Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-15
AoMe ANo FARM MoareAegs
An Effort 10 Have tho Census Bureau Undertake
Periodically an Inquiry Concerning Them.

st. Louis, Jan II, 1893.
Editor Gazettec
Three years ago the Western Eoou0-
mic ASSOCIATION Of st. Louis appealed 10
the voters Of the United States 10 petit
ton congress TO have the eleventh ceu-
sus show the mortgage Indebtedness aud
tenure Of firms and homes, the argu-
ment being that such an inquiry would
tend TO give the ratio of the distribution
Of wealth The Investigation Is nearly
finished, and II viii have the percentage
of owned aud rented homes and tnrms
In every city and county In the United
States Enough data has already been
published To predict most startling
showing. Briefly stated, three-iourths
of the city populations live in rented
houses, and in some cities nnd states II
runs as high as 10 per cent. OF the re-
manning fourth, onc-half own their
homes but under mortgage to their full
credit value, that Is they are virtually
tenants. This means that under the in
dustrinl feudnlism now developing,
seyen-eghths of our city population are
liable To be turned out of work at the
end of the week, and with their families
Into the streets at the end of the month.
The condition of the ugriculmdsts is
but little better One-third of the farm
crs of the entire country are tenants;
one-thrd own their farms, but under
mortgage 10 their full credit value thus
rendering them virtually tenants. and
only One-third own their acres, free from
debt. BY comparison with the census of
there has been an alarming in
crease In tenant farmers. In Illinois,
FOR example, the growth was from -
per cent In 1850 TO 30 per cent. In 1890
and in Montana Il was ten-fold. In
every state in the Union the percentage
has increased in the last decade, and
more startling still, In nearly every state
the absolute as well Us the relative NUM-
Der of farms has decreased. though the
acreage has increased. showing the con-
centr0uon Of farms into fewer hands
the remorseless reduction of the real
tilers 20 the condition or serfs. The in
pstigatiOn demonstrates the truth of
the assertions that 'the rich are growing
richer aud the poor poorer" and that the
American wOrkingnian Is becoming the
American slave, and the American farm
er the American peasapt
Passing by the causes Of this reyolu-
tionary tendency, Il Is Of the utmost inn
pOrtance that this inquiry should be re-
Deated every ten years, SO that by COM
pnrhon we may discover In which di-
raction we are moving The inter-
rupted duration Of the census bureau
has hitherto made permanent legisla-
ton on this subject impossible, as the
bureau has existed for only about six
years of each decade every census re-
1nirinr now legislation and Il reorgani-
zatiOn with new men But there Is now
before congress a proposition 10 make
the bureau permanent 10y continuing SIX
or seven beads of departments and the
necessary stan Of clerks In place during
the four intervening years and employ
ing them on collateral statistical work,
forming an experienced nucleus around
which 10 reorgnnize the bureau nc the
beginning OF each decade. IL Is not the
creation of a new bureau, but t.l perma-
nent continuance Of an old and con
stitutional one. There is no doubt that
IL viii result In better statistical work
at less cost than by the present waste
full and unsllilled method. But the
general law eflecting this reform con-
tains no provision for n repetition OF the
'home and farm Inquiry by incor-
pOrAtng such provision now, the IN.
aury will be permanently established
without any further Leg Station ana II
a sufficient public demand We're made,
such clause would be inserted In the
With a view to evoking such @ de-
mand. the Western Economic association
of 81 Louis issues this second appeal TO
the people of the United States, Inc
practical step Is for any organized body
TO adopt resolutions Of the FOLLOWING
tenor
Whereas, There is now before con-
gress a proposition 10 place the census
bureau on a permanelt basis; and
Whereas We believe Il to be proper
" Inc business Of such bureau TO show
the distribution as well 81 the produc-
ton OF wealth; therefore, be II by unsert
here The name of the organization adopt
ing the resolutions and the lOcalityl
Resolved. That we favor the perma-
nent establishment Of the census bureau
and we request that IL shall be made
part of It's permanent duties 20 collect
data at each dccennial period 70 show
what percentage Of the people OF me
United States occupy their own homes
and their own farms, and what percent
aye are tenants and Of those occupying
their own homes and farms, what per
centagc have their property free from
debt and what IL the value thereol'
aud OF the homes and farms under mort,
gage, what y the value thereof hnu
what percentage Of the value y SO lnorF
gagged ; "a.