Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-10-01

1, yI,1I
r e1l-oo &c " ''e'l al
81 81 rs LUZ iie'Oe
"'' 0' 0l-'' o1i0 d sNe'
There was never vet equation
That demanded LEGISLATION
To hiicb rioh+ IN no.
An anuatIon is ao,,arion-
Or else a fallacv
Anu III tninkIng-caImly thinking
nat Z, poor man has poor sense
II lie woes 10 nave a uOlIar
inat viii melt 20 KICy cents.
Anon.
-------
Inc population OF THIS country il
1917 vas oo,oUU, UUU. we then produced
III round uumUelS oo,UUU,UUU bushels
Ol wheat IN 1893 wIun a population
or 0o,UUU, 100, we produced 4lo,JUUUO0
bushels OF wheat. in 1881, with d pop
uIauon on 81, 100000, we produced Oh,
UUU ,UUU OusneIs OF wheat. Ihe pro-
uuctf0n of other aerIcuIural produces
lncl eased III about the same prOpOr
IIon; put it is not merely the increase
IN me CROWN OF wheat IN the UnCed
states mat mas made a surplus OF food
yolnmoulues. as II mas Ueen increasing
very randy in other countries of The
world.
aonth America has nearly trebied
ner product OF wheat in mat period
nj wheat and the increase in India has
na.n nearly as great rood products
raised on the farm nave increased in
excess OF the populalion during the
.,, ;generauon .lry 20 per cent, and
inns increase. WIN the general paraIy
SIS of industry ana trade throughout
me world tnaL greatly lessons the con-
,,,7on,,o,, of ,ha ,iohar classes. nj food
,.anses the nresent low prlce of wheat
and other farm products. The varia-
l,nn IN the consumption Of wheat per
mead in this country is as much as
one bushel per capita, depending upon
me ability of industrial people 10 pu9
chase if
There are. therefore, two causes now
combined to reduce the price Of wheat.
One is the largest production the world
has ever known, greatly outstripping
me growth of population. and, second,
the general inability of the poorer peo-
pie to purchase it for consumption.
They are compelled TO live on cheaper
commodities. and thus do not become
liberal consumers of farm products.
Wages Prior to 1873 and Since.
In 1859 the United States had free
silver coinage. The war was then
not thought of in earnest-at least
nobody seriously believed that there
would be anv war. The country WAS
Young, rich in resources, and as a rule
normal conditions prevailed in bust
ness. Under such circumstances labor
should have found full employment at
good wages. There were no special
comDlaints. so far as we are aware, that |
labor was underpaid in that year. The
working neonle were fairly satisfied
with their paw and the cost of living;
but a comparison of prices prevailing
in that wear with prices prevailing to-
dow will show that the tOiler of this
oonaration is much better off than was
tbn +oi1n,, of 1870
We have before us a slip cut from
tho An,oricon Aoricu1trrist of Nav |
1859. giving the following schedules
of wages paid in New York city and
the condition of the labor market in
the various industries, which will be
found quite interesting:
Bakers, 50 to Sl4 per week; no de-
lle Gin, ,,o GO e. no., uoo1,. ~
oe pGe1'an- &c - 60 ,ar moel,. M d.
'<'1 '0l'' ~ ~ 20
iiiqlu 49,, o, 90 o, ,,,oo,-.
DEUS Io'''' 1ii''iAei' . 80
'o nIo11-.3+, 60 ~ oo7-. 40 ID
,.,l5
-
Do@' 0"ii00l0' Ph0 POI --0
nlaiiu: ~ ooo
DouNhe zea5 5 99oV - F-'VVV pei 0e'l
ouppls o'ei U0iiolu'
Doohcl1iNi01@' 9o W VA- PNt "o' ~