Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-07-01
stanton Spectalo1.
WEDNESDAY, JULY LIST, 1891.
The Farmer on Top.

This is the title of an article in the July
number of the North american ReOteaU,
by Erastus Wiman, which is full of en-
coursgement to all farmers.
The writer states, and seems to prove,
that no more wheat-lands remain unoccu-
pied in tie United States. That land
hunger of the keenest character does exist
is proved, he says, in numerous sections,
and perhaps more wildly than anything
else by the scenes which occurred at the
opening of the territory Of Oklahoma two
years ago. More recently, even last winter,
in Ashland, Wisconsin, mon ard women
stood in line, ankle deep in snow, all day
and all night, from Thursday until Satur-
day, waiting for their turn to register; and
the Secretary of tho Interior at later day
was compelled to close the land office
because it was in possession of mob, who
only became such because of their eager
desire to obtain land. This shows craze
for land which has no parallel ID the pre-
vious history of the country.
In the meanwhile population, chiefly
consumers, has increased out of all pro-
portion to production. The rapidity with
which farms were take en- up and spare land
occupied between 1870 and 1880 has been
the cause of the depression. Over produc-
tion was the cause of the low prices and
the destruction of its profits. This is
shown by We fact that for the fourteen
years ending with 1885 the cultivated area
of the United States increased 112 Per
cent, /While population increased only "A
per Gent. But reaction has now set in.
While the population continues to increase
at the rate of 129 per cent. in every five
Z years, the area now being taken up has not
in that period increased per cent, and it
is yearly and progressively lessoning. The
population of the bread-eating world in
creased in the decade from 1880 to 1890 II
per cent, and goes on increasing, but the
land which can grow grain at previous
prices is well-nigh exhausted so far as
relative increase is concerned.
1t is clear, therefore, says MIR. Wiman,
that the farmer hereafter will realize a
fair profit upon his operations. 1t is time
that he should do 30. The extent of the
farmers loss by low prices and of his gain
by high prices may be judged by the adj
vance in the amount to be realized in their
different conditions Thus in 1875 the
average price in gold of English-grown
wheat in the markets of Great Britain was
$1.G4 per bushel. During the five years
ending in 1889 it was 95 cents per bushel.
In other words there was difference OF
SO cents, equal to decline of AZ per cent.
in the income Of every wheat-produceT,
and indeed Of every producer of food,
arising cut OF exports from India and
America. An Increase of AZ per cent. in
the income Of any individual, or any class
is most momentous matter. "The weary
waiting for bsfter times, the nights OF
sleepess anxiety, and the days of unre-
Quilted labor, the narrowness of resources,
and the eager desire of the young people
for better modes of living have all been
borne in expectation of the day that now
dawns upon every Industrious farmer in
the land" Mr. Wiman might have added
that the repeal of hostile legislation by
Congress will further lift the burden from
the farmers shoulders, and at the came
time advance the welfare of all the laboring
classes.