The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1895-10-31
The "Old Farmer"


10 THE EDITOR OF i HE JOURNAL. POllt-
ical discussions among the farmers now
are not very interesting, and from what
little is said it looks as if both sides were
disapl oirted. Somehow it begins to look
that way The country was never 50
prosperous as during the war of the re-
bellion, when gold had completely vanish
ed. But there was paper money enough
and everything was booming. Now, if
paper money was good enough once why
not have it right along. No one around
here ever sees any gold money. Occasion
ally the farmer gets a silver dollar, and
sometimes a paper dollar; but for every
dollar he gets now he has to give about
in all eases he cannot buy as much again
with that dollar. Beside his tax j. as
sessed to pay the same rates for town,
county and State officials When people
begin to practice what they preach and
take half a salary it will begin to look as
if they are in earnest. If half the gold
IttdIu ihoISN VIII w dS IiltSA do ~ 10
said to. let tile high in authority come
down honestly and work for half pay
such as that the farmer gets. Allowing
that a farmer can produce as much again
for the dollar, we have not twice as many
consumers. In fact. we do not have as many
consumels now in the villages along the
Ia, 4 ~ -.
ket is ovelstocked, ard but very little
sale 10 get that dollar.
Only think Of it, here il one of the best
young orchards IN town, the apples are
shaken off and big aud little are dumped
into the celiai for the cattle and hogs,
with only 80 per cent. Of a crop in the
State OF Maine.
There seems to be wide difference of
opinion between men in this country as to
what constitutes sound system of
national currency OF course there can be
but one way to regulate this question,
and everybody admits that bad system
is injurious to the business of the coun-
try. Every body knows that the present
system is bad one: now, the question is,
What ought to be done with silver? A
times We're caused by the decentralization
of silver. Then the other party claimed
the trouble arose from the Sherman act.
which gave us too much silver. And a
little later the trouble was said to be the
lack of a free coinage law. Then trouble
sprang up again. Gold began to flow out
of the untly ard tie treasury reserve
was depleted. This time we are once
more informed that the trouble is too
much silver and too much favor to silver.
Only one Of these opposite views is the
right one, and II is best to be right regard
less Of party ties. Let US Law aside the
political side of the question and study
thoroughly what is said on the other side.
II there is too much silver, the govern
ment can call it in as quickly as the
punched silver coin departed from us a
few years ago; and if there is not enough
Aii'N Si'S tto ~ " 1, ItSdIlleSS OF KICK
ers, and paper money enough to stop the
agitation OF the money question. But paw
up the government debt as fast as possible
and give us no more bonds. never.
Somehow the farmer seems to get
only the voting after the platform on
this money question. All the rest goes to
the wealthy and moneyed men. As it looks
now the chances are that the farmer won /
get wash enough from the gold standard
to keep pegging away much longer at
twice as much produce for dollar with
out kicking.
Farmers this year have had bountiful
crops and would sell cheap, but the peo-
pie are too poor to buy, in the cities. The
sales have fallen off 40 per cent. in the
cities along the bay and river in the last
three years, and shipping to Boston is al
most failure Summer visitors are but
very little help. 1t is only about six weeks
IN the year that there are any here. It
has been hard for the farmer to keen
along IN the changed conditions of the
markets for the last three years. OF
course some farmers living near the sub-
ulbs OF the cities have a market. bnt
those living farther away, with smixed
crops as the usual custom has been, have
got 70 give the hogs and cattle hundreds
OF dollar worth Of fine vegetables and
fruit that would help the poor and ont OF
work people in the cities the coming win
ter
There has been some smart talk about
business improving, but it is a fact that il
IS harder and takes more of the farmer
crop to get dollar than it ever did. The
tanner who runs his business to sauar
his bills every year, and works hard. Ia
been disappointed in the changed con
dltlons Of the market. There is no sal
for his favored crop, with the prospec
ahead that other changes will follow an
other year. 1t seems best to get right
and all hands should work for the best in
terest OF sound, good money system ant
then stop tinkering. Somebody knows i,
all, OF ought to by this time, and it is nc
honor to country to have half the labor.
ing people in it go to bed hungry to have