The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-24
Western Farm 5IortxazeA

I In the last number Of the Forum, Mr..
I Daniel R GOodloe gives some further
statistics relative 70 western land mort
cages, showing the deplorable condition to
I which large number Of western farmers
are reduced. He considers if very strange
tina. during a period of unexampled &C
tIvity and the accumulation Of great
wealth, this cry Of distress, Of hopeless in
debtedness and ruin, should come up from
the fertile fields of the west. Towns and
cities flourish, population and wealth con-
oentrate in them, but the country Ian
guishes. Farms are eaten up with mort
cages and are falling into alien hands.
For the year 1855 the state bureau of stats
tics reported that the asses ed value of real
estate in Ohio was 81, 220 20, 900. and that
the amount for which the farm lads were
mortgaged was $3.50, 1898, 900. Therefore the
mortgaged indebtedness of the farmers was
within fraction of one-third of the whole
real estate of Ohio.
In Indiana the bureau OF statistics report
the mortgage inieb.e ineSs Of the people Of
that state at S26.OOO, 900. Including over
due interest the mortgage Indebtedness of
the farmers of illinois in 1887, was Sl47,-
$4,000, and the chattel mortgages 500, 80,
779. In the city aad country the total mort
gage Indebted ess was SAG, 37S,9 75.
For 1883 the labor bureau of Michigan re-
ports that the total mum Der of farms was 90
500, and their assessed value Sl74, 593 600. OF
these farms IS, O79 were mortgaged to the
amount of $40, 900 900, including accrued
interest; ,667 farm mortgages were fore
closed that year. aud Of these only 13l
were redeemed.
In Kansas, the condition of the farmers
at this time is much worse. From statistics
gathered by the Topeka Advocate, in the
interests Of the Farmers alliance, the total
mortgage Indebtedness of the farmers of
That state is computed to reach the large
sum of s146,563 600 A great number of
farmers can no longer pay the interest on
their mortgages, and foreclosures are rapidly
going on.
At one county seat alone 'the clerk of
the district court stated that LOO fore
closures were on the docket" but the judge
and the lawyers we're staying them because
of the injury they were doing the county,
and also to give the government chance
to help the farmers out.
80 the government, having brought the
farmers to the verge of ruin by the pro-
tective tariff, which has made great man.
ufacturing corporations wealthy, is now
expected to come to the relief Of the farm
ers, whose interests it has SO systematically
neglected, and who have been 50 grievously
injured.
I'VE have said," reiterates Mr.. Goodloe,
"the western farms are passing from the
hands of their overburdened owners into the
possession of aliens, and also of syndicates."
The conclusion" he adds, from this mel
ancholy array of facts is irresistible. The
virgin soil of the west is rapidly ceasing to
be the home and the possession Of the sturdy
American freeman. He is but tenant at
will. or dependent upon the tender mer-
cies of soulless corporations and of absentee
landlords"
OF course, this does not apply to all
farmers. Some of them are exceedingly
prosperous, as we have previously shown.
But to certain classes of small farmers in
the localities designated it does apply with
unhealthy force and disastrous effect, That
is what prompted the alliance and other
kindred schemes. There must be a defect
in management somewhere.