The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-07-22
SOME WESTERN SENSE.
A KAN SANS ABLE ANALYSIS
OF THE SITUATION.


Home Market.
Judge Jones, of Hutchinson, Kan,
who visited Boston early in May and was
interviewed by the Journal, shed food
OF light on the causes of discomfort
among the farmers, and made very
conclusive answer 10 tho quackery of
Jerry Simpson and Roger O. Mills The
farmers OF the whole country, said he,
have suffered in recent years, but the
farmers OF other countries have suffered
far more. The cause of this was aptly
expressed by Gen. Butler in his recent
address. There has been an overproduc-
tion IN the leading farm products. The
low prices consequent have brought dis
tress TO our farmers. But what is the
remedy?
The great cure.all so earnestly
taught, free trade with all the ma
tions of the world" would certainly
fail 20 bring relief. He continued as
follows:
The Hon. Roger .. Mills says in the May
Forum: II no distractions, either ma ural
or artificial, should exist (between nations),
prosperity would touch its highest possible
point, etc. The farmers OF the great West
do not believe this doctrine They readily
cite an array OF facts that dispels such
prices. But they complain of prices rs 10
two classes OF their products, that class
sold at home IN competition with imported
products % like kind and that class of
which they produce a surplus which can Lc
sold In the worlds market.
There is practically no demand in the
worlds market for any farm product, eX-
cept for wheat, corn, cotton and meat
The nation that supplies the worlds de-
mand for these at the lowest price will
take the market.
The cause of the suffering among our far
mers .o-day is low prices. Does any one
believe that he will listen TO that which
leads to lower prices stillf few facts will
help us TO understand matters better. In
1865 there were but -, 000, 900 acres of wheat
in thi. country. Then the policy OF open
ing up the great West was inaugurated.
This policy gridironed thauva region with
railroads and peopled IL with sturdy plow-
men. Farms were obtained virtually with
out cost. All this, coupled with the unsur-
passed fertility OF the soil, found US with
.3S, 100000 acres OF wheat in $780, with
product OF 80 900 900 bushels. Our home
demand is but little short of six bushels per
capita, and with so, 900 people in 1880
we found a surplus OF 100 900, 900 bushels on
hand. We exported 1S0. 600, 900 bushels, on
144,000,00 in grain, the balance in -four.
The average export price was Sl.13 per
bushel for the year and Sl.19 in 1881. Our
tionary since 1880, and the annual product
has varied only with the seasons. Our
home demand has increased as our popula-
ton has multiplied until il requires at least
$50, 900, 600 bushels TO supply the home de-
,nand in 1890. Yet the export price Of
wheat has steadily declined until IL was
but SO cents per- bushei in 1889. In 1850 we
exported but Is, 100000 OF wheat in grain.
Why Is this?
Not because the worlds demand has fallen
of. The worlds demand has averaged
20S 900, 900 bushels per annum for ten years,
the lowest 1S6. 000, 600, in 1886, the highest,
231, 000.0 900, in 1883, and varying as the
crops were good or bad in Europe.
Then why the reduction in price of wheat,
and why our reduced eXportsf
In 1850 Russia exported $4,000, 900 BUSH
els, which increased TO 10000, 900 in 1888
and 107, 900, 900 in 1889. India from 13,000,
900 bushels in 1880 TO $1,000, 900 in 1889. Ar
gentiEe from 5000, 900 in 1851 TO 100000 in
1883.
This explains the troubles to our wheat
growers. We are being undersOld. 1t is
neither sentiment nor politics with the
buyer. 1t is pure business. Russia has the
advantage in location, wages agricultural
laborers receive ~ cents per day., and
freights. 1t cost IL cents TO transport a
bushel of grain from odessa TO London in
January, 1889, H.. cents in January, 1890,
and cents in Januaey, 1891. On Jan. 10,
1891, the best grade OF wheat at Odessa was
SIS cents, to which add freight, cents, and
q bushel could, on Jan. TO- 1891, be laid
down i'm London for % cents, IA price less
than prevailed in New York on that day.
These steadily declining prices have
caused great trouble 10 our farmers. The
year 1890 found them ready TO supply the
worlds wheat demand, when suddenly
they found Russia, India, and Argentine
becoming competitors. And the worst of IL
is these countries have all passed us in the
rate OF cheapnesS. In the struggle to sell
cheap wheat. the fertile fields OF the West
have counted out the New England farmer.
The great West can produce wheat at one
half what il costs to produce it here. But
even our farmers have reached point be-
low which they cannot go.
Is it any wonder they are looking for a
way out then!
The above figures prove 60 him that the
worlds market means still lower prices is
IL any wonder that he turns from IL, almost
with fear and trembling? Our tariff laws
have not shut him out, for the Russian tar
if is higher than that OF any nation.
But, says the free trader, the farmer must
Aexchangen for the manufactured products
OF other lands This will enable him To
obtain his manufactures cheaper than he
can get them at home. The farmer sees In
this only an inducement for him 10 send his
bulky products at great expense of freights
to the markets whore ne can only sell or eX-
change after running the gauntlet OF for
eign competition. Thus every dollars
worth Of goods so obtained is at theeX-
pcnse OF home labor.
IL is useless 10 attempt TO lead the Amer
lean farmer into this trap unless IL can be
clearly shown THAI the world wants his
products at higher prices.
A home market will do this The value
of such n market is clearly shown to oui
farmers by the present prices, caused by
the short wheat and corn crops OF last year
This has been great educator. The Nc
Kinley bill points the only way out To the
farmer This bill will not multiply food pro-
ducers, but IL will multiply food consumers
1t will bring these consumers nearer TO tho
farm, This Is the farmers hope. Ii viii
relieve him from the burdens OF freight
charges, which consume his substance.
And IL will not require 36.000,0G0 Of con-
sumers TO do this, n, figured by Mr.. Mills II
the Forum article referred 60. The employ
ment of 1000. 600 new laborers alone would
take the surplus farm products. except cot
ton. so many laborers means an increased
population OF at least 10,OO0,000 Thi
would speedily settle the farmer question
and 10 would relieve our laborers. To-day
we are importing OF the products OF low
priced foreign labor at least $500 200, 00