Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-10-31
THE FARMERS TOOLS.
Efficiency of Agricultural Tmple-
ments Greatly Increased
Since 1873.

The silver advocates have had so many
of their pet theories absolutely demol-
ished by collision with hard facts that
they are now resorting to deliberate mis-
representation in hope of breaking the
force of the various exposures they arc
meeting. They have attempted to make
much capital out of the decline in the
price of wheat during the last few years.
and when attention has been called to
the cheapening in the cost of production
by the use of new and improved machin-
cry and the rapid enlargement of the
commercial surplus of wheat in other
wheat-growing countries than the United
States they have undertaken to DENY
both propositions.
In a speech at the Central Music hall
on September 10, Gov. Altgeld in at
tempting to answer the arguments pre-
sented by Carl Schurz in an address in
the same hall earlier in the campaign,
speaking of the decline in wheat. said :
The truth is that there has been scarce
ly any improvement in machinery for
raising and harvesting wheat in The last
twenty years.
Such a statement is a severe reflection
either upon the inventive genius of
American manufacturers and the pro-
gressive spirit of American farmers or
upon the sincerity of Gov. Altgeld him
self
The truth is that the greatest improve
ments in farm implements and machinery
that have marked the latter half of the
Nineteenth century have been made
since 1873. Not only has the retail price
OF all classes of implements used on the
farm been very much reduced during
that time. but the efficiency of the ma,
chinery itself has been even more enor-
mously increased. Taking the harvester
alone 1t has been so improved during the
G rnTNfr
accomplish what required the labor of
five in 1873, so that instead of there
being scarcely any improvement in ma
ehinery" for harvesting wheat, the i'm
provements in the harvester alone are
shown fully. In other words. it today
only requires one-ffth of the labor cost
TO harvest grain that it did twenty years
AGO
To entirely overthrow this last perver-
sion OF truth, with which silver men are
trying to bolster up losing cause. re-
tan prices of some of the principal farm
machinery have been secured from load.
ing manufacturers showing the cost to
the farmer in 1878 and the cost in 1896,
AS the wheat crop begins with the pillow,
take the following statement from the
Oliver Chilled Plow works of South
Bend, Ind, and see how the cost of
plows has been reduced.
I'VE manufacture plows alone and in
the year 1873 chilled pows of the num-
bers 30 and 40 were the leading pat
terms: The same numbers are very
largely used at this time and our COM
parsons are accordingly based on them
in 1878 the retail price of the No. 80 was
SIS.
In 1878 the retail price of the No. 10 was
SIC.
The same plows now retail at IS 80 each
Cast shares for these plows In 1873 re.
tailed at so cents each: now retail at 80
cents each.
Jolnters for these plows in 1873 retaiIed M
$3.50 each; now retail at 50 each
Wheels for these plows in 1873 retailed AZ
Sl.50 each; now retail at 81 each
tlevises for these plows in 1878 retailed al
s! each: now retail at 2S cents each
And other items in about the same ratio
The construction and quality of the
goods are far better than in 1873"
ID. NJ. Osborne and Company of Au,
burn. \. Y. the great manufacturers of
harvesting machinery. quoting from their