People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-02-03

but under mortgage TO their full credit value I
thus rendering them virtually tenants, and only
one-third own their acres tree from debt. By
comparison with the census OF 1880 there has
been an alarming increase in tenant farmers.
In Illinois for example, the growth was from "A
per cent in 1881 TO IS per cent in 1890: and in
Montana it was ten-fold In every state in the
union the per centage has increased in the last
decade and, more startling still, the absolute
as well as the relative number Of farms has de-
creased though the acreage has increased.
showing the concentration Of farms into fewer
hands, and the remorseless reduction OF the
real ullers to the condition Of seris. The in.
Vestlgatlon demonstrates the truth OF the asser-
ton that 1.-The rich are growing richer and the
poor poorer" and that the American working.
man is becoming the American slave. and the
American farmer the American peasant
Passing by the causes OF this revolutionary
tendency, 1t is Of the utmost Importance that
this inquiry should be repeated every ten
years, so tnat by COMPARISON we may discover
IN winch direction we are moving The inter.
rupted duration Of the census bureau has hith.
erto made permanent legislation on this sub
lect impossible as the bureau has existed for
only about six years Of each decade every CEN
sus requiring new legislation and reorganiza.
ton with new men But there is now before
congress proposition to make the bureau per.
manent by continuing six or seven heads of de.
partments and the necessary staff of clerks in
place during the four intervening years and EN-.
ploying them on collateral statistic work.
forming an experienced nucleus around
which TO reorganize the bureau
at the beginning Of each decade
II is not the creation Of new bureau. but. the
permanent continuance Of an old and constitu.
tlonal one There is no doubt that II will re.
suit in better statistical work at less cost than
By the present wasteful and unskilled method
But the general law effecting this reform con.
tains no provision for repetition of the home
and farm inquiry" BY incorporating such a
provision now, the inquiry will be permanently
established without any further legislation and
II sufficient public demand were made, such
clause would be inserted in the bill
With view TO evoking such demand. the
| western Economic association OF St Louis.
issues this second appeal to the people Of the
United States. The practical step is for any
! organized body to adopt resolutions Of the fol.
| lowing tenor:
Whereas There is now before congress a
proposition to place the census bureau on a per.
manent basis; and.
Whereas, We believe it to be properly the
business Of such bureau to show the distribu.
ton as well as the production OF wealth there.
fore be 1t by insert here the name Of the or.
ganization adopting the resolutions and the 10.
calityl
Resolved, That we favor the permanent es.
Enlistment OF the census bureau, and we re
quest that it shall be made part of its perma.
nent duties TO collect data at each decennial
period to show what percentage OF the PEG.
pie q the United States occupy their own
homes and their own farms. and what percent.
| age are tenants; and Of those occupying their
own homes and farms, what percentage have
their property free from debt and what is the
value thereof and Of the homes and farms un.
der mortgage, what is the value thereof and
what percentage Of the value is so mortgaged
Resolved, That the secretary of this meeting
be requested to transmit copy Of these reso-
buttons to the congressman from this district
and to the two senators from this state
The appeal is not political but purely eco.
nomic, and is made to you personally the reader.
The next time you are in a meeting OF the
knights of Labor, trades and labor union, Farm.
ers' Alliance, the grange, political meeting re-
ligious body or what not introduce resolutions
of the foregoing character and have them
adopted. Also write your congressman per-
sonal letter on the subject
As the bill will shortly come before congress,
prompt action is necessary
B. A. KELLER,
Secretary Western Economic Association.