Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-02-12
The Decline in Agricultural Interests.

Mr. EdR0r :-"Why does not farming pay
better ?" is question asked and answered
so often that it would seem like egotism 70
offer an opinion on the subject at this late
day. An able writer in one of our leading
newspapers has expressed the opinion that
dizziness in farming is caused by the scarcity
of money in circulation. If he had said that
the scarcity of money Is on account OF the
dizziness in farming he would have been
nearer the mark.
1t seems to be the opinion of maryland
such, too of whom sounder ideas might be
expected-that if the vaults of the treasury
were thrown open the products OF the farm
would command better prices. As the price
of any commodity is regulated by the de.
mand and supply, the amount of money 10
circulation has but little to do with the price
OF grain. Indeed, a surplus of the circulat'
Ing medium might be the means of reducing
the price of farm products by furnishing the
means for their greater production.
While the lavish expenditure of the pub
lie money might, in an indirect way in rare
cases, benefit the tiler Of the soil, the proba-
bility is that he would be unfavorably af-
lacted thereby, Us it might be necessary for
the Government to lay heavier duty upon
such articles as he is obliged to have In
order to replenish an exhausted treasury.
While this increased burden Of taxation
would fall more heavily upon the farmer
than the merchant and the mechanic, as he,
by great odds, would be the largest con-
sumner, the increased expenditure OF the
public funds might benefit the first two in
giving higher prices and larger sales TO the
merchant and more and better paid labor to
the mechanic. If the surplus in the treasury,
if there be any, should be suddenly turned
out in erecting public buildings and other
wise, it would be found that by far the
greater portion of it would pass int the
hands OF the contractor, the banker. and
other favorites of the Government, while
the farmer, situated so far from the smitten
rock, would see the financial stream drained
TO the dregs before it reached him.
The chief cause OF depression in farming
is, undoubtedly, overproduction. Although
the increase in population in our country Is
greatly affected by immigration, still II will
be found that, in the last thirty years, the
population has about doubled, while at the
same time the production of wheat and corn
has quadrupled, showing conclusivoly that
the Increase of population in the United
States has not kept pace with the production
of grain; while in other countries, such as
Australia, Russia and India, the disparity
on account of the introduction of improved
agricultural implements is much greater.
Another cause of "hard times" among
farmers is the reckless expenditure Of money
which the dread of being in debt has no
power to check, while the profits OF the
farm have generally decreased, the expenses
thereof have in most cases increased vastly.
The tone Of government may be impaired
to its people, and we have taken measure Of
the luxuriousness of our government upon
ourselves. The democratical plainess Of our
government is thing Of the past; as a gov
eminent, we ape after the spleRdOr of the
monarches of Europe; our executive is fast
assuming the formal poEp of a court; our
people are falling under the contagion more
generally than the dreaded grip, and II is TO
be feared that even the economical notions
of the farmer are affected by it, Now,
while liberalty is blessed principle when
kept within bounds, extravaganza in both
to financial ruin.
With our advanced notions of Comforts"
il is impossible for the farmer TO compete
with the foreign element in our country in
the production Of farm products Our farm
ers should not be forced to compete with the
paupers and criminals of Europe. The law
excludes the serf of Asia from our far west
ern shores, but admits class from Europe
far more dangerous than even the "heathen
Chinee," for he asks not the favors of citi-
zenship, but is content TO hoard up his little
fortune and return to the "howery kingdom"
of his fathers, there TO rest in peace, while
the anarchist from Europe is here 10 stay,
TO disseminate his leprous principles upon
the government Of our blessed land. Let
the fioodgates of legislation, which at pres
ent allow this food Of worse than heather
barbarism to pour out upon our land, be
closed forever, and every true American
citizen, whether he be free born or natural
lied, will rejoice.
But farming, when pursued for the love
of the farm and the blessings 1t 80 richly
Yields, and when backed by the same men.
tai and nerve force Of other avocations, does
pay, and that bountifully. Besides, he who
iabors 10 reclaim the exhausted fields of our
own beautiful Montgomery is not laboring
Ia vain; he is building up a patrimony for
his posterity which will prove their richest
legacy in the distant future; he is erecting
a monument for himself that will stand un-
shaken In the grateful memory Of his coun-
trymen long after the false marble Is over
thrown.
Comus Feb A. 1892 Y,