in
England. Germ my, France, Italy ard other
countries I, Is present 10 monarchies ard
republics. under di derent monetary sys,ems,
and economic conditions. Bat it 10 less severe
Ia the United States than in any other nation.
Prices Of implements. utensils and fabrics
are low, ont taxes are high, the interest
account 10 unreiuced and the mortgage
seems hard to lift. Mr.. Dodge refers the
trouble first Of all to the memorable law Of
supply and demand. He says:
Corn and wheat and other staples are
cheap because Of overproduetion. Imml-
grafton has increased the population 5, O0O,-
coo in ten years. IntercOntlnental areas
have been carved into farms, free 10 natives
and foreigners, opening millions Of acres
to cultivation. Railroad extension has slim
ulated production and overwhelmed the
East with Western products. Speculation
first ami utilization afterwsrd have produced
results that have astonlshed the world with
a plethora Of bread and meat. The Old
WorlI has Joined with the New to crowd
the mountain valleys, slopes and far-stretch-
ing plains Of u continent with beeves in the
haunts Of the once countless herds OF the
buffalo. In more Eastern areas the matu
rity OF beeyes has been fastened by breed
ing and feeding.
Extended comparisons show how, in the
progress of forty years. production had
outrun population in its widest strides. II
is shown that wheat growing has become
pbi!anthropic mission to make cheap bread
consistent with low wages in Great Britain;
that the Northwestern missionaries continue
sowing their seed and floating their bread
across the waers mourning for the profis
that do not return after many days. 1t 10
su gested that less than 4 fourth OF the
people of the world eat wheat, that half
the people of Europe scarcely know its
taste, and that Asia, Africa, South Ameri-
ca and Australia will have wheat to sell.
Mr. Dodge Gays that. while there is excess
Of production Of few staples, there are in
sufficient supplies Of many other necessary
IrJducts, and a total absence of scores Of
others which should furnish profitable EN-
ployment to rural labor. There is too mar
row range of cropping. Diversifcation
i, essential to agricultural salvation. There
are imports Of s240, 600, 900 per annum Of
. agricultural products, which should be pro-
d1ced here. These are sugar, animals and
their products, fbres, fruits and nuts,
barley. leaf tobacco, and wines. Farmers
are suffering for want of hundreds of mil
lions of dolisrs that the sweat OF brows and
dexterity Of hands might produce in raw
materials for scores of old and new indus
tries.
1t is stated that the cotton crop, valuable
as it is, would not suffice to furnish board
for The people of the cotton States at first
class hotels for u week; tina. a score of other
products not now grown should enrich her
agriculture ard relieve existing depression
Ii is argued that there should be no more
need of going TO Italy or Japan for raw
silk thsn to ladia for raw cotton, and as lit
tie nee i of going to Cuba for sugar. The
staiistieian slso treats of what he charac-
t-rzss as the folly Of wheat growers insist
ing on going to the ant.podes for binder
wine while million acres of the fax fore
Is wasted in adjoining fields ard when they
could grow hemp enough in SIX months to
bind the " heat of the world. This he says
is exceeded only by the twin folly Of the
cotton growers, who are wild to 20 to India
for ite. wh,u 1t will gro~ in their cotton
fields as reality as weeds. Depression
more intense will result, it is predicted, if
farmers continue to restrict their efforts,
walk in the furroxs their fathers turned.
ard seek to live and die in the same over
done aud prottless tou,ine.
Aaosher S, rious cause Of depression, he
H;s, is the * Jrbitaut share of the farmer 8
products taken by the mlddlemen and car
rters. While growers receive 25 to 80 per
cent. less for beeves, consumers pay the
same for beef. Mix IS bought for 3 cents
per quart AID sold tor 4. The huckster
Often takes more for handling a product in
q dsy than tie grower received for prOduc-
lag a season. growth The sellers profit
on fresh fruits is suggestion of greed aud
extortion. The army Of dealers in futures
I
expectation by q temporary rise, to be
followed by lower prices and greater
/ fluctuations. Spectators depress prices
when gamers are full, and boom
them when farmers have nothing to sell, as
at present. The community is infested with
pestilent swsrms of uon-producers. The
curse of speculation blights ard consumes
the result of honest industry. Leeches fas.
ten IN every product of labor and suck from
ii the life blood of profit. Men who produce
nothing, who neither toll on the farm nor
spin in the factories, are absorbing the
wealth Of the country by combination with
out conscience and service without equity
1t is suggested that farmers may be com
PEELED to retail their own fruits and vegeta-
bles. sell their own meats, and manufacture
their own -four