Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-11-23
FARMING in This Country.

Secretary Morton OF Inc d9rIcuitutai
department has compiled and published,
as feature of his last annual report.
some statistics WORTHY Of wide reading
ami calculated 10 bring whatever comfort
to the farmer there may be in the thought
shat az compared with those engaged in
other pursuits he is a least comfortably
well of The farms of tie United States
are estimated at thirteen billions. Dur
ing the last fiscal year there were exported
from these farms to the outside world
products to the value Of over five hundred
millions, while the entire exports from
this country amounted to only about
| 1898, 900, 600. The total valuation OF
/ farm products is estimated at little over
TWO billions. To quote the words Of the
report:
How can the ~ per cent Of the popu-
! Iatian Of the United states which feeds
/ the other IS per cent and then furnishes
more than 90 per cent Of all the exports
If the whole people, be making less
profits in their vocation than those whom
they feed when the latter supply less than
I 81 per cent Of the exports Of the country.
| For the purpose of Illustrative com
parisou transfer the $4,000 agriculturally
invested in each farm of 1871 acres TO the
choicest Wall street investmen Risk
that money in railroad first mortgage
bonds, in bank stocks or any oth'r
alleerdiy safe security which may lie
found favorite among shyIocks, brokers,
plutocrats, monopolists, money-powtr
manipuiators. and multi milionaires,
and If it returns per cent it Is remark
ably profitable investment in the eyes tf
capitalists. Therefore s240 Is the annual
income.
Follow the transfer of the farm money
with that Of the farm family to urban
residence. Now, with the same labor in
the city or village can they attain 10y hard
work everyday in the year, adding their
wages to the s240 income, as much OF
independence, wholesome living, and zeal
comfort us the same amount of money
in the land and the same heads and hands
working on the soil generously and
healthfully bestowed upon them, in the
sweet quiet of a home amidst flowers,
trees. fruits, ana abundance, on the
farm
The secretary then turns his attention
to facts concerning the indebtedness Of
tie farming class. The census of 1890
showed that only about 16 per cent of the
farm valuation is mortgaged while rail
road mortgages represent As OF the entire
valuation of the lines in this country
The aggregate Indebtedness of banks to
their depositors is nearly five billions.
The secretary concludes that the debts
of railroads, bankers manufacturers and
merchants entitle them, and not the
farmers, to be called the debtor class In
America"
He argues that as tho population in
creaseS, increasing the demand, the area
OF supply will remain nearer stationary
and that therefore the prices Of farms
must in the next twenty years and pos
sibly in ten years, advance more markedly
than those of urban real estate" But he
adds the owners of fertile fields, how
ever, must understand now that agricll-
ture il swiftly becoming scientific pro-
fe:son." AS q matter of fact the posi-
bilities of productiveness of our tillage
land under the scientific methods which
will in time be employed are an unknown
quantity and cannot be predicted with
any degree of accuracy. The farmer who
waits for this increase in demand to profit
l. H., Il 60 81, oJ,&1
methods of cultivation is sure to meet
with disappointment. 1t is safe to
assume that when the secretary concludes
by saying that the success of the farmer
of the future, therefore, depends more
upon mental than upon manual effort
he speaks as truly as the wisest prophet.
Perhaps his rosy view CT farming pros
perity led the secretary to shut off the
supply of government seeds. thinking the
farmers themselves able to buy of the
seedsmen. Congress is likely to inquire
by what authority he has nullificd the
law of Congress which directs the pur-
chase and distribution of seeds. Is Sec
rotary Morton another Bowler How
ever wise his view of the seed distribution
may be, it certainly is dangerous pre-
cedcnt for him to nullify law of Con
gress as it is alleged he has done. He is
pretty big man in his own estimation,
and there are evidences that he has done
some good work in his department, but
he should ballast his buoyant bumptious
ness with the thought that it is not the
intention of the people to permit the
secretary of the department OF agricul-
ture to exercise autocratic power to the
extent he appears to have done.
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