Telegram-herald., 1891-06-16
rRosrkKIrY uNlEoRM.

Doubtless things are not As blIssful
for farmers as they would like IA see
them, for things are not so for any
one. They never have been satlsfac-
tory 10 anyone in any day or age OF
the world, and they never will be under
either BellanyisIn or Georgian. or any
other ism. Perfection IN human AFFAIRS
are unaItainabls. Now. why are the
farmers so Disconnected, Perhaps 1t is
because they are not doing 80 well,
comparatively, as some other classes.
IL this IS really 80 they are no, To blame
for being dissatisfied. for every man,
or class Of men, should DO equally fay-
ored, and. II circumstances are such
that any one class IS too hardly borne
upon. then some means OF tightening
the burden should be found. Farmers.
however, certainly cannot complain
because they are so much worse OIL
than they used to be in some far oil
golden age" of this country. The
Minneapolis Tribune has been at the
pains TO make comparative showing
ON this point, which is decidedly inter-
esting. Ii says:
The farmer Of the day makes two
special complaints: High prices for
what he buys. and low prices for what
he sells. How was 1t with our former
fathers
Take the staple dry goods article.
calico. in 1870 il cost SO cents . yard;
in 1880, 20 cents; in 1860, IL cents; in
1891. 5 cents.
Take the staple grocery article, su-
gar. In 1870 1t cost Isl cents for cheap
brown grades; in 1880, Is cents; in 1860,
10 cents; in 1891, 81 cents for granu-
lated.
''For what the farmer sells, take the
staple dairy product, butter. The prices
IN Massachusetts, are as follows: In 1890,
IL cents; IN 1880. Is cents; IN 1860, IS
cents; in 1891, 30 and IS cents.
''The staple meat product, dressed
beef, in Massachusetts, sold in 1870, at
only 81 cents; in 1880. u cents; in 1860,
i cents; in 1891, l2 TO Is.
''0ur former fathers of revolutionary
days whistled among the stones and
pumpkin vines of sterile New England,
attired in cotton jeans and shirtings
that cost so cents yard, slept on tick
ing at 90 cents, and. if rich enough,
wiped the perspiration from their brows
with handkercniefs that cost 10 cents.
Their wives, II unusually stylish, pa
raded in muslin at 10 cents, gingham
at 50. and cambria at 81. Pins were Is
cents q paper; for matches everybody
borrowed FIRE; and for farm implements
and machinery the hoe and scythe were
as all important as today's sulky pillow
and scif-blnder.
Those were the good old days with
no debts, no machinery, nor mortgages,
and few products, profits. PETERS, or
Peoples parties. Yet what the farmer
sold brought not much more than one
halt what II brings today, and what the
farmer bought cost more than double
what Il costs today"
Doesn't this showing prove that far
mers have prospered together with all
other classesl II the prices they pay
and receive were now the same as they
were in the earlier DAYS of the Repub-
lie, while every other interest had adj
vanced and quadrupled IN value, :hen
indeed II would seem as IL the farmers
bad got left in the race for prosperity
and should have especial laid in catch
ing up. II they have not prospered
equally with the rest, then what inter
ests have surpassed them, when all
sttendent circumstances are consid-
ered' When the entire industrial field
Is scanned, 10 one interest seems 10
stand out IA bold relief from all the
others To the unpreiudiced observer
il appears "a II the whole country had
prospered together and that all had
shared hard times together, whenever
they have prevailed.