Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-06-05
THE FARMERS.

ScSSlOll, OuJ SlOTlly dIUcI ten CIoCh
temporary organization was affected b.
the election of Hon. \. 7. Mckelyey
Chairman, and J. B. McMechan, Secre
tary. Rev. RObt. Alexander invoked
the divine favor upon the meeting, afte
which on motion, the Chair appointed
three persons on each of the following
Committees: Credentials, Rules, anC
order of Business, Permanent Organiza
ton, and Resolutions, and recess wa:
taken for one-half hour to give the Com
mittees time to prepare their reports, at
the expiration of which the several Com
mittees made partial reports. In accord
ance with the report of the Committee
on Permanent Organization, the follow
ing permanent officers were elected
President, Hon. A. 7. McKeivey; Vice
President, David Hawthorn; Secretary
Jno. B. McMechan; Treasurer, J. H.
Denham; Executive Committee, Joshua
Worley, Henry Frasher, C. H. Arick, Jas
Cooper and Thomas Neff.
A motion by d. C. Bundy for the ap-
pointment of a Committee to report on
the propriety of establishing purchas-
ing agency was lost.
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
was called at o'clock, and the President
announced that all farmers would be at
liberty to engage in the discussions. The
discussion of the topic, "The Present
Condition of the Farmer" was opened
by d. C. Bundy, of Warren township,
who was of the opinion that his condition
was almost as bad as it could be. He
thought great per cent. of farm crops
were mortgaged, and that a heavy in
terest was being paid. The farmer
couldn't raise beef for profit, because of
the Western ranchmen. Dairying didn't
pay, for butter no longer commanded
the fancy prices it used to. Wool man.
ufacturers managed to keep down the
price of WOO, so that sheep husbandryw
no longer profitable. There was no
money in raising horses, and in brief,
the speaker thought the case of the
farmer bilious one, with the world only
about eighteen months from starvation,
and the Trusts in his judgment effecting
the farmers interests most seriously.
Hon. VIM. Bundy said there was not
so much cause for grumbling after all.
The present depression was owing to
natural causes s-the ordinary vibration
of business. The farmer lives faster,
better, and on more costly scale than
twenty-five years ago, and that it was
hard to come down to the old fashioned,
economical way of living. Their sub
stance goes to the support of the business
men who seem to be prospecting. When
farmers cease to buy SO many luxuries,
then there will be more profit in their
business.
Nathan B. Nichols said it was an easy
matter to complain of other people,
but that much of the trouble began
right at home. We lived beyond our
means, were extravagant and we had
costly school-houses, and public high
ways, and everything was on a grander
scale than formerly. He combatted the
idea that necessaries of life were higher
by comparing prices with those of 25
years ago, and said that the remedy was
TO keep within our means, and get down
to the more simple, old fashioned style
of living.
J. H. Denham and John Cochran, also
made brief addresses on the topic.
"What Should the Farmer do to Better
his Condition." was the next topic, and
its discussion was opened by Hon. A. T.
McKelvey, who spoke substantially as
follows:
With low prices prevailing in every
section of the country and for every arti-
Gle of farm produce, it behooves the
farmer whose income is thereby greatly
reduced, to practice the utmost economy
in every department of the farm. To at
tempt to maintain the liberal expenditures
for farm stock and Improvements so
characteristic of the American farmer
when times are prosperous, crops good
and prices high, will, under the stress of
hard times, inevitably result in financial
embarrassment and ruin.
The loss sustained by reason of low
prices, may in measure be offset by
increasing the productive power of our
soil, which unfortunately for number
of years has deprecated both in the yield
of grass and of grain. And as prudent
and intelligent men the farmers of this
State and of this section of our State in
particular, need to give more attention
to the growing of everything upon our
own land of utility upon the farm or con-
sumption in the home, as far as climate
and soil will admit.
To my mind the graveSt cause of de-
preston in agricultural industries is over
production, coupled with an alarming in
crease in the importation of agricultural
products from foreign lands. Accord
Ing w OniSlol VI bilC COClOOdly
of Agriculture there was imported into
this country last year agricultural prod
ucts amounting In value to the stupend-
GUS sum of 1856, ,000,0OO, and of this vast
amount $115, 100000 was paid to the
farmers of other lands for products that
actually sold in competition with those
grown upon your farm and mine Among
the items thus reported | will add that
$60,0OO,OO0 were paid for foreign wool
and $40,OO0,0O0 for live stock, hay, barley,
vegetables and cheese.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, l insist there can
be no return to prosperity in agricultur-
al industries, no relief from the existing
depression until the National Govern
ment furnishes adequate and ample pro
lection to American farmers.
When the labor of the American farm
er is brought into competition with the
degraded and half civilized peasantry of
Asia and Enrope-men whose daily com
pensatiOn does not exceed or 10 cents
nor naV and mhan nur SurrlnS uyhaot l.,