The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-12-03
The AMERICAN
FARM LABORER
Most Independent Class Of People on
Earth--NOt NendiCants.
SECRETARY MoRToN's REPORT
seventy-two Per Cent OF the Farms in
the United States Free From
Mortgages.

Secretary Morton. In his fourth annu-
al report just made public. gives a
comprehensive review OF the condition
OF American farmers
seventy-two per cent Of the farms
in the United States occupied by their
owners are absolutely free from mort
cages or other membranes. States
along the north Atlantic. he says. are
quite heavily ineumbered with farm
mortgages and New Jersey carries q
debt Of this kind greater in proportion
to It's farm valuations than any state
in the Union.
A majority OF the farmers are not
mendicants nor wards OF the govern
men to be treated TO annuities. but the
representative Of the oldest, most hon.
orable, most essential occupation Of the
human race upon which all other voca-
tions depend for subsistence and pros
perity.
Referring to the stress Of competi-
ton which the American farmer is CON-
PEELED to endure. Mr.. Morton calls atten-
tion TO the nearly two million Of farms
of 80 acres each. given away by the gov
ernment under the homestead act OF
1856. during the past thirty years, and
to the amount donated under the tim
Der culture law. equivalent to 55o.ooo
more farms Of the same size, Lands
long titled and rendered partially infer
tile could not. Of course. enhance In
value and sell in competition with vir-
gin soil donated by the government. No
legislation relative to the public domain
has been so directly inimicai to the far
mers who had bought and paid for lands
upon which they had lived and labored-
1t was impossible for farmers in the
old states to probably sell their pro-
ducts in competition with those Of the
newer states grown upon lands which
cost their owners nothing.
During the fiscal year just ended. the
exported products Of American farms
aggregated s57O.OOO,OOO. an increase Of
Sl7. 100000 over the preceding year. In
spite Of this there was a falling OF in the
percentage of agricultural products ex-
ported, to the total exports. but this
was due to the unprecedented sale
abroad Of American manufactured
goods.
General prosperity depends absolutely
upon agricultural prosperity, and any
commercial system which will Increase
with celebrity and extend with certainty
the export OF our farm products VIII be
of the utmost advantage to agriculture
and all those interested in its profitable
expansion.
Secretary Morton asks If a nation
which, like the United States, possesses
the greatest power and facilities for
producing and manufacturing things
which the world presents is not des-
tined to monopolize the markets of the
globe with the most favorable condi-
tions for varied and successful agricul-
ture, and the llghtest burden Of national
toNdlAoils what Souutiyt ne dShS, C<AL
compete with this in developing the best
results of human toll with minimum
Of human efforts?
Wages in the United States are % to
100 per cent higher than in countries
with which we compete.
1T is" he concludes, probable quite
safe to declare that at least two mil
lions of American workmen on farms
and in factories, subsist almost wholly
upon employment based upon foreign
demand for American commodities.
And in this contest for feeding and fur
nishing mankind Notwithstanding the
fierce competition with which It meets
all over the globe-American agricui-
ture, manufacture and commeEpe are
steadily gaining more trade, and thus
far furnishing an enlarged wages fund
ON gold basis, out of which some mil
lions of American laborers and skilled
artisans draw their yearly remunera-
ton, and upon which they and their
families largely depend for employment
and comfort"