Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-09-17

it sold for s16, ,72s ,OOO-a dead loss OF
81, All 900. The corn crop cost
$12, ,13O, 900, and sold for 81 800, ,OOO-a
lossof $5,O14,OOO. The oat crop cost
$40, 10000 to raise, and sold for
81, 1896, ,OOO-a loss of $2,74O,O 900, or a
total loss on the three crops of
SO, ,226, 900 in one year.
Is it any wonder that last year the
Michiganders elected legislature two
thirds democratic and governor. Of
the same politics? But this is only a
beginning, if these radical evils are to
be continued.
Not one, or a dozen changes like
these are enough to undo the evils and
iniquities ingrained and ground into
the legislation Of the nation, produced
by generation of misdeeds, and re-
quiring long years of bitter, prolonged
controversy to undo. Such is now the
solemn duty before us.
The Labor Commissioner of the state
of Iowa has investigated the question,
and in advance sheets of his report to
the next legislature gives the following
facts:
The actual cost of raising bushel
of corn is 80 cents, and in the last ten
years money has been lost by the raiser
in all but two. The loss on that one
crop in ten years was $63 3,317, ,769. In
1881 and 1882, profit was made of
$26, ,416 ,403. The total losses by farm
ers in Iowa in ten years was
$141 1896, ,377-or more than fourteen
millions of dollars a year, by about one
million farmers. This is not much to
lose, but it is enough.
Here it is pleasant to note that the
benevolent republican legislatures of
Iowa have thoughtfully provided three
insane asylums and two penitentiaries,
and all well filed, tOo-as well as
poor farm in every county, to which
the stiff backed, horny handed farmer
may be consigned by force, when he
becomes worn out, or distracted by his
constant, unrewarded labors, worthless
to him, but worth countless millions to
eastern manufacturing nabobs for
whom he is a serf and slave
While the farmers of all the states
were thus suffering, republican con-
gress was stealing one thousand mil.
lions of the peoples money-more than
the value of all the wheat and corn
grown in the Union for that year!
Of course these figures have struck
CONSERVATION to the party of high
taxes, who can only answer with abuse.
They say, that it true, such facts ought
to be kept secret. Why employ and
pay an honest Official to find out the
truth, if it is to be concealed, and no
remedy for these wrongs attempted?
Do not these facts prove, beyond dis
pute, that the farmers of the country,
under the present condition of things,
have labored almost in vain for nearly
a generation, and still labor on, hope
less, except for the accident of a de-
mand like the present one, due entirely
to short crop in Europe?
Having tried the war tax plan for
fully thirty years, why not try change,
and insist on no war taxes at all, in a
time of profound peace, and see how it
will go? AS no farm produce can be
sold, except at free trade prices, fixed
altogether by foreigners, why not buy,
too, in the same way? There is at least
no steal in it for any one, and if Jay
Gould, Blaine, Carnegie. and the rest
of the nabob millionaires do not like It,,
let them lump it.
But fellow citizens, if you ever expect
to reap the honest reward of your
severe toll, such as is justly your due,
this organization Of conspirators must
be voted down and wiped out, to all
future time.
Privilege and airstocracy entrenched
in the boundless wealth amassed during
thirty years of fraud, struggle with
desperation, and die, if they are ever
destroyed, with equal desperation.
Tireless, sleepless and unceasing are
the schemes by which the rich and cum
ming few, manage, by intrigue and
sophistry, to prey upon the unsuspect-
ing many, who absorbed in daily toll,
are unable properly to solve these plain,
but purposely made intricate problems
of life, and properly protect themselves
as they ought to do.
You hope, fellow citizens. for paying
paying prices for the abund-
ant crops produced this year by your
severe toll. Are you indebted for this,
even in the very slightest degree, to the
corrupt organization, OF any of its
stumpers-with which you have SO long
voted and cohabited? On the contrary,
are not the ''paupers of Europe, $50 long
abused by your political orators, your
present only hope from bankruptcy and
ruin? Even to obtain this. you must
sell at ''free trade" prices, less the cost
of freight, etc. The system" you have
upheld by your votes for life time,
is really one of piracy and robbery.