The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-08-24
QUEST IONS OF THE DAY.


value of farms and farm products, gov
ernment statistics, we read that the aver
age value of farms per acre in 1870 was
$500; in 1880, $4,000; in 1890, $500.
The average value of each farm in 1870,
$4,000; 1880, $2,42S.oo 1890, $I, $1,000;
worse now.
Value of average acre of wheat in 1867,
$23.o5; 1885, $12.4S; 1892, $S.35; worse
now.
Value of average acre of corn in 1867,
$IS.S7; 1880, $1o.91; 1892, 5000; worse
now.
Value of average acre of oats in 1867,
$I6.o5; 1880, $9. 2S; 1888, $7.73.
Value of average acre of rye in 1867,
1924; 1880. 5000; 1888, $7.o7; worse
now.
Value of average acre of barley in 1867,
$4,000; 1880, $I4.1I; 1888, $I2.59; worse
now.
Value of average acre of buckwheat in
1867, $Ie. II; 1880, $1o.55; 1888, $40 36.
The value and amount of total product:
Bushels Acres Value.
1867 1,329,729.4O 65,536,449 s1,2s4, OBJ, 800
1880 2,71S 193, 800 12O,926,2s6 S1,361, ,497, ,70i
1888 5000 9742,3OO 900 S1,32o,255,S ,S9S
The reader will notice that in 1867 we
produced 1929, 40 bushels total pro-
duct, valued at 81, ,254, ,o37,3oo, while in
1888 we produced 3,2oe, 800 bushels
total product, valued at $I,32o, ,255, 1913.
If the census report continued to 1894 it
would show that we are growing three
times the amount of crops for the same
money that we were producing in 1867,
signifying that the farmers have to sell
triple the amount of crops in 1894 as they
did in 1867, to pay the interest on their
mortgages, (paying their mortgages under
present conditions is out of the question, }
triple the amount of crops to pay their
taxes, triple the amount of crops to pay
doctor, lawyer, church bills, labor, trans
portation, and much more not taken into
consideration.
The conclusion arrived at in viewing
the above facts and figures, is, that it
must be either our tariff or finance system
which has so completely wiped out our
farming interest as profitable industry.
The cry of production raised by Wall
street plutocracy, falls flat when millions
of our people remain only partially fed
for the lack of money to purchase the
necessaries of life.
| James G. Blaine held that to prescribe
the manufactured products of foreign
countries to further enrich our millionaire
manufacturers would eventually end dis
astrously to our farming interests here.
The proof is in the vast acres of lands
opened up to wheat, cotton, wool, rice,
etc., in retaliation, grown in Eastern
countries, raised by the cheapest of labor,
sold in European markets in direct conf
petition with our products here, lessening
their price as we'll as labor, direct blow
at our commercial as we'll as our farming
interest
If not our prescriptive tariff system,
then the money system, contraction OF
the money volume, (only the denagogue
cries overproduction). Both old parties
admit in their platforms that bi-metallism
(the Populist remedy will be effectual
In the Cleveland platform of 1884: We
believe i'll honest money, the gold and
silver of the constitution. This was be-
fore the party learned to discredit the
money of the constitution, and talk about
so cent dollars.
In the Cleveland platform of 1892 We
read that the party holds to the use OF
both gold and silver, as the standard
money of the country, and to the coinage
I of gold and silver, without discriminating
against either metal or charge for mintage;
! rich.
Then in the Republican platform of
. 1854: We, the Republicn party, denounce
the Democratic party for demonetizine
y, silver. After the Republican party had
demonetized it in 1873; richer, rotten
There is no mistaking the parties on the
silver question, they favor in their plat
forms bi-metallism, free coinage of silver
to fool the people, and then at the beck o
Wall street, and the crack of the dema
gogue Cleveland whip repudiate all thei
: platforms, with the miserable snivel tha
u England wont consent to it.
England's friend on silver, her enem,
on the tariff. And the old parties are t.
al make their fight on these issues, with s.
cent wheat and cent cotton behind it
t. Will they fool the people this fall j? Yes
: if not for the peoples party, do it ever.
time.
1t has been the writer's position to hav
been, not only an advocate of protection
to our infant industries (which is right
but furthermore an advocate of higl
protective tariff, but when 1 saw it fail, il
the midst of plenty, to insure labor its jus
share of the profits of their industry,
sought to find why such conditions shoul
exist, and after period of study not
that at no period in the history of on
country has any condition of tariff, high
low or Indifferent, been in continue
successful operation when the volume {
money was reduced below the actua
wants of the people, las it is now,) and
system of credit resorted to, based on f'