Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-07-04
FIGURES THAT Do NOT LIE.
Not the Currency but the Tariff
Causes Trouble.
ASTON GORDON DAYTON
Tells Why Farmers Suffer From the
Effects of Free Trade.

Tells Why Farmers Suffer From the
Effects of Free Trade.
In the course OF his speech at Nor
gantown last week, Hon. A. G. Dayton
discussed the blighting effect of the
present revenue laws on the value oil
all farm products. Referring to the
promise that we would capture the
markets of the world, he said:
The remedy which the change was
to bring to them, it will be remem-
bered, was to make them go forth un-
der the bene6cent workings of free
trade and capture the markets of the
world. They were to take their cattle,
corn, wheat, barley, oats, horses to the
world and the world was to bow down
and buy of them, hence the prices
they were to get were to be greatly
enhanced and great prosperity was to
come to them. So taught Democracy
to the farmers Of this district. How
have they succeeded in capturing
these worlds markets? Let us CON-
pare the "before taking" and the
''aiter.n
BARLEY.
In 1892 we sold to the world 2, 8oo,-
o75 bushels of barley for Sr,75I,445,
in 1895 we sold I.563,754 bushels for
$767,2IS. Our farmers captured"
the worlds barley market, therefore,
to the extent of 236, 3aI bushels and
$9S4,2 the wrong way. 1884, 2a7
less barley sold in the markets of the
world.
BEANS AND PEAS.
In 1892 we sold by export of beans
and peas 637,o72 bushels of the value
o. $945.767. In 1895 we only sold by
export 242, 682 bushels OF the value Ct
$429, oo6, so our farmers lost over
$500, 900 in these articles and to that
extent captured the tail-end Of the
markets Of the world.
But this is not all. In 1892 the for
eign farmers came into our markets
and sold to us OF peas and beans S74, :
$50 bushels, of the value Of 1857, 824,
while in 1895 he came back and sold
to us I,535.oI3 bushels at 81, 548, 74o.
Thus the farmer failed to capture the
worlds market in 1895, which he al
ready had in 1892, by over $780, 900
while the foreign farmer came in and
increased in 1895 the market which
he had in 1892 in this country by
nearly 5000. 900.
This illustrates how beautifully I'M
der Democracy and free trade our
farmers captured the markets of the
world" both ways.
CATTLE.
In 1892 we exported, sold in the
markets Of the world, cattle to the
value Of $3.50 ,oos; in 1895 to the
value OF only $50. Cog, 796, loss Of
nearly S., 600, 900. On the erhand,
''the world" sold us cattle in 1892 to
the value Of $47,4 only. but in 1895
1.-THE world sold as cattle to the value
Of over $765.853, again for the world
in the capture of over $7I8.ooo No
wonder our farmers cattle have
dwindled in value over sos, 600, 900
since we started out on the Democrat
ic plan Of capturing the cattle market
of the world.
CORN.
In 1899 We raised 7o,6z6, 658 acres
Of corn, yielding I.62S, 464 900 bushels
of tie value Of s64a, I46.65o. In 1895
we raised S2,o75.83o acres, yielding
2.I5I,I38, $50 bushels of the value of
$567. 5oo, 100. More than II. 900, 600
more acres in 1895 than in 1892. More
than 500. 900. 900 more bushels in 1895
than in 1892. yet the crop Of 1892 was
worth to the farmer nearly SIS, 600. 600
more than that Of 1895. Why1 Simply
because in the good times in 1892
when, under protection, we worked to
build up our home market. corn
brought the farmer an average price
of forty cents per bushel, but in 1895
it brought him an average price, the
country over. of twenty-six cents per
bushel. What delight it must be to
the American farmer to ponder over
this capture Of ''the markets Of the
world !"
BUTTER AND CHEESE.
In 1899 we exported and sold to the
world butter and cheese TO the value
$40, Iz1, SIS; in 1895 to the value Of
oply $6.4I5. 57z and we bought in 1892
Ct butter and cheese s1.a54.7o6 in
value and II 1895 sl.46s 81 IN value
Thus tie American farmer found the