New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-17
a CHANGE" TOR FiRNERS.

Wheat at G2a- cents hushel AT New York *
not n price likely to impress Western farmers
with a sense OF the beauties Of "a change.
1t IS the lowest price ever known In the his
tory Of the country In almost every month
since the Democratic party took control or
the Government year ago. lower quotations
than were ever known before that transfer or
power have been made few days before
President Cleveland was elected. when most Of
his friends considered his election already Ger
tain 1885 cents was recorded. and prior TO that
7G cents in lSSi Il price paid only a day or two
I'm thc wear Of panic and Of President Clcye-
lands first election, was the lowest price known
since 1S25 Thus n single year Of Democratic
control in all branches of the Government mas
broupht Il price much below tn" former low
water mark Of the century.
The astonishingly low price during the last
wear. II must be remembered. has come III spite
Of a remarkable decrease in the yield. 1t Is not
the result of extraordinary crops. as the low
price was two years ago. when crop OF innch
over GOO. 900 600 bushels in 1881 had been fo
lowed by another now known 10 have been
about 10000 600 bushels in 1892 For II was
we'll known that spring that much Of the winter
wheat had been killed. So that the yield In lS''
could not be rs large as usual ana according
TO the official estimates published by President
Clcvcland's Secretary of Agriculture. the yieid
was only 39GOOo0O0 bushels lf correct. ms
estimate means that the farmers lost more IMAM
Il fifth Of their wheat, and the natural com
pcnsation for such disaster is a higher price
for the limited quantity produced. But win
every reason 10 expect better prices than two
great crops had brought them, the farmers have
been obliged TO face Il fall Of - cents per
bushel from the average price OF lS.2 ana 4'ia
cents from the average price or 1871.
Political changes, some will say have had
nothing 10 do with the price Of wheat. But In
that case why did the Democratic and Popust
deInagogucs clamor, month after month III all
the farming States Of the West for Il change OF
Administration rs the only means or rescung
the farmers from Republican oppression ana
injury! Either these dcmagogues were fasify
Ing. or they really believed that Republican
rule had been hurtful 10 the farmer. II they so
believed, what have they 10 say 10 the fright
full losses which one year Of Democracy has
brought? Instead of the better prices for which
they clamorcd and voted and which short
crop would naturally have given them, the
farmers have realized loss Of % cents per
bushcl from the average New-York price III
1892 which would mean more than Sll2,0UO,-
600 in the value OF their wheat crop.
Nor can IL be denied that the political change
has been an important cause of the panic. the
Drostration Of industries and the phcnOmcnally
low prices prevailing II is not as II wheat
alone had been depressed on account OF pc
culIar conditions in that one market. Wool also
has sold at the lowest prices ever known In this
country, because the party now In power pro-
poses 10 have free trade III wool. Pig iron. cot
ton goods. woollcn goods. are lower than ever
becausc of threatened changes of duties. The
prostration of business throughout The country
which the apprehension Of Il change has pro
duced Is the direct consequence of the transfer
of political power and the direct cause Of ex-
traorliuary depression in prices Of important
STABLES The farmer shares. and always must
share the disasters which visit the manufacture
/ ING and commercial States by which his prod
ucls are largely consumed.
There exist no means OF determining with
certainty from year to year the consumption Of
a product Xix. wheat. because no reliance can
any longer be- placed upon estimates OF the yield
by the denortment How far the consumption
OF wheat has been diminished by the inability
of millions Of working people and those de-
pendent ON them 10 purchase their accustomed
supplies it is impossible TO say. hut general
prostration Of industry. a reduction OF 20 per
cent in the wages paid to manufacturing and
mechanical labor and denial Of employment 10
millions OF men and women, do inevitably result