The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-12-08

Inc new IAuS liiIu totutNSs
i've of par Y, in each Congress contend
against an increase in our currency.
Without undertaking to discuss the
idea of action upon rincipie, it might
be we'll to consider the possible mer-
cenarv motives that underlie this con-
tention. The financial interests of
New England and the East lie in the
investments of is money. Whatever
increases lis income from that source
is advocated, and whatever decreases
this income is opposed. There Is but
little doubt upon this point, rs ]udg ged
from the past history of that section.
The free coinage bill was opposed on
the ground that it made money ciea:er
and therefore raise the rice of all the
products of labor. which in turn would
enable the debtor to pay his debts with
less hard work, this proposition IN
England declared to be nothing less
than partial repn'iation. The pen
sioners were informed that they would
be able to buy less with their pension
money, the derar ment clerks were
warned that their salaries would pur-
chase less OF the products of labor, and
the hired girls and widows OF New
England were told that they could
draw less tribute for their alleged saw
ings by the passage Of the silver bill,
and the consequent cheapenlnS OF
money, and the increased price of pro-
ducts. From this view of the matter
the efforts of New England against
free silver is robbed of garb OF hyp-
ocritical cant about an honest dollar.
the honor of the nation and many
other similar positions, and sinks 10
the lowest level of pure mercenary self
interest. New England. by this ac-
ton acknowledges that an increase IN
the volume of currency would Increase
the price of produc $. and thereby en-
able the farmer 10 more easily pay his
debts. but oppose this increase because
they, the New England people, own
the debts. In order to more clearly
show the baneful effects Of New Eng
lands financial rule. consideration OF
the debts of Iowa and Alabama Will
give a clear example. il being conceded
at the outset that New England and
the East either owns or controls nearly
oil Ike debts of the nation. The ill.,
debtedncss of these two states as rep
resented in the present census is:
Iowa........ 80 ............-......Fi 8 .!3i.956
1t is fair to assume that at least one
half of the Indebtedness will date back
to 1850. Taking tis for granted, as
the basis of calculation. the following
propositions are made. In 1880 the in
dehtedness would stand:
Iowa .-.....-..-......-..... --...... So rs
Iowa is the best all round producing
state in the North, as shown by the
| census.
In 1880 the average value per acre of
! the three great cereals was:
90 II =,
Oats Observation-Disclosures. ...-..... a-oS
In 1889 the value per acre was:
VIII -....-..-.--..--.-..'..-. 80
These figures are taken from the re-
ports OF Che Department OF Agricnltre.
BY taking the value per acre as basis.
a fairness is assumed to which all will
doubtless consent.
In 1880 the mortgage Indebtedness
of Iowa could have been paid with the
proceeds of ?,l2l ,675 acres Of corn,
7.947, ,157 acres of wheat. or 10, 73::', 500
| acres of oa's In 1889 it would have
required 13.O44,37i acres of corn. H.
0o2. 12t acres of wheat, or 15,S97, $40
| acres of oats.
From these figures it is plain tha. it
required the product of either 1922,
$50 acres of corn, 3, ,l34. .367 acres OF
wheat, or ), 173. .656 acres OF oats more
| to pay the $50, ,5l7,t ,t7S of indebtedness
| in 1889 than it did in 1890. Think Of
it, 3,134, 967 acres of land must be
plowed. sown, reapcd, thrashed. and
| the product marketed in order TO meet
the increased tribute demanded by the
depreciation in3 he value of gold. 1t
would take the average wheat crop of
| 60, 900 farms to make up the differ
ence.
The one great crop OF Alabama is
cotton. The average price of cotton
| to the planter in 1880 was II cents per
pound. while in 1889 it was 81 cents.
| These prices show that in 1880 the
debt of Alabama could have been paid
with la .G72, Gas pounds of cotton hut
In 1881 ii would have taken 229, go,
363 pounds, or an increase of 1908
7lS pounds, or 122,00S bales of $50
pounds each.
The above calculations disclose very
clearly that it is New England greed
| and avarice. instead of sense of JUS
| tice or q regard for national honor,
that prompts them to such untiring cf-
forts to keep down the volume Of
money That their motives are purely
mercenary and lack single element
| of Justice OR fairness to the balance Of
the people. They own the dcbs and
are determined to woing as much trib-
ute as possible from other sections of
the country for its use and ultimate
| lation. all things else being the same,
the lower will he the price of labor and
it's products. and the greater will he
the power Of money TO oppress. Ma
tional Waterman.
Clearing til, Decks.
Earnest reformers have long agreed
that success is impossible until one OF
the twin agents of plutccracy has been
driven from existence. That now
full if the Republicans will again
nominate Il national ticket. The Gov
ment in all it's branches will, without
doubt, rass into the hands of the Dem
ocra:ic party on the 4th of next March,
and the Republican party Will Dissolve,
as did the Wing party in 1853, its com
onent paris going to swell other roliti-
cal organizations.
The Democracy will enter into pos
session Of the political estate with q
zeal and enthusiasm rarely witnessed.
FreDzied with success almost unex-
pectetl, the height of Democratic am.
bition will be realized, and there is nc
probability that Democratic energies
: will be devoted to any work of real re.
form. A change of tariff schedules
by which no material reduction will
follow in the gross taxes on the people
!. will certainly be effected. Beyond
this, it is questionable if any effort be