The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-05-17

ultim. To result to the farmer, and how and
hen it will be disposed Of
During the past twenty years an immense
mileage of new railway has been Construct
ed in the West, notably in the new States Of
the Missouri valley often in advance of
settlement opening to occupation and pro-
duction. Millions of acres of the most fer
tile soil on the continent, where the absence
of forest growths and the existence of means
of transportation in the newly constructed
railro ads have facilitated and FASTENED the
opening and thorough development of an
immense number of new and most prolific
farms which we may say came at once into
full bearing, and added enormously to a
production before quite ample, and it is
these farms thus developed so much before
their products were required, that are now
providing a surplus "A thousand times more
destructive of agricultural prosperity than
the easily disposed of surplus in the nation
al treasury.
For years every person owning lot in
one of the countless embryo metropolitan
critics of the boundless West, and every man
who could hang out a real estate sign, has
CO instituted himself an emigration bureau
and sought to lure men from tie workshops
and cities of the East to the breezy prairies
where farms were gracious gift, and near
ly every paper in the East was forever
preaching of the desirableness of life in
the open air on these same prairies, and con,
1xin rs
Greeley All this has had result in the ple-
thoric state of the granaries and stock yards
of the country, and the ruinous prices cur.
rent for nearly all the products OF the farm
Srill these new States are crying '"ro the
West, to the West, to the land of the free
where the mighty Missouri rolls down to
the sea p 1t is doubtless desirable that the
West should receive accessious to its popu-
lation, but it is artisans and consumers
Father than farmers that are required, al
though it is probable that the agriculturist
will, for yet few years, add as much to the
population of these new States as will be
added to the urbano population; but the
time cannot be far remote when the popula
ton of the towns and cities of even these
States will grow more rapidly than the
rural population.
Had this been forest-covered region, we
should not have made such rapid strides in
production, and should not now be able to
boast so loudly of the immense amount of
cheap wheat exported, neither should we be
confronted with an agricultural surplus
which is sure to bring disaster and priva-
ton to many farm home.
Great crops are accounted victories, espe-
cially by middemen and transportation
companies, there is an immense volume
of stuff to be handled; but to the last two
victories of the corn grower are clearly ap-
picable the words of Wellington after Wa
terloo, "There is but one thing more disas-
trous than such a victory-that is, de-
feat " Calling the last two corn crops great
victories, we may we'll pause and inquire
what would be the result should these VIC
tories be repeated in the crops of 1890 and
1891?
Fortunately for this generation of farmers
| there are no more Missouri valleys to be set
| tied, and still more fortunate are We that
| the new arabic lands yet to be occupied have
become very scarce this is speaking in a
| comparative sense-and that consumption
is now out-running the increase in cutivat-
ell or cutivable lands, and will in time not
very remote overtake production and place
the farmer on the high road to that happy
| time which doctrinalres have so long told
| fol frnp ba of
| protective taritf-that is home market for
all our products Other kind hearted and
simple minded doctrinaires have told us
that in free trade the farmer would find IA
panacea for all bis ills, but the logic of
events has shown the fallacy of the teach
ings of each school, and we may well say
'a plague on both your houses -
| 1t is clearly not free trade or lack of it
that ais the farmer. but a too keen compe-
tition with his fellows employed in produc-
ing and selling the same class of wares
! The truth is, we are "lOng'' of whe 1t, corn
and meats and "short'' of consumers, and
| this condition is tire direct and natural re-
suit following the too rapid development of
the wonderful productive power of the new
prairie States of the Missouri valley, where
the cultivated area in Iowa, Missouri. Kan
sas, Nebraska and the Dakotas has in eigh-
teen years increased from II 100000 acres
to 50 00O, 900, and the six States constitut
ing this group nOD contain Orer sne-fourth Of
the cultivated area Of the United States.
Is it to be wondered at that this plethoric
condition confronts us? Is it not wonder
full that we are looking for relief by depict
ing the surplus at Washington, and losing
sight of this our cold man of the sea %
G. WooD DAVIS.
Sedgwick County, Kansas.
Comment on the article submitted be.
ing in order, Mr.. Noyes thought that the
large over production in farm products
referred to was largely due to the pres.
ent existing preemption laws, which put
the unnaturalized foreigner upon ar
equal footing with the native born citi.
zen.
Mr. Wilson thought that if the ratio Of
increase in population in this country
could be greater in proportion to the in
crease of production of farm products
that this view gave some encouragement
for better times and better prices fol
farm products.
| Mr.. Balderston said this subject wa,
one of great breadth and scope. Stated
in another way the question may bt
ho, in tbis will thk
demand for farm products equal thei
production?" His opinion was that wher
bonanza farming or farming by corpora
tions ceased to be profitable, and thu
production of grain was limited to legiti
mate farmers as class there would b.
some prospect for a solution of the prob
lem.
Mr.. Squier thought that the over-pro
duction referred to in the article reat
was due to the immense grants of land
and their development by others than b.
actual settlers aud at the same time tn
efforts of Great b itain to supply he
her bread stutfs from other sources, an,
that the real remedy for this condition
lay in the settling of American home
steads by only American citizens.
Mr.. Henry S. Coudon said that Their
were two means of meeting the evil @
over production. Either the restrictio
of the quantity of bread stuffs produce
or the increase in the number of consun
ers. Experience had shown that the for
mer could not be accomplished becaus
! every farmer would grow all the grain b