The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-16
HARD TIMES ON THE FARM
The Causes Therefor vigorously
Discussed at the Kansas City
Convention.
High Tariff, Not Enough Money
and Limited Market
the Reasons.
Reciprocity II Good as Far as 1t Goes, but
Its Operations are Altogether
Insufficient.

Its Operations are Altogether
Insuficient.
KANSAS Cry, April ia full represen-
tation of the Western States Commercial
Congress was present this morning when
President Adams called the second days
session to order. The subject under dis
cussion was general business and aericul-
tural depression, its causes and remedy. +.
X. Sniff, of Denver, read paper on "Pop-
ulation and Raw Material" He said:
Population and raw material in one Sec
tion must have trading treaty with the
population and raw material Of some other
section of the country. Hence arose the
significance of commercial reciprocity be-
tween the states of the south and the terri
tories of the west. Production and the
accumulation of surplus we're the
controlling powers in commerce, So
long as man lived in isolated COM
munities. each laboring to supply
only its OVID necessities there could be no
commerce.. All that portion of the United
States lying west of the Mississippi river
is the great half of the continent, not only
in its area but in its resources of wealth
and its capabilities of maintaining popula-
tion. Within this area were contained
two-thirds of the natural resources of the
union. It is also capable of maintaininp q
population proportionate to its area. No
one would question the ability of the west
ern or southern states to support as large a
number of people to the square mile as now
live in Pennsylvania with 1l4.5 persons to
the square mile. All in all, the figures CON
ErvsNt tho kp1k 4, S,f khn %o{n ofA
that the United States with its area and re-
sources. is capable of maintaining SOC, O,OOO-
COO people,"
The guests of the congress were then in
invited to make addresses. Ex-Gov. Geo.
W. Click, of Kansas said the subject
was agricultural depression. The greatest
cause Of this depression is insufficient mar
kets. The remedy Was wider field for the
disposition of the farmers surplus. Blaines
reciprocity schemes and Rusk's efforts in
extending the markets for live stock were
partial remedies for the present depression,
Speaker Elder. of the Kansas house of
representatives, said those who had imper-
feet knowledge of the situation are acous-
toned to lay the blame upon the farmer,
but there were other conditions and they
were nearer the root of the evil. One was
the imperfect operation of the law of sup
ply and demand, which IN turn was caused
by mercenary cancellations of capital
by unscrupulous persons. Such combina-
tions were trusts, and they were the octo-
pus that has fastened in its grasp the
farmer, who while the most numerous of
all the industrial classes, was at the same
time the most helpless, and of all men the
most miserable. Trusts fanked by specu-
latlve boards of trade and bucket shops.
which forced false values upon the people,
are another cause of the depression.
There was also a too contracted market.
a YJO n pfnf mid AoIl
wanted reciprocity. Reciprocity WIS a
good thing. Another way of relieving the
situation was by increasing the volume of
money. Still another way was the combi-
nation of farmers against opposing combi-
nations. The farmers are now trying the
latter.
DR.. ParEons stated that he was directed
by the secretary of the department. of agri,
culture to represent that department at
this congress. He spoke of the causes Of
depression in agriculture. One was the loss
of foreign markets to farmers, because dis
way to regain that market was to eradicate |
disease. DIR. Parsons explained what the |
department. is doing in the way of quaran-
tine and inspection to stamp out diseases |
among live stock.
U. g.. HIATT, president of the Missouri
speaker. The greatest cause of the present
depression, he said, was partisan politics
The last national campaign Was fought on |
the line OF an economic question, Others
causes OF depression were high protective
tariff, the decreased volume of money, and
the raising OF freight and passenger rates
to pay dividends on watered stock The
remedies are low tariff, an increase in the
of currency and the regulation of
SO they could pay dividends only
on actual capital invested.
At tho afternoon session letters of regret
=
Boston, and Senator VIM. Stewart, of Ne
vada. Senator Stewart in his letter, said
be was in full sympathy with the western
states commercial congress and realized
The necessity for united action of the west
and south to resist the absorbing avarice of
gold oontractionists of the commercial CEN
ters Europe and the United Ssates, It
was admitted that enterprise must Ian
yulsh, business be curtailed and progress
and development stayed by adherence to
gold monometalism. But such was the pol
cy dictated to our government by money
'hangers. Silver has been demonstized
md there has been no material increase in
he volume of gold coin in the commercial
world. The output of gold has been alb
'orbed for non-monetary purposes. Popu-
alton, business and credit have expanded
while gold for ultimate re- ]
temption has remained stationary or de- /
,lined. An oligarchy of gold monometa-
'onds they hold every dollar of gold coined
II existence. He advocated that the peo- I
'le break the corner by the restoration of
liver to its proper place as money and thus
rec themselves from the hard conditions
imposed upon them. All financial laws en-
cted by congress for the last Twenty-Five
ears have been direct subsidies to money
'owers.
The roll of states was then called for the q
OF resolutions, which were re- +
erred to the committee on resolutions, and a
mong which were following, by Hon. w,
(. Bryan, of Nebraska: That part of the
evenus necessary for the support of the
atlonal government should be raised from 7
graded income tax; that all legal money =
tho United States should be made a full =
'Ral tender for all debts; that no advan- 4
age was to be gained by the people from |
no system of reciprocity as ut present pre- 4
ared, but is regarded us essential to the 4
'elfare OF commercial intercourse with a
hose nations which buy the products of +
ur farms; that coal, iron ore, wool, salt, n
lmber. binding twine and cotton ties Il
hould be placed upon the free list: that I
le tariff upon the neoessaries of life should Z
0 greatly reduced, and that breweries be S
lade to bear the heaviest burdens
Mexican g uatemaIan Claims
CRY OF MEXICO, April l5,-The Meyjoon. n