Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-08
Errors CONGRATULATIONS other Matters

Sir.-My attention has been called to
two errors in my letter published IN the
Dispdtch of the Goth ultimo. My absence
from home prevented my earlier notice
of it.
If bad typos and bad penmen are in the
great hereafter to enjoy each others So
ciety, peace-loying souls VIII undoubtedly
wish for other quarters unless their differ
ences are settled here. In the sentence
below the substitution of desired" for
"denied" changes its meaning. Its (the
Governmental constitutional power to
change the standard of value, and impair
the obligation of contracts by so doing is
denied.
RIGHT alongside of my letter is one from
Farmer" indicating. as thousands OF
others are doing in the newspapers and
agricultural journals of the country. the
discontinued and unhappy condition OF
the great mass of our farmers.
They all feel and suffer and know that
something is wrong, and each one is dis
posed TO magnify some special evil and At
tribute TO that the cause of agricultural de-
cadence.
Farmer" lays great stress upon the 8
per cent. charge for commission on tobac-
co. my friend II. NJ. Magruder, than whom
there is no better farmer, upon double
taxation, and more particularly does he
complain that the mortgaged farmer has to
pay taxes on the full assessed value OF his
farm.
Others say national bank exactions are
running them, rs an earnest young farmer
did nj the State Farmers Assembly three
wears AGO. A very large class believe that
II is the exactions and burdens of our pro-
tective tariff. without stopping to think
that the vastly increased production of the
very commodities, stimulated by such
tariff. has been most potent factor in re-
ducing their cost to the consumer, and for
getting that any couse ,clsich increases The
cords supply Of any commodity tends 10
chedpen IL. Another and large class point TO
railway exactions and often with good
cause, yet we know that reduced incomes
cause us to notice and protest against even
small exactIons which would appear triVlai
in times of prosperity.
As an instance of the vast changes which
have been made this writer paid $50
freight on six barrels of oil from the oil
wells 10 Charlottesville in 1s70-railway
charges alone SC per barrel. His last bar
rel only cost in November last IS, and it
was 90 per cent. better-barrel, oil. and
freight. Many farm implements and ma
chimes we buy for one fourth the prices
then paid. Legal interest then was IL per
cent. for money. Most other commodities
nave kItstil dtt1inCa. NV w
that farmers were then prosperous, for
money-the instrument of production
was abundant II the mind be brought to
consider the question the conclusion must
be arrived OF that far above all such causes
as tariffs, taxes, freight-bills, &C., is the
monetary question.
The violent contraction of tho currency
loft its track of ruin in 1873. The change
in the standard of value from gold and
silver to gold alone has been the potent
cause of the decline of agricultural pro.
sperity since then. as We have been trying
to show. II is far-reaching. for it is world.
wide. This fact alone proves that the
trouble cannot be traced to the local causes
referred to.
This is in no wise intended as denial OF
the fact that there are just causes Of com.
plant as to unequal taxes and charges, but
to direct the attention Of Farmer Other
farmers, and businessmen generally, who
must share in the evils resulting from tn
aAa,inA nk aRxiculturA that uAHise end