San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-03
ABOUT FARMERS.

son, has no chance OF becoming law,
the farmers might organize in each
state, joint stock association for the
purpose of loaDing farmers the mon-
ey for paying off mortgages on their
farms. Many farmers are out of debt
and have more or less money on hand,
and these farmers could organize the
Joint stock associations spoken of
above, and by combining their mon
ey be able to assist their bretheren in
Kidding their farms of the mortgages
fastened on them. The farmers re-
ceiving loans could repay them in an
nual installments, with six per cent
interest, and such annual payments
would enable the association to eX-
tend aid to other farmers who might
be weighted down by debt. The
farmers of Texas are, as rule, not
over burdened with debt-the major
ity of them are solvent condition
OF things arising doubtless from the
impossibility of executing legal mort
cages on their hometeads. The farm
ers of Kansas and Nebraska appear
to be in for the worse plight as they
are immersed in debt up to their
chins. ''Out of debt is to be out of
danger" is the only safe course for
farmers to pursue, where a series of
bad crop years have put them
behind hand. They would act
wisely, were they 10 sell their
farms and hunt tor country better
adapted to farming. Western Kan
sas and Nebraska are unsuited to
tillage -. there is no reasonable
assurance of making good crops two
years out of five, and common sense
dictates that farmers is those sections
should quit attempting to fight
against nature. While these lands
are not safe farming lands, they are
well suited to pasturage and should
be devoted to that purpose.
1t is sheer folly to attempt to farm
in section, where the fertility OF the
soil is neutralized by excess of
drought, at one season, and excess of
frost and snow at another, and it is
greater folly to supply farmers with
money that they may battle against
the fat of nature. Farmers thus cir
cumstanced must abandon so unequal
and desperate contest, and search
out better climatic conditions.
While citizens of all classes would
rejoice, with exceeding great joy, in
seeing farmers out of debt and pros
porous, sensible men cannot help con-
demning such as obstnately persist
year and year, in battling against
unfavorable climatic conditions, that
amount to q prohibition of tillage of
the soil in particular sections of our
country.
The low prices of farm products is
the fault of the farmers themselves.
They produce too much grain
and cotton in view of the
demand for them in Europe.
Mr.. Gladstone some time bacK stated
IN q Tree trade article, in the North
American Review, that the United
States should purchase the line of
goods from England, in which, the
English eXcelled US, and that our
people should "raise more low priced
cereals and cotton" but our farmers
cannot raise crops at unremunerative
prices merely TO bolster up a theory.
Whenever the price of farm products
fall below the remunerative point,
the result is disastrous to the farm.
ers. The only feasible remedy for
low prices, is in raising smaller crops
of grain and cotton, and in proper
tioning the supply of those articles TO
the demand. and the farmers them.
selves must apply this remedy with a
sort of preconcerted unanimity. If
the cotton crop be reduced e-half,
and fetches as much, or more money
than Iull crop now does, would not
farmers be largely benefited? The
same thing would follow from re-
duction in the acreage of cereal crops.
The law of supply and demand regu.
lates the price of all articles, and is
never disregarded with impunity by
farmers, manufacturers, merchants
or stock raisers When the Dutch,
couple of centuries ago, enjoyed a
monopoly of the spice trade in
consequence of their possession
of the East Indian Is.
lands which produced it,
they yearly burned one half of the
spice crop in Ceylon, and transported
the other half to Europe, for sale, by
which plan, they kept up the price.
American farmers might take a use
full hint from the plan pursued by the
Dutch
But, if we curtail the acreage
in cereals and cotton, what crops
must We substitute for them?" asks
the farmer.
If you are now sinking money by
raising excessive crops, you are bound
to gain In the shape of enhanced
prices, by bringing the supply nearer
to the demand; consequently, you
would lose nothing were you to let
the ground lie fallow. But you could
diversity your crops. The most pros
porous farmers are those who produce
on their farms every article necessary
for the maintenance of their families
and farms. 1t will never happen
that farmers will become rich and