The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-11-27
FARM NOTES.
A THOROUGH ANALYSIS AND DISCUS.
SION OF ANOTHER SCHEME TO
ENRICH THE FARMER.
Improved Methods of Cultivation the
Great Desideratum-Some Very Val
liable Hints to Farmers.


tons should be addressedl
AS the sub-treasury scheme has nc
possible chance of becoming law the
farmers friends are looking round fol-
: some other patent way to enrich that
long-suffering individual.
IL is a noticeable fact that all de.
vices proposed for the amelioration of
the farmers condition are not made
by the farmer but by the farmers
friend"
l. may be that the farmer does not
know the bad fix he is in, or knowing
it hasn't sense to take care of him
self.
The latter proposition is not sus-
tanned by the result of the late state
and federal elections, where the
farmer has demonstrated not only
that he is quite conscious of his posi-
ton and power but knows how to use
the latter when the necessity arises.
Most of the wild cutlery about
farmers wrongs is but the raving of
political charlatans who hope to ad-
vance their own interests by appear
ing to champion the cause of the tiller
of the soil. The farmers, like every
class, have grievances which should
be remedied, but the remedy must
come from a reversal OF the policy
which has produced the evil and not
by perpetuation and extension of it.
If it is wrong to impose prohibl
tive tariff on imports, solely for the
benefit of manufacturers, it must be
equally wrong to do 80 in the interest
of the farmers.
lit is wrong for the government to
lend it's funds to bankers and stock
spectators, it cannot be right TO lend
it to the grain growers and cotton
planters. Two blacks can never
| make Whlte.
No sooner has the sub-treasury
fraud been squelched than the Eek
port duty" scheme hobs up. This is
not brand new idea by any means.
In fact it is perfumed with the odor of
antiquity, which brings back memoir
les of an almost forgotten past, when
the commerce OF nations was in swad.
ding clothes. AS a source of revenue
it is highly effective when all the con-
ditions are favorable. But all the con-
ditions must be perfect. In other
words the exporting country must
have practical monopoly of the ar
ticle exported or the whole thing will
be fizzel, and injury instead OF bene.
fit will be the result. But where
would the ia, mers' advantage come in?
is the question that naturally arises.
his is how the "farmers friend" has
fixed it. He proposes that the govern
ment shall fix the minimum price at
which cotton shall be exported at 10
cents for lowest grade and IL cents for
higher grades, thus given the down
trodden cotton raiser a good profit on
mis- crop. Such an arrangement would
no doubt be very acceptable to every
cotton grower who, under existing free
trade arrangements, often sells his
crop for less than it cost to raise.
But how would the plan work out.
With such prices assured our cotton
crop would be doubled the first year
and trebled the next, and then would
come collapse as the staple could
not be used aud would remain in the
bands of the producer, while the
American manufactures could get all
he wanted at his own price.
1t has recently been demonstrated
that Africa can supply cotton equal
t. any we can grow and any attempt
To increase the price of American cot
ton would certainly provoke a compe-
tition that would in few years make
US glad to sell at much lower prices
than we now get.
Spectators to large extent fix the
prices of all commercial commodities,
but the memorable law of supply and
, demand finally settles the matter.
The export duty and the suh-treas-
ury schemes are twin abortions and
unworthy the countenance of latter
day economists.
The farmers relief must come from
improved and cheaper methods Of
productions and freedom from debt
which will enable him to hold his cot
ton till the Spectator is ready to I'M
load. AS long as cotton is in the field
or unmarked, prices are low, and every
succeeding official report shows a sta
tionary or falling market and an in
creased yield over the previous year
but as soon as all cotton Gin sight
gets into the hands of spectators
then it is discovered that the crop Ii
after all, short one, and prices 90 w
with bound.
The speculator plucks the goose anc