The farmers' union., 1891-04-02
QUESTIONS FOR FARMERS.
Why Does Farming Not Pay?-Why Moves
the Alliance So Slowly:

the Alliance So Slowly?
In the great old empire state of New
York We saw fine farms with handsome
buildings. whose owners told lis that in
the last ten years their farms had de-
preciatcd oncthird III value, and that
they would like to dispose of their old
they only knew what to do. as no money
could any longer be made by farming,
while the taxes went right on and Were
leading to certain mortgage, and, in the
not distant future, the eventual loss of
their lands.
In the cities of the Empire state we
saw young men who were farmers sons
seeking to fit themselves for bookkcep-
ers and shorthand reporters, or other
employment belonging to cities, which
they said they did not like and would
prefer to be independent farmers as were
their fathers before them, but that farm
ing did not pay and they must find some
thing else to do and help keep the home
roof over the heads of their parents in
their old age.
We asked both the young men and the
men why these things were SO, but none
OF them could tell us why. We asked
them if their fields were worn out and if
their soil was less fertile or the seasons
less favorable than in former days, and
they said. ''oh, no." We asked them
if they were less disposed to work than
ten years ago, and they said no" but
they realized SO little from ali their
toll. Yet in towns both east and west
we hear the people complain that
potatoes are 81 per bushel, and
many other eating stuffs in proportion.
Since the farmers did not know, we
thought we would ask the bankers. So
we asked two who were genial, gener-
Gus, kindly men in their families, and
lived in different cities, to tell us why
the farmers were complaining in this
manner and if it were time that the best
farming lands in the state were thus de-
lrcciated in value. And they said it was
time and that the land was deprecia ted
because of hard times. And one said the
hard times was due to not enough tar
if, and the other said it was due to too
much tariff. and both said the farmers
were hard up because they were all ex-
travagant and wanted pianos 70! their
children and nice buggies and furniture
the same as city people with lots of
money had; while both agreed that farm
ers did not need these luxuries and were
not a farsighted class Of men anyway.
So with all our inquiry we found no
one 10 clearly explain the problems to us,
and we thought one thing tAe bankers
told us was true, /. C.. that tat the farm
ers arc not q far sighted class Of men any
ipdy. II they were they woeld find out
why things We're thus, every mothers
son of them. And having found out
they would go to work to right them by
the might and power CT the ballot;
standing by tLeir broad acres and =
deeming them from a nations profligacy.
That sending their SONS who love the
scent of sweet country grasses: the care
of their gent.c animals who repay their
kindness with docile affection; the
healthful sEd sturdy exercises whose
usages they have inherited to compete
the scores Ct others for scanty earnings In
the noisy, 5ustling, careless cities, where
country boy is more easily lured to
ruinsoma ways than are city boys who
are rease1 to know its temptations and
vices.
Why ,nove the ranks of our Farmers
alliances so slowly? Why are not more
scouts and heralds sent out from the
great army to stir up these discouraged
farmers and teach them till they shall
be able to tell why they suffer thus; till
they shah be wake.ed to the resolution