Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-10-31
THE FARMERS TOOLS.
EFFICIENCY of Agricultural Inple-
ments Greatly Increased
Since 1873.

The silver advocates have had so many
OF their pet theories absolutely demol-
lshed 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 are
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 eheapenlng 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 prc-
sented by Carl Schurz in an address in
the same hall earlier in the campaign.
speaking of the decline in wheat, said /:
Ihe truth is that there has been Scarce-
ly any improvement in machinery for
raising and harvesting wheat in The last
twenty years."
Such statement is a severe reflection
either upon the inventive genius of
American manufacturers and the FRO
gressive spirit of American farmers or
upon the sincerity of Gov. AItgeId him
self.
The truth is that the greatest improve
ments in farm implements and machinery
that have marked the latter half of the
since 1873. Not only has the retail nrice
OF all classes of implements used on the
farm been very much reduced during
tnat time, but the efficiency of the ma
chinery itself has been even more e:or-
mously increased. Taking the harvester
alone 1T has been so improved during the
last twenty years that one man can now
accomplish what required the labor of
nve in 1873, so that instead of there
being scarcely any improvement in ma
cninery for harvesting wheat, the i'm
Provements in the harvester alone are
shown fully In other words il rodav
only requires one-fifth of the labor cost
AGO.
To entirely overthrow this last nerxer-
SION of truth: with which silver men are.
Trying to bolster up a losing cause re-
tan prices of some of the principal farm
machinery have been secured from lead
ing manufacturers showing the cost to
the farmer in 1873 and the cost in 1896
AS the wheat crop begins with the pillow.
Oliver Chilled Plow works of South
Bend, Ind, and see how the cost of
plows has been reduced.
we manufacture plows alone and in
bers 80 and 40 were the leading pat
terms; The same numbers are very
.argely used at this time and our com
parsons are accordingly based on them.
In 1873 the retail price of the No. 30 was
In 1873 the retail price of the No. 40 was
The same plows now retail at $3.50 each.
tailed at so cents each: now retail at 80
$3.50 each: now retail at 81 each. 'ai'eo al
Wheels for these plows in 1873 retaiIed ar
Clevises for these plows in 1874 retai,es, NJ
81 each; now retail at % cents each.
And other items in about the same ratio
The construction and quality of tbe
goods are far better than in 1872
ID. NJ. Osborne and Company-ef- Au,
burn, N Y, the great manufacturers of
harvesting machinery, quoting from their