Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-10-16
FARMERS ALLIANCE COLUMN.
Farmers make" no Prices.
SOME FACTS BY LIVINGSTON, OF GROR-
GA, WHICH EVERY FARMER
OUGHT TO KNOW.

In u recent speech, Hon. L. V.
Livingston, president Of the Georgia
State Alliance, gave the following
facts and figures. They speak more
eloquently and earnestly and effect
lively than all the sophistry ever in
vented by the old party press:
The farmer makes no prices. There
isn't q farmer in this house that in
fifteen years has ever brought but
ter, eggs or cotton to Lawrenceville
and got the price he asked. He must
say to the merchant. "how much will
you give me for my butters'' and
then, How much will you take for
your calico?n The merchant buys
and sells at his own price.
No merchant and no lawyer would
carry on business as you farmers
have been obliged to carry it on.
The traders have allowed us to keep
body and soul together, and that's
all, but we should be thankful that
they have not treated us worse as
they had the power to do.
What has caused this poverty
The financial policy of the govern
ment, the system established by our
national legislation.
In 1868 the farmers owned 70 per
cent. OF the property in Georgia, and
the farmers Of the United States
owned 6S per cent. OF the entire
property Of the country.
To-day only % per cent. Of the
people own homes, and in Georgia
only "a per cent Of the property is
held by farmers.
In 1S42 Charles Dickens said a
tramp in this country would be as
strange sight as a flaming sword at
midday in the heavens. In 1876 there
were 100000 tramps in the United
States.
The towns and cities OF Georgia
have grown at the expense OF the
country. In ten years the property
in towns and cities has increased
$50, 10000 while in the rural dis
tricts it has decreased $50, 900, 900.
In 1866 the Congress passed the
famous contraction act. 1t was not
rigidly enforced, however, until 1868.
In 1866 the total circulation was
S1,693, $40, 573, amounting to S52 per
capita. In ten years the circulation
fell to $3.50, $40, 097, and the money in
circulation was reduced to $5. As per
capita.
In eleven years there was lost by
contraction" OF the currency total
Of $40, 149, 8S7, 415, shared by the peo-
pie as follows:
Lost by business men, 81 ,204. ISL 1T.
Lost by farmers, 1904, 036, 297.
Lost by laboring classes, $780,
100000.
The circulation and its effects upon
the times is shown by the following
table:
1S11-$2S, 900, 000-Hard times.
1S16-S11O,O 900, oOO-Good times.
1Sls-S4O, 600, OOO-Panic.
1s32-S6O, 900, O0O-Fair times
1s37-15O, 900, blooming time.
1S43-$5S, 900, OOO-Panic.
1s47-$1O5, 900, 0OO-Good times.
1S57-$2l5, 900, 000-Booming time.
1S5S-$5O, 900, OOO-Panic.
1861, 651, 2s2,373 $50 failures
Booming times.
1s73-$7Ss, 219, 900. 5,1ss failures
Panic.
1s77-ses6, 44s, 900. s,s72 failures
Prostitution.
In 1868 certain farmer in Georgia
came to town with 5O0-pound bale
OF cotton he and his wife had raised.
He sold it for 80 cents a pound, get
ting $3.50 for the bale. He paid his
taxes, $40; bought cooking stove,
$32; suit Of clothes for $15; dress
for his wife for So barrel OF flour
for $12; 100 pounds Of meat for $1S,
and had $40 in clear cash left.
In 1877, nine years later, the same
farmer carried a 500-pound bale to
the same market and sold it for $42 81.
He paid his taxes, $40 and had 1874
left. This so demoralized him that
he got dead drunk and dead broke.
The price for his cotton had con
tracted, but taxes and other things
hadn't.