The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-08
ACRICUL LTURALISTS MEET,
Autumual DeIibe eratiOns Of Pennsylvania
State Board...An Eloquent Address
BY Governor Hastings.

Amber, Pa, Oct. The autumn
meeting of the Penrsy syivunia stat'
board Of agriculture began here today
and will continue until tomorrow even
ing. The board is well rsprcse ntrd.
The meeting was called to order, In the
temporary absence of Governor Hest
ings. by II. Fl. Hutchinson, of Hunt
mgdon county, The governor reached
here from Philadelphia at noon anu Il
street parade was given i" his honhr.
The morning session was occupied III
perfecting an organisation. This af-
te"noon Powell Childs, Of Plymouth,
delivered an address Of welcome. to
which the governor responded.
B. w. Dambly read "A paper. entitled
How Can We Afford PAD Roads" and
s. K. Downing, of West Chester. spoke
upon "The Cash Plan in the Road
Maintenance" Other papers were also
read
Al each of the three sessions Of the
board today the fine opera house was
crowded by farmers who drove in from
the country. Two parades We're held
this afternoon. in one of which the 400
school children of Amber were in line.
carrying American flags. They marched
in single file through the opera house,
passing Governor Hastings on the
stage. H.. shook the hand Of every
child in the line.
Governor Hastings speech today was
quite an elaborate one. He quoted
largely from tn. reports of the state
agricultural department TO show that
agriculture. all things considered, still
holds its place as the leading and most
valuable branch of human employment
In Pennsylvania. In referring to the
nf "a haQt H.
ed that the responsibility lay in the
ineXorable law OF supply and demand
and not in the currency question as
has been charged by some advocates OF
free silver. He presented statistics to
show that the great increase in rail-
road facilities had brought larger
quantities vi wheat froSl the west and
also Ia show thar the Stlingency of the
times had resulted in Il reduction of the
consumption Of the grain. The recent
reports that the Russian wheat is ii
failure. he said, affected the Orice the
world over and has created demand
for Americas surplus wheat. The price
of wheat. he said. has advanced about
thirteen cents II bushcl in the last thir-
" days. Continuing he said:
! have mentioned these facts to You be-
cause the adv oCates of cheap money are
telling American farmers that the decline
In the price Of agricultural products has
kept pace with the decline of silver and
that an advance in the price of silver will
lead to an alvaEce in the price of farm
products. There is no similarity between
the price OF silver and the price of farm
products that could POSSIBLY cause the one
10 influence the other. as a careful study
OF the question inlisputahly shows and the
facts which | have mentioned Is the best
refutation of the argument. During the
last thirty days wheat has advanced l3
cents a bushel and silver. during that time.
has been steadily declining. Thirty days
ago wheat was worth 50 cents Il busho-
and the silver dollar was worth SO cents.
Today wheat is worth 10 cents a bushel
and the silver dollar is worth but shade
over 80 cents. Overproduction has reduced
the price CT silver. Restricted production
in one wheat growing country has adj
vanced the price of wheat. When all lines
of industry and commercial pursuits are
prosperou:s the farmer is also prosperous.
All our varied business interests are 50
mutually dependent upon each other that
the prosperity of one Is the benefit of all.
and a blow stricken at any one leading
branch of Industry has its depressing in
fiuence upon all. The farmer wants good
market for his surplus products and he
always has it when the neighboring mill
or factory is running full time and paying
good wages. The home market is the
American farmers best market and best
friend. That legislation that will revive
the interests of the country Is the legisla-
tion that will most benefit the American
farmer. That policy which compels mills
and factories to shut down and throws
people out of work is the policy that
strikes hardest at the farmer. There are
limitations to the law of supply and de-
mand. There can be no demand where
there is no power or ability to purchase
and there can be no supply If there is nc
product