The sun., 1894-02-04

tsinsd, and the urban population was fully
and proHtably employed.
From 1870 to 1880 agricultural development
proceeded as never before. the farms added
during the ten years numbering 1 $40. 600 or
an Increase Of no less than 81 per cent. tho
ratio OF farms to families being as 40 is to 100;
and although the size OF tho farm diminished
the average number Of cultivated acres per
farm increased about 10 per cent. hence the
increase In productive power was tenth
greater than Indicated by the number OF farms
added. The families OF the nation increased
during the ten years from $4,000 to o.0IO.-
600. and OF 2.367. 900 families added no less
than 01 per cent. found habitations and work
upon the newly developed agricultural lands.
That is, OF a population increase OF Il 800. 600
some 1900. 600 people or 0G per cent. found
homes and employment in the rural districts.
while but 1000. 900. or "a rer cent. made new
homes in village. town. and city. In thirty
years 1850 to 18SO) tho proportion OF the
people employed upon the land and living
upon the farm had Increased from 30 to 40 per
cent In other words. the rural element OF the
population was ~ per cent greater in 1880
than in 1850, while the urban element was
relatively IL per cent. less. The result from
this disproportionato increase OF tho rural
and urban elements was such prosperity for
the urban population as tho world had never
WhhOosous anu 10 neNeE Hthln llhelJ u MlJncSB
upon scale OF similar magnitude as no.
where ese can bo found like aroa OF unoc-
cupied lands Of equal fertility.
During this decade the rural customers Of
the Industrial and distributing classes in
creased W per cont, while the lubricants and
distributors increased only - per cent
whereas twenty and thirty years earlier the
ratio OF rural to urban population had boon
about as 80 is TO "a. or very nearly the reverse
OF the division made OF the units added in tho
eighth decade What but great prosperity
could attend the business OF the purveyors
while the di5proportionutely increased num-
ber Of rural customers retained fair meas
ure OF purchasing power2 What but excess
sive agricultural production. declining prices
for farm staples. lessening purchasing power
on tho part OF the farmer. and ultimate dis
tress for tho whole agricultural class. could
follow from such a division OF added popula-
tion2 And what but Inevitable. II deferred.
distress for all classes could result from the
destruction OF a large part Of the purchasing
power OF the farmer2
Aside from and wholly Independent OF COM
mercial and fiscal policies and currency con-
ditons. the fact that the rural population in
creased 0U per cent between 1870 and $780, as
against an increase OF "a per cent. in the ur-
ban element, accounts completely for tho
great prosperity enjoyed by that part OF the
nation engaged in fabrication. construction
distribution and In professional. personal. and
public service. just as 1t accounts for that
plethoric condition Of the Cranaries OF the
world which has resulted in world wide agri-
cultural distress; and. by the destruction of a
great part OF the farmers purchasing power
as q result OF declining prices due to a too
rapid development In tho Mississippi and
Missouri valleys-has aided so potently in pro-
ducinU cnn arnia al md nd ri nj az
In nearly every country inhabited by peoples
OF European lineage.
Owing to the rapidly approaching exhaus
tion Of the arabic portion of tho public domain
the number OF farms increased but 556. 900 be-
tween 1880 and 1890. as against an increase OF
1.3I9. 900 in the preceding decade the ratio OF
increase In the two periods being as 81 Is to
IA. while the number OF families increased
from 9.940. 900 to l2.45o00O.
or tho 2.5O4.00o families added during the
ten years some 600 900 sought homes and en-
ployment upon the 55G. 900 new farms and at
the close OF the decade 4S5O.OOO families.
made up OF %. 900 600 individuals. constituted
tho rural population. the increase OF the ten
years having been 100000. or Il per cent
as agains. an increase of 1900 600 or 81 per
cent. between 1870 and 1880. In this decade
the urban population increased $500. 900. or
80 per cent, as against an increase OF 4.00O.-
600. or II per cent. In the eighth decade.
Whereas the rural customers OF lubricant
and distributor increased during tho eighth
decade ut q rate three times as great as the
rate at which increased those supplying them
with commodities and distributing farm
products. yet In tho ninth decade distributors
and lubricants increased at a rate two and
third times as great as that at which increased
tho rural population to be served.
Since 1890 the rate at which the rural popu-
lation has increased has been but one-sixth
that at which has increased the urban.
From 1890 to 1894 the number OF families
increased by l.190. 900. and It is estimated
that the number OF farms increased no mora
than 100. .OO0 hence but 100000 of tho added
families could find homes and employment
upon the land thus tho rural population in
creased but 2E per cent as against an Increase
OF II per cent. In the urban.
OF q population increase OF 800 900 be-
tween 1880 and 1884 some 14,3o0.0O0 or 10
per cent. were forced into city. town. and viii
lage and into wsge-destrOying competition
with the older urban population. while no
moro than $500 900. or barely 81 per cent
OF the fourteen years increase. found homes
and work upon the G65. 900 added farms. This
was reversing the population current with a
vengeance and the change is full OF portents
for wage Garner. fabricant. and distributor
dom from further competition the continued
and undisputed custom OF patrons that are
certain to increase In the measure OF not less
than % per cent. OF all additions made to the
population.
This sudden and astounding reversal OF the
population current. a current that set SO
strongly toward tho farm in the eighth and
until near the middle OF the ninth decade. was
due to the fact that the work of occupying the
arabic part OF the public domain had been
practically completed by 1888 and that II was
no longer possible for any considerable por-
ton OF the population to found new homes and
ind employment upon new farms.
When due consideration Is given to such mo-
mentous facts as that OF the JiOU. 900 indivd-
uals added TO the nation within the last four
years. no more than 57OOOO. or less than 10
per cent. were able TO resort to the land that
more than so per cent, were forced into de-
structiye competition with the older residents
OF the urban districts: that hereafter much
less than 10 Der cent. OF tho added people can
lind homes upon tho land; that in the eighth
decade, on the contrary, quite Di per cent OF
the added people touEd homes and work upon
thA farm wa can form ada0uata pOnpRtl-