The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1890-04-25
UNCLE ERRF'S CIRCULAR.
Giving Causes of Agricultural
Depression and Posi-
BILE Remedies.
The Farmer Should Study llas 0uai-
isy Of His Products Raihess
than the Quantity. S
Mortgages Upon Homes Discoufags
ing In the Extrenae-~The
Transportation Problem, Etc

ing lin the Extrenae- fne
Transportation Problem, Etc
wAxmHaFos, A1rsi -
Hon. .. NJ. Rask, setssary ~ seTirAltnre,s
has issued the following circulars -
For monkhs pAst from all. parts of The
conptry thsfe have ssaehed me naany COM 4
manifestations, nzany III thsna from large
be<li&a III nnon, al &c them from psrsans
aeserviue consideraiion, and AT pf thenaG
deeply il anrnest respecting ths present
eondition of agricultural depression. tn
most casss the communications suggest
the conviction OF the writer's, not onis IS
to she gravisy Of the emergency, bai ~ 10
iss canss or cnsnes and passihls senasdtss
and al of them appeal " me Tor some
exprs&sion of my views on the subject. 70
answer each ono OF these eomninnica- =
tions separrssly would BE- more than Any
ons man can undertake % do, and. more
over, ann relnctmut 10 send ont An ex1
pression Of my siews In letters covsrinx
merely phase OF postlon Of The Questions
involved. Such q eourse would Do nnlust
10 myself and To those who address ne. +
can oniy consent to express my views. nneh
as they are, ON the entire question, review
ing the whole subject aud considering y IN
all its various phases.
The present agricultural depression, IL
seems TO me, can be traced to q combina-
taon of many causes, 80 many that prob
| ably no one man can enumerste them all.
I will only endeavor TO point ont some
which seem 10 me more directly RESPONSE.
BILE. They may be divided into two classes.
| First: Those causes inherent TO the farm
ers themselves, and tor which they alone
can provide q possible remedy. Second:
| Those. over which the farmer himself has
| 40 direct control, and the remedy foE
which must bs provided, as far as remedy
is possible, by law, and for such Legislation
the responsibility devolves npon lhe legiss
| iafive bodies Of the state and Of the ma
tion.
what the Farmers sIast Do.
| l viii oonfne myself to meFs snumera.
| ton Of the first class OF causes indicated.
On many farms I regret 10 say we find 4
depreciation Of the productive power d
the land due to careless culture. We find
ss s-s q ss ss isss sfs Es h ssssf iass
ness training was not regarded as ar
essential preparation for the farmers worA,
vhere an to-day with altered conditions
when every penny and may say every
moment OF time has TO be profitsply nc
counted for and in the face OF world vida
competition, successful farmer must b.
an well trained and careful In business a.
the store keeper, and his equal In intelli.
gence and general education. Nor are ths
important questions of supply and demand
OF market prices studied with the vigilance
which characteriEes the methods OF oni
| merchants and manufacturers. These
laet moreover have the advantage o.
transacting their business IN i'm
mediate proximity to trade centers
where the widest information II
reference thereto is readily obiainable
Our farmers organizations are wisely seek
inc to complement this want for the farmer
the agricultural press Ia earnestly workin
In the Same direction and one OF the mos
important duties devolving upon this de
uartnenf, consists in gathering an'
promptly distributing reliable information
} on All those subjects which are essential
interesting to the farmer. II remains 10
him 10 avail himself OF the information
thus supplied as his chief protection nc
J only against over-supply Of certain rro
/ dncts, but against possible over-reachin
on the part of purchasers. The farnt
must look with suspicion upon any a'
I feanpts 60 abridge the sources OF bis IN
} formation. His advantage will always
. i'm the fullest knowledge of the facts. ID
. must carefully study the character an
the quality Of his products rather tha
q mere quantity, and always bear In mind tina
whether prices ere high or low, IL is alway
the best goods at the best obtainabie pric'
that are the most readily sold. Many of OF
farmers have been land greedy, and M
: themselves the owners Of more land thi
: they can properly care for IN visw OF q
: comparatively high price Of Tabor In q
= rural district, and in view Of the fact tn
" but small portion OF mankind, compar
2 lively. can profitably control the labor
:. others. The pru Dent farmer will limit B
= efforts to that which he can eficiently pc
!. form. Again, more attention must
81 given, especially to our western farms,
@ the raising by the farmer for bis own d
- - everything that may be utilized by hims'
. and household as far as soil and clima
~ win permit.
80 Farm Mortgages.
0o The burden Of mortgages upon Earn
" homes and lands 10 unquestionably Il
- couraeing in the extreme, and while
some eases no doubt this load may ha
been too readily assumed, stili In the n
%, iority or cases the mortgage has been
ng result Of necessify. except, OF cous
zoe such mortgages as represent balances
sF. purchase money, which are rather .
=, dances Of the farmers ambition ana
M tsrprise than OF his poverty. Ga the al
n. hand, those mortgages With which Il
So has been eneumbersd frona tho necsssit,
bic iss owner, drawing high rates of intsrs
often taxed ia addition with = heavy 60
mission, have to-day IN tho fEcs OF o
tinued depression In the prices Of sta
n9 products. become very irksome and
.sh many CASES shrsassn the farmer Y
,gs the loss of home and land.