The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-23

than farms averages eighty-four hun
dredths of per cent less than the rate of
interest charged on farm loans.
EXPORTS AND FARM LABOR.
During he fiscal year just ended the ex-
ported products of American farms aggre-
gated s510000.000 an increase of 900
over the preceding year. In spite of this
there was falling off in the percentage of
agricultural products exported to the total
exports, but this was due to the unpre-
cedented sale abroad of American manu-
featured goods. The largest market for our
products is admitted to be the home mar
ket. but the export trade is the regulator,
the balance wheel for domestic trade. 1t
follows that the interest of the manufac-
turer well the farmer is found in
the most rapid possible increase of the ex-
port farm products. General prosperity de-
ponds absolutely on agricultural prosperity,
and any commercial system which will in
crease with celebrity, and extend with GER
tainly the export of farm products will be
or the utmost advantage TO agriculture and
all those interested in its profitable expan-
sion. That political economy which best
advances the interest of the agriculturist,
furnishes the best impetus to the manu-
factUrer OF the United States, for his best
customers are farmers and those who de-
pend directly for profit on the prosperity OF
farmers.
Secretary Morton asks if a nation which.
like the United States, possesses the great
est power and facilities for producing and
manufacturing things which the word de-
mands. Is not destined TO monopolize the
markets Of the globe? With the most IA
VOrable conditions for varied and success
full agriculture and the lighteSt burden of
national taxation, what country, he asks,
can compete with this in developing the
best results of human toll with a minimum
of human effort? With our wonderful Ia
bor-Saving contrivances applied to nearly
every avenue of production. the wages paid
in the United States, in the production OF
wheat and cotton for instance. are so 10
loo per cent. higher than in the countries
with which we compete, so the wages pald
in manufactures from metals are from q
TO 100 per cent. higher than the wages paid
workers in the same Industries by other
nations.
Under the foregoing conditions about
loo 600 laborers American farms are
constantly employed in developing agrlcul-
tural products for expectation. AT the same
time with a rapidly increasing export of
manufactured articles from the United
States the number of laborers engaged in
mechanical occupations. who must depend
for their steady employment on the de-
mand which the world makes for American
goods, is constantly increasing.
1T is" he concludes, probably quite
safe TO declare that at least two millions
of American wcrkmen on farms and In
factories subsist almost wholly on en-
ployment based on foreign demand for
American commodities And in this contest
for feeding and furnishing mankind-not-
withstanding the fierce competition which
ii meets all over the globe-American agri-
culture, manufacture and commerce are
steadily gaining more trade. and thus fur
niShing an enlarged wages fund. on a gold
basis out of which some millions of Ameri-
can laborers and skilled artisans draw their
yearly remuneration, and upon which they
and their families largely depend for en-
ployment and comfort"