New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-20
CROPS AND VOTES.

political fact which most overlook Is
that the South has one crop and the West has
two. Eminent Democrats are cOngratulaiing
themselves that reviving business will revive
Democracy This may be called feminine poll
tics showing sweet lack Of logic, charming
propensity TO reason with the affections, and
delightful Indifference 10 facts Since Demo
cratic defeat last year brings better times. Obvi-
orisy better times must bring Democratic sue
cess Since good crops at the West take the
life out Of Populism. the short cotton crop at
the South must have the same effect there. The
cotton crop Is in value half the entire product
Of agriculture In the cotton-growing States. The
corn and wheat crops of the Northwest are to-
gether more than half ts agricultural products
in value the two being worth about double the
cotton crop When cotton Is short the South
suffers When ether wheat or corn turns out
badly. the Northwest usually has in the other
crop Il basis for encouragement and business.
Populism at the West was TO great extent
the outgrowh of crazy land speculation, but
failure Of crops was the immediate cause Of the
outbreak in 1892 The corn yield dropped
quarter and the wheat yield sixth. according
10 official figures. In the same year. The loss
fell most heavily Oh great corn growing States.
and the pressure Of debts incurred In speculative
times made discomfort intense. But cotton fell
the same year from over 100000 to 6.IOO,OO
bales. and the loss and ruin at the South were
relatively greater The Democratic party prom
ised to do everything that Popusm proposed.
and by that means with control Of ballot boxes
held It's ground Last year disgust with Democ-
racy and its broken promises WAS widespread.
The story Of overwhelming defeat need not be
repeated BIT the Democratic hope is that
good crops will restore confidence and power to
the men who were dsgracefully punished for
bad faith and incapaciiy in 1894.
The corn crop Is very large. bur the wheat
crop small out OF the two the Northwestern
farmers will get more than they did last year.
and have reason for encouragement. According
to all accounts. the discomfort called Populism
Is disappearing. and farmers in great number
have learned that the Republican National pol
lev was best for the whole country and there
fore for them, because their products cannot
command good prices unless the country pros
pers Wool is seven or eight cents lower than it
was before Democratic success. and the farmer
knows IT, Prostitution Of manufacturing indus
tries has so far reduced the markets that farm
products have for years commanded phenome-
nallN low prices. anu TIE lil uo
for any more Democratic years. Their votes
last fall expressed their desire for return 10
the Republican policy. and the hopeful revival
Of business which gives them better times and
prices is one Of many evidences that they We're
right
The situation ut the South is quite different.
The cotton crop was cut down. in the first In
stance. by the action Of many planters who saw
that there no market in the world for a crop
of 9.1m.OW bales. and therefore reduced their
acreage. But with 116 per cent less acreage
and yield per acre as good that Of last year.
the crop would still have been over S,5OO.OoO
bales little more than the world has ever con
sumed. Instead. unfavorable weather has so
far reduced the yield that many operators are
predicting further loss of 1.5O0.OOO or 100000
bales. Whether they are right not. il is clear
that the output per acre as well as the acreage
will be short This means for the South another