The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-03-26


So the cotton farmer pays over four
times as much for dollar as he did from
1860 to 1870.
Value of staple crops: In 1866 the
wheat, corn. rye, barley. buckwheat,
hay, oats, potatoes, cotton and tobacco
sold for 81 .0O1, 462, ,a3l. The same crops
for 1884, eighteen years later. sold for
g., ,O43, ,5OO.4sl. Notwithstanding the
cultivated acreage had nearly doubled
and farm hands had doubled, together
with the great improvements in farm
machinery. yet these crops for 1884 sold
cent. more than they did in 1866.
The average price of our cereal crops
in 1867 was nearly 81 per bushel, and in
1887 it was less than so cents per bushel,
a loss of over $1,000, 900, 900. Again:
Wheat-Average value of yield per acre
from 1867 to 1877. &li 20
FOrthe past six years it has been
oats-Average value of yield per acre
from 1887 TO 1877 Observation-Disclosures. I2. 10
For the past year it has been less
tnan = w
Corn-Average value of yield per acre
from 1867 to 1877 7..--............ II. 16
For the past six years it has been
less thal su
The average value of yield per acre of
it was about 50.
Having noticed some of the effects of
currency contraction upon our business
failures. aggregating over 81 200. .OOO,-
900, upon the payment of our national
debt. and upon the prices Of farm pro-
ducts, let us see what the effects have
been upon farm values and farm indebt-
edness.
In 1850 the farmers owned 20 per cent.
OF the total wealth and paid s5 per cent.
OF the taxes. In 1860 they owned 50 per
cent. and paid s. per cent. of the taxes.
In 1880 they owned 80 per cent. and still
paid so per cent. of the taxes. In 1899
they owned "a per cent. of the total
wealth, although the total wealth had
increased from Sla, 500. 900, 600 in 1850 to
S43. 900, 500, 900 in 1850.
Depreciation in the value of farms:
Value of farms in 1880 .......... 36s45Ui5 COZ
Value of farms in 1870 .-.-....... 3EI. .575 42l
Total increase in ten years . S.373, 469 5Ss
Average yearly increase 49,. 337. .346 956
Value of farms in 1850. 80 1877 O96 778
Value of farms IN 1850 66I5, ,0t50U7
Total increase in twenty years. s3ge, ,O5l 7s9
Average yearly Increase III, 5SS
Thus the average yearly increase
dropped from lOls per cent. from 1850 to
1869 to "a per cent. from, 1860 to 1880,
and this alarming decrease was during a
time OF great increase in commercial,
financial and manufacturing enterprises
of the country. Again:
Increase of farm acreage from 1850
Yearly increase for ten wears " iI3esOm
Increase of acreage from 1880 1880 I2S. .sSI 835
Yearly increase for twenty years. 6.441O90
Thus from 1850 to 1850 the average in
creased 3s per cent. and from 1860 to
1880 it decreased to 81 per cent.
From 1850 to 1860 farm values in
creased 1O1 per cent: from 1860 to 1870,
43 per cent, and from 1870 to 1880. 9
per cent. Yet the aggregate wealth
from 1873 to 1883 increased As per
cent.
Let us notice the comparative in-
crease between agriculture and manu-
featuring: From 1850 to 1860 agricul-
ture led in increased value of products
10 per cent. From 1870 to 1880 manu-
featuring led by 81 per cent. Exports
of manufactured products increased from
1881 to 1883 46 per cent. Decrease OF
agricultural products for the same time,
81 per cent.
Another alarming result of the con-
traction of the currency is the increase
in number of large farms and cores
ponding decrease of small ones 5rOm
1870 to 1880 farms under three acres de-
creased 80 per cent. while those from 1OC
to 500 acres increased 300 per cent Also
the number from three to ten acres de-
creased 81 per cent. while those from SOC
to 1000 acres increased 47s per cent
The number from ten to twenty acres de-
creased 13 per cent. while those ovel
1000 acres increased TO per cent. In
1850 we had las, 553 less farms under fifty
scres than we had in 1870 and yet oul
farm population had increased during
the decade 80 per cent
These figures are taken from officia
record and tell terrible tale OF injus
tice.
Before the era of contraction begar
had but two miliionaires and M