The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1892-01-07
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
A Review Of that Document
by L. L. Shearer.
Facts, are StuDbl-n things


people for study upon its various
merits, and is open for criticism by
any citizen or citizens, we feel dis
posed to give expression to our views
on some of the features therein con-
tained, hoping the president will
pardon us for the presumption. How
ever, we choose to let facts speak for
us, since they can do better service.
" Facts, gentlemen, are stubborn
things. "
While we must admire the presi-
dents diplomatic spirit, we cannot
chord with his excellence in the posi-
ton taken relative to agriculture, silver
and the Nicarauga canal scheme. We
are deeply impressed with the majes
tic manner in which the present agi-
tation among the farmers is ignored.
The only attention agriculture receives
is a remark that the purchasing power
of the products of one acre were rare
| ly, if ever, greater than now. Let
us examine this by the official U. s.
reports on agriculture which must be
as close an approximation as can be
obtained. We will take the period
from 67 to '87 for instance. In '67,
l, 329, 729, 400 bushels of grain of
all kinds were raised. There were
65, 636, 444 acres cultivated, and the
crop value 81, ,2S4, 037, 300. In '87
there were 2,660, 457, 600 bushels,
141, S21, 315 acres cultivated, and
crop valued at 81, 204, 2S9, $40. Here
we find that while there is an increase
of 76, 1874, 81 acres and 1880, 727,-
600 bushels, we lack $40, 747, $50 of
receiving as much for the crop in 81
as we did in '67. The acreage in the
time 5,274, PA mere than doubled,
and the number of bushels 4S9, 100
mere than doubled
In all this twenty years prices
fluctuated some but kept the down
grade. In '67 TIE average bushel
price was 964 cents, while the aver
age bushel price in 80 was a fraction
less than Al cents. But some persons
will ask, have not all mercantile COM
modities declined more in prices in
proportion? TO this we are prepared
to answer no, not east of the Missis-
sippi, except on sugar and rubber
goods Within two years after the
war prices had assumed a normal ba-
sis. Tariff rates have not been lower
prior to the Mckinley law, and we
know that tariff rates govern prices.
The reduction of retail prices in this
inter mountain country is no criterion.
Let us look again. We learn from
the commissioner of agriculturs re-
port that values of farm products
: have fallen 80 per cent. since the
: war, or 1865, and that farm values
have deprecated from 25 to 30 pei
cent.
There are about 5000, 600 farms
4
and 3, 333, 600 farm mortgages. In
, Iowa alone the mortgage Indebtedness
averages over $104 per capita. The
entire crop of 1890 would not have
paid the debt. At the close of 1896
the full farm mortgage indebtedpes:
in the United States averaged abou
$4,000, 600, 600. 1t will be observed
that these figures of this ghastly ac
count extend only to the close Of 1890
the report of '91 not being before th'
public. OF course the president
message is for a period Of later date
but we know. Your writer will offe
no comment here except: read, hgur'
;, and reflect
The president gives his position a
against silver coinage. Can this b.
fact against an array of facts? Al
= historians state as matter of histor,
o that the denomination of silver in '73
: with the contraction of the currency
resulted in the worst panic and con
y sternation on the nations history
and before the Bland silver law wen
,e into effect, February 2S, 1878, ther
y had been over 80, 900 business fail
W ures, with loss to business men Q
over 5000, 900, 600. Over / 900, 90
d mortgages were recorded and paupel
re ism and beggary increased beyon
y calculation. The coinage of tw
millions per month began restorin
Z life to the business world. Yet wit