The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-11

OuS II IlluClollt ANSlOl L1Clo NNhAS ANhAAN
and sober up.
The Plant of the Yankee Farmer.
There are doubtless many farmers
within reach of THE TRIBUNE who,
noticing the gradual decline that has
occurred during the past ten years in
the prices of farm products, and not
pausing to make deeper or more gen
eral inquiry into the subject, have
come to the illogical conclusion that
they have been specially singled out
for imp0yerishment by hostile infu-
euceS expressed in legislation. These
are now lowering on the verge of Il
political revolt, uncertain what they
would gain by it and perhaps indifIer-
ent to what they would lose. We ask
such persons, before giving themselves
over as the sport and plaything of
Populist mountebanks, to consider
thoughtfuIly some homely arguments
made in recent speech by Governor
Nelson, of Minnesota. After showing
the unfairness OF the claim that agrt-
culture has not prospered during the
last thirty years, Governor Nelson
quoted the following interesting statis-
ties:
UP to 1860 we Nre told, our national
wealth was equally distributed between
the farmers and the rest of the people. In
ether words, that the wealth Of our farm.
ers was at that time not less than so per
cent II the entire wealth of the nation,
and that since that period the rate of in
crease in wealth has been gradually to the
disadvantage OF the farmer until in ls0l
the farmers share Of the aggregate wealth
was only 90 per cent. In shurl, the farm.
ers have not increased rs rapidly in wealth
since $50 as the rest Of the nation. This
may be true, but it entirely fails to est ,b-
lish hat our farmers have not been thrifty
and prosperous, Up to 1864 we were, to
an unusual degree an agricultural people,
Oar agricultural population was iu that
year H. coo, " 0 ont OF u total of 81, COO, 600
while in 1850 1t was 70 0OOOOO out of q
total Of c. 0OlO00. In 1860 the population
"t our cities was 5 0O0 600: IN 1890 over 49,.
oO0, OOO IL le6n our manufactures were in
heir infancy. Ia that year there was EN-.
lluyed l,3llOOO men IN our factories, as
agninst 4, 342, 900 on our farms; while in
1890 there was 3. 0j2, sos men employed in
our factories as against 5000 900 men on
our farms. In 1880 here was tmDloyed In
manufacturing capital OF 81, ,009, SIS. 7l5 az
against s. j2t AS, 3Gj in 1899. Iu 1860 the
value OF the pr ducts Of our manufactures
wa Sl.eS6 g6l SIC as against 50 90, 40. $50 in
1880. In 1869 our railroad system was still
in its childhood ard undeveloped. We had
then in this country but 30 ono miles in
operation as against l70. 400 miles, capital
lied at Sl0, 00O, 900, 0O0 in 1898. These figures
afford very clear and satisfactory ex-
planaiion why the increase in farm values
has not, since 1850, kept up with the in
crease in wealth in other directions
While the pace, by comparison, has been
less yet, considered by itself, the growth
OF our farm Industries has been rapid and
marvellous In 1860 there was 2,O44O77
farms If the aggregate acreage Of 4O7. 2l2. o.
53S acres, and OF the value Of Sc, R45 0Ij, OO7,
as against 4 5A, Gal farms Of the aggregate
acreage of 623.2lSGl9 acres, and of the
value OF Sl3, $40 2j2, G49 in 1890. In 1860
the value of live stock was 81, ,0S9 1926. gl5
and OF implements AMI machinery $2I8
Ai1t hT FEuIUNb o, aSU0, tOi, 90 OF live
STOCK, and A9I 247, 467 OF implements and
machinery in 1899, In 1860 there was pro-
duced li3 lO4,9 bushels Of wheat, liz.
G43 lS5 bushels Of oats, Is 925, S09 bushels
Of barley and S3S, 792, 7i2 bushels Of corn.
"s against 800 26}. OO0 bushels of wheat.
523, G2l, 600 bushels Of oats. 300. OOC
bushels Of barley and l,4S9 070, 600 bushels
ct corn in 1890: and the ratio of Increas e
has been as great since 1890 "a in the de-
cade ending with that year.
Under protective tariff the farmer
has experienced an increasing home
market, which consumes so per cent.
Of the total product of our American
farms. Had he been less partial tc
wheat, which Is subject to fierce com.
petition abroad, and more partial to
oats, barley, flax, hay, potatoes, cattle
hogs, sheep, cheese, butter and eggs
products which are in good demand al
home, he would have been better of
and there would be less cause for The
unrest that is noticeable in rural com
munities. After showing how diver
sified crops bring profit to the farmer,
Governor Nelson continued:
IT. has been the fashion Of windy and
reckless reformers in the past and pre-
sumo it is still the fashion among these
men. to insinuate and charge that our far
Iners receive much less for their wheat
here than the foreign markets warrant
and that a large and unreasonable margin
OF profits is absorbed by the middle man OF
exporter, and hence comes the exceedingly
low price. Those who have at all been
versed in the subject have known and al.
ways maintained that these charges and
insinuations have been unfounded and
false. Fortunately, proof positive Is now
at hand. The Minnesota legislature OF
1893 directed the board OF railroad and
warehouse commissioners to ascertain and
compile, from time to time, and to publish
IN weekly bulletins the price Of grain in
and the rates of transportation be-
tween such markets, for the purpose of
ascertaining the.differencein price between
here and abroad, the cost OF transporta-
tion and the profits Of the middleman OF
exporter. From a statement compiled
from the bulletins issued by the board for
the months Of November, 1893, and May
and June, l694-months when water trans.
portation was open and available and when
the greatest volume OF wheat was moving
1t appears that the average price OF
wheat during these months was 60 SAC. pei
busbel at Duluth aud "a. 40c per bushelsai
Liverpool-a gross difference Of 1890. be-
tween the foreign and domestic market
and that the exporter, after paying insur