Evening star., 1896-10-17

used in the fields, was made altogether. or
nearly altogether, beginning with the basic
raw material, on the farm, and when the
major part OF the surplus farm products
was transported to the ultimate market
by the farmer himself, using means of
transportation that he himself owned.
Farming is now more closely linked 10
other industries, and with them il shares
greater interdependence of Industries
In these days the farmer depends upon the
mine. the forest, the furnace, the foundry,
the shop, the factory, the warehouse, and
the railway, for the dozen machines-suky
plow, disk harrow, two-horse corn planter
and check-rower, sulky cultivator, force
feed, grain-drill, hay-loader and rici1er,
self-binder, corn harvester, etc.-that lie
must use in his farming; for the ciot hing
feadymade that he wears himself, and the
Goth for his wife's gown; and for practical
ly all the furniture in his house. He no
longer hauls the grains and meats to the
ultimate market, but now depends upon
haul them and the grains and fruits and
other products of the farm to the ulti
mate market. and there place them in the
hands of the consumer. In fact, the diff
ferentiation Of industries the development
of factory system, and all those rapid
and radical changes that constitute the
industrial revolution" have SO closely in
tertwined the interests of agriculture with
other interests that the manufacturer.
merchant or railway man cannot be in
jured in his business without the farmer
being injured in his business.
The influence above all other influences
affecting the price of farm products is
demand and supply. Anything that lessons
the disposition and ability Of the merchant,
manufacturer, mechanic, miner, or the pro-
fessional man to buy, lowers the price of
farm products. Any policy that banks
furnace fires and silences the hum of spin
dies lowers the price of wheat, beef, but
ter, wool and fruits. Anything that COM
pels the manufacturer to lessen his output,
30 law off fru. .l-
men and repairers or the doctor, the law
yer, and the banker to reduce their house
hold expenses. takes from the prosperity
of the farmer. The farmer cannot be in-
different to his interests. He cannot put
into wider and continued operation forces
that by their very approach unsetde
values, alarm capital, make prudent men
wait, and greatly inture the business OF
manufacture, transportation and exchange,
without dealing agriculture hurt that
before il is healed will overbalance any
temporary gain that might accrue to
minority of farmers from their paying their
debts in a deprecated currency.
Tie chief advocates Of the free and un-
limited coinage Of silver at the ratio of 16
to 1 contend that silver and gold VIII re-
main at a parity. II this be true, then oy
no means will the free and unlimited COIN
age of silver make it easier for the farmer
to pay his debts. For it will not make his
land produce a bushel more of wheat or
corn, or his steer or hog to manuiScture
more beef or pork from pound Of feed;
II will in no wise increase the value of
what he produces; and, If the silver dollar
is as good as the gold dollar, 1t will not in
crease the price of what he produces. His
products will not bring more dollars, and
he will not find his debts easier to iis-
charge. On the contrary, his load OF debt
will be heavier; for. on account of the
lessened demand due to the dlslocation Of
other industries, the price of his products
will be seriously lowered. The burden of
the farmer in debt will be increased; the
conditions for the majority of farmers, out
of debt, will be made harder. 1t may be
that the most prominent and vociferous
advocates of the free and unlimited coin
age of silver at 10 to / are mistaken and
that gold and silver coin will not remain
at a parity II such should be the case
then the farmer who Is in debt could pay his
creditor in deprecated dollars, and he
would find it easier to pay the Gebt II other
influences were not active. But other in