Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-02-26
Saint Harg1s Beacon.

ten the case that farms are portioned
of into one, two, three. and sour-horse
cultivation. as they are called; and
che negro who owns one horse, or fur
nishes labor to work one horse, rents
that portion TO till, and go on. with
the number Of horses; the result be-
ing that it requires the entire reve-
nue. of the crop to sustain the life of
those who labor. with nothing for the
owner. .
Look at the West In Illinois, on
land alone, the increase of mortgage
Indebtedness in seven years (from
1880 to 1887 was $44. 958. 900; and
this Indebtedness still increases, as it
is impossible for the farmers to make
. living and pay the interest on their
debt. The State Board of Agricul.
turs Published officially that the farm.
ers of that State lost on the corn crop
of 1880, $9.935.s2s.
In Michigan the State Labor Blu.
reau Of Statistics reports that the
farms Of that State are mortgaged to
the amount of $3.50. 900 900, at An av-
erage interest of per cent, and to
pay the interest on the farm mort.
cages for 1889 would have required
455,54l more bushels Of wheat than
the net crop amounted to.
In am told that in many sections of
Kansas starvation stares the farmer in
the face.
The grand State of Pennsylvania 10
not exempt from the general depres.
sion, and the depreciation 10 farm
values for the past ten years has been
fully 40 per cent.
In the State of New York official
reports give the same deplorabls con-
dition.
10 New Jersey, where diversified
farming is followed to its fullest lex.
tent, the Board of Agriculture of
Salem county officially reports a de.
crease in farm values of 40 per
cent. and in many instances farms in
some of the finest and most productive
sections Of that State have decreased
In value in the past seven years so
per cent.
Now, farmers, these are facts. We
have idly permitted and oftimes
sanctioned, the methods of govern.
mental policy which has brought upon
US the evils and misfortunes of our
times. From the great leading forces
thought, action and influence, we
have fallen to the position of suppl.
cants. From the proud position of
afsuencs and wealth, we have become
the debtors of mankind.
Then pardon me il I should appear
to disagree with some of you in bring.
ing to your attention what I sincerely
believe to be among tbs causes of this
dsplorabls change. / am speaking
now from honest convictions, and ]
ask the forbearance of anyone who may
feel that I have taken advantage of
this opportunity to express views of
political nature.
We have come together to speak as
man to man-as farmer to farmer
and it is best that we should speak
out and be plain. I thoroughly be-
lieve, and am convinced of the fact,
that the present deplorabls condition
OF the agricultural interests of this
county is largely due to the effect Of
class legislation. practiced By Con-
gress for the past quarter of q cen.
fury. Upon the ruins of agriculture
have been amassed fortunes of untold
wealth in individual aud corporate
capacity. "Ths farmer finds himself
the victim of all the evils of q pro.
tective tariff, without it's supposed
benefits. The promised home market,
he has found to his cost. if not to his
rein, is 9 delusion and q snare. He
Is being heavily taxed for the benefit
of the whole list Of these assisted in.
dustries that rob him Of his working
force. while the labor saving machines
OF tina prairie farms of the West, slim.
ulated By lavish gifts Of lands to set
tiers and subsidies to railroads, ru.
inously reduce the prices Of his pro.
ducts in the home market
1t requires no vast amount of
statesman's lore to note the fact that
when the farmers are driven to the
verge of bankruptcy, then follows in
its wake financial reverses which set
at naught the sophistry of those who
try to explain the benefits of onerous
taxation. The burden of this gov.
eminent. in it's entirety. cannot be
borne by the toilers and consumers.
There must be an equalizing of this
burden; and in self.defence they are
combining throughout this country to
make their power and influence felt
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