Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-07-30
SOME WESTERN SENSE.
Al KANSANsS ABLE ANALYSIS
or THE SITUATION.

q Z
Hhe Causes OF Agricultural Depression
--The Remedy Not to lie Found In the
Wor. d's Markets. but I'm the Improving
Home Market.
Judge Jones, of Hutchinson, Kan,
wha visited Boston early In May and was
interviewed by the Journal, shed o flood
of light ON tho causes OF discomfort
among the farmers, and made very
conclusive answer to the quackery of
Jerry Simpson and Roger @. Mills The
farmers of the whole country, said he,
have suffered In recent years, but the
farmers OF other countries have suffered
far more. The cause of this was aptly
expressed by Gen. Butler In his recent
address There has been an overprodnc-
tion In the leading farm products. The
low prices consequent have brought dis
tress to our farmers. But what is the
remedy?
Tho great cure-all SO earnestly
taught, afree trade with all the ma
tions of the world would certainly
fail to bring relief He continued as
follows:
The Hon. Roger @. Mills says in the May
Forum: If no Instructions, either ma ural
or artificial, should exist (between nations),
prosperity would touch it's highest possible
point, etc The farmers of the great West
do not believe this doctrine. They readily
cite an array OF facts that dispels such
Illusion. Our farmers suffer from low
prices. But they complain of prices as to
two classes of their products, that class
sold at home in competition with imported
products of like kind, and that class of
which they produce surplus which can be
cold In the worlds market.
There Is practically no demand in the
worlds market for any farm product ex-
lcept for wheat, corn, cotton and meat
The nation that supplies the worlds de-
mand for these at the lowest price will
take the market
The cause of the suffering among our far
mers to-day Is low prices. Does any one
believe that he will listen to that which
leads to lower prices still? Al few facts will
help us to understand matters better. In
1896 there were but $4,000, 900 acres OF wheat
i'm this country. Then the policy OF OPEN
ing up the great West was inaugurated.
This policy gridironed thatv region with
railroads and peopled it with sturdy plow-
men. Farms were obtained virtually with
out cost. All this, coupled with the unsur-
passed fertility of the soil, found us with
B8.O00,O00 acres of wheat in 1880, with a
product Of 40 t,000, 900 bushels Our home
demand is but little short OF six bushels per
capita, and with 50,000,000 people In 1880
we found surplus of 1916, 600, 600 bushels on
hand. We exported 1870. 100000 bushels, or
144, 100000 in grain, the balance In -four.
The average export price was S113 per
bushel for the year and $1.19 In 1881. Our
wheat acreage has remained virtually sta
tionary since 1880, and the annual product
has varied only with the seasons Our
home demand has increased as our popula-
tion has multiplied until 1t requires at least
$50, 600, 900 bushels to supply the home de-
mand i'm 1890. Yet the export price of
- al sA
but SO cents per bushel in 1889. In 1889 we
exported but 45,00O,O0O of wheat in grain.
Why Is this?
Not because the worlds demand has fallen
OH. The worlds demand has averaged
208, DOC, 900 bushels per annum for ten years,
the lowest, 188, 0O0, 900, in 1886, the highest,
231, 200. 900, in 1888, and varying as the
crops were good or bad In Europe
Then why the reduction In price of wheat,
and why our reduced eXports2
In 1880 Russia exported 36,000,000 BUSH
els, which increased to 126,000,000 In 1888,
and 107, 000, 900 in 1880. India from 13,000,-
900 bushels in 1880 to 31,000,000 in 1889. Ar
gentine from 5000, 900 In 1881 to 5000, 600 In
1883.
This explains the trorSles to our wheat
growers We are being undersold. 1t is
neither sentiment nor politics with the
buyer. 1t is pure business. Russia has the
advantage In location, wages agricultural
laborers receive "a cents per day., and
freights. 1t cost Ia cents to transport q
bushel of grain from Odessa to London In
January, 1889, 1873 cents in January, 1890,
and z cents in January, 1891. On Jan. 10
1891, the best grade of wheat at Odessa was
SO cents, to which add freight, cents, and
bushel could, ON Jan. 10, 1891, be laid
down in London for 95 cents, price less
than prevailed in New York on that day
These steadily declining prices have
frnnh1a fqrpaprG The
year 1890 found them ready to supply the
worlds wheat demand, when suddenly
they found Russia, India, and Argentine
becoming competitors. And the worst of il
Is, these countries have all passed us in the
rate of cheapness. In the struggle to sell
cheap wheat, the fertile fields of the West
have counted out the New England farmer
The great West can produce wheat at one
half what 1t costs to produce 1t here. But
even our farmers have reached a point be-
low which they cannot go.
Is it any wonder they are looking for a
way out then!
The above figures prove to him that the
worlds market means still lower prices. Ii
it any wonder that he turns from 1t, almost
with fear and trembling? Our tariff laws
have not shut him out, fos the Russian tar
tff is higher than that of any nation.
But says the free trader, the farmer must
aexchangen for the manufactured products
of other lands. This will enable him tc
obtain his manufactures cheaper than he
can get them at home The farmer sees In
this only an fnducement for him to send his
bulky products at great expense OF freights
TO the markets where he can only sell or ex-
change after running the gauntlet OF for
eign competition. Thus every dollars
worth of goods SO obtained is at the ex-
pense Of home labor.
1t is useless to attempt to lead the Amer
ican farmer into this trap unless it can be
clearly shown that the world wants hi:
products at higher prices.
A home market will do this. The value
of such a market Is clearly shown to oul
farmers by the present prices, caused by
the short wheat and corn crops of last year
This has been o great educator. The Nc
Kinley bill points the only way out to the
farmer This bill will not multiply food pro
ducers, but 1t will multiply food consumers
Tt will bring these consumers nearer to the
farm, This is the farmers hope. 1t viii
relieve him from the burdens OF freigh
charges, which consume his substance.
And it will not require 36,000,000 of con
sumers to do this, as figured by Mr.. Mills II
the Forum article referred TO. The employ
ment of 100000 new laborers alone woult
take the surplus farm products, except cot
ton. So many laborers means an increased
population of at least 100000 Thi
would speedily settle the farmer question
and il would relieve our laborers To-day
We dE0 1MpOrbIuB VI UHO pIOOuCtS vi low
priced foreign labor at least $500, 000, 90
which could be produced at home. IL thes
laborers were on our own shores 1t would b.
possible for American influences to contro
their wages, but as It is, they are beyon,
our reach. and our toilers suffer. Tn
farmer Is protectionist. He always viii
be. His prospects are brighten to-day thai
they have been since 1880. In a short tim
there will be no surplus farm products ex
cept cotton. His prices will then be salts
factory. home market is one of the Ger
families OF the near future The American