Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1890-09-11
p%IscouRAGEn EARMERS

ing letter showing the condl
ton of the farmers of the West
from the pen of a Memphis
Commercial correspondent j:
published for the information il
contains.
FALLS CITY, Neb. Sept. >
Believing many of your readers
to be deeply interested in this
great Northwest, | have con
cluded TO jot down n few items
of news for your selI-illed col.
umns.
Having travelled the entire
length of Colorado, Nebraska
and Kansas, / feel prepared to
give a very correct idea tfthe
situation of things as they -e-
late TO the material prosperity
of the people
From about the middle OF
Kansas and Nebraska west the
grain and grass crops have been
complete failures. In some sec
TORS this failure was the result
of the long continued dr0uth.
In others it was caused by the
hot southwest winds that cook
ed the grain when IN bloom.
As one rides along ON the
train he can see vast numbers
of discouraged farmers in their
covered Wagons moving east
ward from the west. where con-
plete failure has been the only
reward Of all their tolls
/ learned. on cOnversing with
some of these at a railroad sta
ton. that in some cases men had
turned their herds of cattle and
hogs out upon the prairies: be
ing unable to sell at any price
and having nothing on which to
feed them, they were turned out
to starve- The best cows sold
for 50 per head. and steers )
and 4 years old could be bought
for $50 and 80 per head.
Vegetables of all kinds prov
ed an entire failure. Also pO-
tatoes are very scarce even
here in the eastern part of Ne
braska at - per bushel.
Why farmers in search of
homes will pass by the ricn
fields of the South where crops
never fail TO reward the faithful
laborer and go out on those
desolate prairie wastes, where
drouth aud hot winds unite in
holding undisputed dominion.
must ever remain an enigma to
thoughtful people.
The eustern portions of these
States have not Jared so badly.
Yet even here the farmer will
not get more than One-third his
usual crop.
This condition of things
among the farmers of the North
west has greatly depend their
interest in the political move
ment known as the Farmers
Alliance.
This party is sweeping every
thing before it throughout the
Northwestern States.
am not sufficiently posted to
speak OF the merits or dement's
of the party. only know they
declare eternal hostility to the
old parties and to national
banks.
They claim the general Gov
eminent should loan them
money direct at from l to > per
cent per menth.
While | concede the wonder
full complex nature of this and
all similar questions; and that
to understand it one must look
on all sides of it,. and view il
from beneath and above. and 20
all through it, Yet / feel con
WINGED that the producers of the
future must receive more gene
rous consideration at the hands
of the legislators.
When the farmers fail there
is no prosperity in all the land.
The best or improved farms
can be rented, both In Kansas
and Nebraska, TOR SEA per
acre, cash rent; while in CaIIs0r-
MA improved bearing fruit
ranches will bring from 200 TO
$3.50 per acre. cash rent
The farmers of the Northwest
believe their release from the
oppression of mortgages sad a
high and ruinous rate Of inter
est must come through Organi-
zatiOn and the direct control OF
legislation.
This new party will draw large
" from Old parties, out viii cal
of a larger per cent Of voters
from the Prohibition party than
any other. The Prohibition par
ty of this State held their State
Convention az Lincoln LAST week
and put In nomination a State
ticket A large element In the
convention is reported as favor
ing cooperation with the Far
mers' Alliance.
IL was believed by the friends
of high license until recently
that Nebraska was destined 10