The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-30
Why Some States Grow Rich.

The census of 1890 reveals a remarka-
bic contrast between manufacturing and
agricultural States in respect of the rate
Of increase in assessed valuation of real
and personal property in the last ten
years. In an article contributed to the
New York Times, J. S. Moore is at the
pains to collste the figures and draw the
obvious inference. Eight manufacturing
States-Connecticut, Maine, Massachu.
sstts, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Yer.
mont-have in the last decade increased
their valuation by 81 ,931, ,4l6. 100, Penn
sylvania having accumulated profits to
tho extent of $909, ,Ss2,016 and Massa'
chusetts to the extent of $500 ,S77 1924.
These eight States happen to be the
States for whose capitalists the present
tariff and all others since 1867 have been
principally constructed. The results
should be satisfactory to the tariff lords
of these States, seeing that it Is q big
thing for the rest of the country TO con.
sent to part with its wealth for their
sggrandizement. Turning from those
that receive to others that. give, MI
Moore finds that the five great sgricul-
tural States-Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Wisconsin and Ohie-hase increased
their assessed valuation in the last de-
cade by but s59l ,6O1 .O5l. Their popu-
lstion Is l3.2S9,547, but their people,
though more numerous and occupying
vast areas of very productive land, have
not been able to accumulate one.third ~
much ~ the eight manufacturing States
have done. The larger number of men
with fine natural advantages increase
their wealth by about $500, ,O0O. 600 In ten
years, while the smaller number Of men,
with smaller natural advantages, swell
their wealth by about $1,000, ,o00, 900 {!
The thing il against reason. There must
be some artificial condition that blesses
the one area at the expense of the other.
"The reason for this discrepancy"
says Mr.. Moore, Giles in = nutshell. The
protected American feudal lord buys
what he needs aud consumes in the
cheapest market 10 the world and sells
his product in the desrest, whereas the
rural American serf sells his product 10
the cheapest market In the world and has
to buy all necessaries of life in the dear.
est market, which is the protected home
market, and the only market where he
can supply himself This is lameutable
enough as indicating false and unjust
economic adjustment. The poor ought
not to be- compelled by law to enrich the
rich by being forced to pay srtifcislly
enhanced prices for every manufacture
the protected capitalist produces. The
thing is not right, and it is sad to see
self interest 80 greedy. A aadder thing,
however, Is the facility with which the
tariff lords can lead the agricultural to
believe his hsrdships are due to any
cause but the true one-the "demoneti.
zation of iilver,":.for example, or the
want of larger "per capita of money"
'sThe poor, benighted farmer can not"
says Mr.. Moore, "for the life of him, see
that If he uses one bag Of salt In a year
and pays for 1t 50, as against 81 per bag
if there were no duty on salt, he keeps
that other dollar In his pocket; nor can
he see that If this is applied to his cloth.
ing, to his farming tools, to his cutlery,
to his Bible he takes to church on Sun.
day, and to the varnish on his coffin,
indeed to every conceivable article he
uses, be would save half the present cost,
80 that it would follow thst his expenses
would be only one.half of what they are
now"
These are among the things that arc
too plain to be seen. The excessive price
of manufactures under protective sys.
tenn il q thing that meets the man Of
small income st every turn. he may
not see it, because the tribute he pays the
tariff lord ID hid away in the price of bis
daily purchases. But 1t il there, and by
the end of the year it hes eaten big hole
in the profits of the years work. Mr..
More thinks our farmers are being
reduced 10 an interior position, analo.
gou. to that of the peasant or serf of the
old world. This is . degradation the
ooustry can not afford. Our farmea
have till now been the chief buttresses of
our politicsi Institutions. In the clash
ofprivate interests struggling at Wash.
ington for the mastery the farmers Of the
country have till now constituted the
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