The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-05-16
ONE VIEW OF LOW PRICES.
Farmers Not On the Road to Ruin
Keep Out of Debt.
Cwashington Post.)

The general opinion throughout the
country an opinion grounded In sound
reasoning, is that the welfare of the ag-
ricultural interests is the foundation OF
the prosperity of all other industries. In
other words, 1t is generally believed that
manufacturing and commercial pros
perity can hardly exist when the inter-
tsts of agriculture are unduly de-
pressed.
Now, in all references that are made
to the present unsatisfactory condition
of business affairs, 1t is common to find
it taken for granted that the trouble
begins with the farmer 1t is said that
the returns which he receives for the
products of the soil are less than they
ever were before, and that his conse-
quent inability to purchase the products
of the factory or the supplies Of the
store has the effect Of crlppling mer-
camille enterprise and paralyzing indus
try at all its centres The natural in
ference from all this Is that while the
manufacturers and merchants of the
country must be in a bad way, the con-
dition Of the farmers themselves must
be much worse.
In spite of these general opinions,
there are some farmers who refuse TO
believe that they are on the road to
ruin because they do not get the prices
for their products which prevailed years
ago. These believe that a new era Of
civilization has arrived, bringing with
1t, through the immensely increased fa-
cilities for production in these later
days, the means of life, health and en-
joyment to the million. Their theory is
that the era Of low prices has come to
stay, and that 1t is in the interest OF the
people, and they assume that. when the
artificial clogs that now retard the
wheels Of industry have been removed.
the even flow of production, answering
to a demand constantly increasing un-
equitable to all interests, but Will ultl-
mately exert beneficial influence on
all branches of trade and all classes Of
society.
A very significant letter, written by
Mr. Lambert, farmer Of Rush City,
Mimi, has recently been published, in
which he argues that IL Is not the
money which the farmer receives for
his wheat that should be considered 80
much as what that wheat will buy. and
he proceeds to give facts and figures.
Thus when wheat was worth 81 a BUSH
el, he could buy eight pounds OF sugar
with that bushel. Now, with the same
quantity, he can buy 12.
Twenty years ago It took six bushels
Of wheat to purchase a hundred-weight
Of nails. 1t can now be obtained for
four A moving machine few years
ago took 120 bushels Of wheat TO pay
for 1t. seyenty-nve will suffice at pres
ent prices. In short, Mr.. Lambert in
slsts that the wheat grower OF today
who gets sixty cents bushel for his
crop has a chance TO be better off than
his predecessor Of the dollar wheat"
period.
The special class Of persons whom the
era Of low prices is bound to affect dis
advantageously comprises those who
were unfortunate enough to contract.
during the times Of high prices. debts
which are yet unsettled. Very natural
ly the shf1nkage OF values seems 10
them to portend disaster. and disaster
only, ami beyond question much Of the
unrest and dissatisfaction which pre-
walls in some sections Of the country is
largely attributable 10 the gloomy fore
bodings likely to be engendered by such
vlawa A