The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1894-11-23
THE FACTORY AND THE FARM.

1nere are ana nave Deen ever since tne
passage of the new tariff bill signs Of re-
vival of industry all over the country.
Fires have been lighted in furnaces and
factories which had suspended during the
uncertainty and depression of the Senate
tariff debate, are now operating with
renewed and increased activity. But there
is one great obstacle to the return of
substantial prosperity which must not be
overlooked The millions of people in
the United States who are engaged in the
production of wheat and cotton form the
five cents pound and wheat at fifty cents
a bushel these people cannot buy manu-
featured goods. The price obtained will
scarcely pay taxes and labor and the ordi-
nary expenses of conducting the farm
After the cost of production is met no
surplus remains to buy even those things
which are considered necessarieS of life
much less for the purchase of luNurieS.
The fertilizer bill must be reduced, the
old farm machinery will have to be patched
up, while the farmer and his wife and
daughter must defer-the time for the pur
chase of a new suit of clothes. New build
ings and all but the absolutely necessary
repairs to the old ones must also be aban-
doned. Where, then. is the product of
the factories to be consumed? The maufac-
turing plant of the United States can in
six months produce enough to supply the
home market, on which the reliance of
the factories is placed, for whole year
And this it can do even when the farmers
and planters are prosperous and buying
what they need. This is one of the re-
suits of the overstimulation of manufac-
lures by the protective policy.
If we estimate the crop of wheat in the
United States at five hundred million
bushels, and that it takes fifty cents a
bushel to pay expenses, then since the
Mckinley bill went into effect four years
less with which to buy of the manufac-
lures. One year ago cotton was worth
81 cents a pound. Now it is worth ) cents
Accepting the estimate of nine millions
bales for the crop of the present wears.
this means that the revenues of the cot
ton States will be diminished by SAG,
000 900 on a single staple. The average
price of cotton for the decade ended wit h
1877 was about Is cents: for that ended
with 1887 it was II cents, and from 1884 to
1893 it was over 10 cents. 1t will be seen
therefore, how enormously the purchasing
power of the cotton States has dec rcaScd.
each cent pound amounting to 81, 900,
600 on a single crop. But the decrease of
revenue is more than it apparently is. If
what remains is only sufficient to pay the
expense of producing the crop, and it is
probably not even sufficient for that. then
the entire fund from this source available
for buying supplies from the factories is
gone.
And it is not the manufacturers alone
upon whom this blow willfall The Western
farmers will suffer as well When better
prices for cotton prevailed the South de-
voted its entire energies to its production
buying its meat, corn, hay and mules from
the West. This the South can no longer
do, but must raise these articles for itself
| or 30 without. The result of this necessity
is already apparent in the increased
production of corn and meat in the South
and the increased distress of the Western
farmer
The effect of the low price of wheat and
cotton upon what is called the balance of
| trade must be great, and it will count in a
| measure for the greater outflow of gold
from this country to Europe during the
last year or two. The average annual ex-
port of wheat from the United States is
not far from hundred and fifty million
bushels, and of cotton this year will reach
seventeen hundred million pounds In
stead of bringing back from Europe $500,
00O, 900 as it did when wheat was dollar
and cotton ten cents, America will receive
only $l60.00000o This means that that
difference must he made up in some other
way, and it is partly done by shipping
gold
The outlook for the farmer seems
gloomy enough, but to Us not 50 dark as
that of the factory operative and others
dependent on the manufacturing interests.
The farmer. if he is out of debt. can ret
along. He has a roof over his head and
no monthly rent to pay. He can raise on
his farm sufficient food for his family and
will find not much difficulty about his
clothes. But if the factories 90 into over
production and have to close for half the
year, how are observation-disclosures Of the facto-
~ towns going to pay rent and buy food
That is Il question worth considering.
There is general movement in Anne
Arundel for better county roads.