The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-04
wheat crop would have paid the ex-


penses OF the government almost twice
over. In 1859. however, the American
wheat crop sold for only s3i2,<9l.7o7
while the expenses of government were
s13. 100000 in excess Of this sum; and in
1898 the wheat crop brought $23I ,9Ss, ,s9S
while the government cost si3S, S,l1S.426
or nearly twice as much. Our Phila-
delpha contemporary notes also that
in its city the municipal government
costs Si7 per cent more today than It
did ten years ago, although the popu-
lation has not grown to exceed SO l-S
per cent, and the wages of labor are
lower now than then. with employment
less regular and secure.
This downward movement in prices,
which it will be remembered was veri-
fed four years ago by special inquiry
by a committee of the senate. is con-
trasted in another way with the rigid
ity of tax charges in a statement pre-
Selteu DeloTe Tue TdiiIodu coiliiiisSioH-
ers of Illinois by ]. II. Paddock. He
showed that in 1896 164, 529 miles of rail-
way yielded to their owners and credi-
tors four million dollars less than had
been yielded by l47,SS3 miles in 1888,
but that they paid nearly fourteen mil
lion dollars more taxes. Stating the
fact in different way, he alleged that
while. in the period referred to. the
taxes per mile Of road had increased
from $l72 to $23S, the net income, ap-
plicable to fixed charges. had fallen
from 81, ,965 per mile to $1,739. AS go
the railways, SO goes general trade.
Coming more directly to the agricul-
tural phase Of this question, we have
no lack of evidence as to the deprecia-
ton which is in progress in the value of
farm lands and farm products. We
published some weeks ago the results
Of special inquiry made into this sub
ject In New York state. covering every
agricultural county. The conclusion, it
will be remembered, was that while
nearby city markets for farm produce
had increased between 1880 and 1890 to
exceed 100 per cent, estimating me in
crease in urban population which has
to depend upon the farms for Its food
supply, the net falling off In the value
of farm produce in 1890 as compared
with 1880 was over 81 per cent. Or. as
George r. Powell expresses 1t, while
from 1870 to 1880 more wealth was add
ed to our country than England had
| accumulated in her entire history prior
to that period, from some cause or
causes farmers had not shared in the
proportion of this great gain as their
great interest would seem to have war;
ranted. While city landed property
has steadily advanced and corporations
have had added to them millions in
profits, farm land has deprecated in
value, and the income from the soil has
been growing steadily less.'
The foregoing are few Of the facts
which offer fruitful soil for the propa-
cation Of the free silver crusade. II
those who wish to defend the gold
standard until bimetallism shall be es-
tablished by International agreement
want, instead Of losing ground, to gain
it, they should direct definite argu-
ments to proving that these evidences
Of a general decline in prices are not
brought about by the narrowing Of the
base Of the worlds currency to one
precious metal but are due to wholly
different causes, such as over-produc-
tion, the opening Of new grain fields
multiplied facilities of production and
transportation and the passing Of the
individualistic in favor of the collectiv.
list type of Industrial activity. Merely
calling the silver men names will not
convince them Of the error of theil
ways.
Even the managers Of the Trunk
Lines association now admit that ar