The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-09-27

der no circrm O., be Stampeded or
panic-stricken in G rrying on the oper-
atoms on his fam. He needs particu-
larly level head at this season of the
year when, we regret to say, the conf
munity in general are losing their
heads on the question of finances. We
mention several ways in which farmers
may do an unwise thing, and we fear
many of them are doing it.
1. Many farmers are doing them
selves very great injury by losing con-
fdence in the financial system OF the
country, and especially in the sound
ness of the banks in their neighbour
hood and therefore. Withdrawing their
deposits, and thus taking them
out of the general circulation.
1t is within the power of the farmers
of the United States at any time to
bring on a panic which will affect the
entire country, and other countries as
we'll, by simply taking their deposits
out of the banks and keeping them at
home. This involves such violent
contraction of currency that it is felt
in every avenue of business Farm
ers generally believe that in so doing
they are making sure of what they
have, acting with supreme conserva-
tism, and as thew term it. ''making
themselves safe" There is nothing
they could do th"t would make them
more unsafe, for the reason that any
thing disturbing public confidence nee
essarily stops business throws labor
out of employment. increases crime,
stops production in other lines and
robs him of his own market. If the
labOring men can not get employment
they can not buy farm products. and
as matter Of course prices of farm
products must FIJI and the reaction
comes upon the "armer in full force.
The result Of iG is Il @tOppage of fac
tories, and throwing Dor out of en-
ployment necessarily means exceeding
ly low prices for farm products. Fac
tories must stop when there is a vio-
lent contraction Of the currency, and
the farming operations bein" the great
interest Of the west. any sudden with
drawal Of money from banks destroys
confidence. 1t takes years to build up
a confidence that can be destroyed in
months.
2. We think that farmers are MAX
ing a mistake in holding their farm
products in hope Of higher prices. We
believe that on their merits every
thing produced on the farm this year
should bring a good price, provided
consumption Cf farm products go on.
If this stops from ?nv reason prices
must necessarily fall t. the limit of
their cOnsUmDtiO AMI no power can
advance them eXce'}t for a brief period.
Speculation may depreSs them for a
brief period below it, bnt after all the
permanent range o. nrceS is deter
mined by the consumption of products.
Anything. therefore. That stops con-
sumption denresses prices and inflicts
no end of suffering. We think it spe-
cially unwise to hold crops for specula-
ton at the close of the season when a
bOuntiful harvest of almost everything,
with the exception of wheat, is in pros
pcct. Of course accident may happen
any crop as yet. The exact measure of
the crops of the season has not been de-
termined as yet, and some Of them will
not be for sixty days. but the present
condition indicates that there will be
no scarcity of anyth ng grown on the
farm. We should therefore expect,
under ordinary circumstances, good
prices, but not excessive, for the reason
that there is no very great surplus of
any one crop. If, however, from any
reason cODSumDtiOn decreases the nrico