The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-10-31
THE FARMERS TOOLS.
Efficiency OF Agricultural Imple-
ments Greatly Increased
Since S73.

The silver advocates have had so many
of their pet theories absolutely dcmol-
ished by collision with hard facts that
they are now rcsOrting 60 deliberate mis-
representation in hope of breaking the
force of the various exposures they are
meeting. They have attempted 10 make
much capital out of the decline in the
price Of wheat during the last few years
and when attention has been called 10
the cheapcning in the cost of production
by the use Of new and improved mnchin-
cry and the rapid enlargement Of the
commercial surplus OF wheat in other
wheat-growing countries than the United
States they have undertaken 60 deny
both propositions.
In a speech az the Central Music hall
on September 10 Gov. Altgeld IN at
tempting TO answer the arguments pro-
scented by Carl Schurz i'm an address In
the same hall earlier In the campaign,
speaking OF the decline I'm wheat, said:
"rhe truth Is that there has been scarce
~ any Improvement in machinery for
raising and harvesting wheat in lhe last
twenty years
Such a statement is severe reflection
either upon the inventive genius OF
American manufacturers and the pro.
grcssive spirit of American farmers Or
upon the sincerity of Gov. Altgeld him.
self
The truth Is that the greatest improve
mCnts i'm farm implements and machinery
that have marked the latter half Of tho
Nineteenth century have been mad,
since 1873. Not only has the retail price
of all classes of implements used Oh "a,
farm been very much reduced durn,
that time. but the efficiency Of the ma
chinery itself has been even more enor
mously increased. Taking the harvester
alone II has been so improved during IN,
last twenty years that one man can nov
accomplish what required the labor o
five i'm 1873. so that instead OF Their
being scarcely any Improvement IN ma
chinery" for harvesting wheat. the i'm
provements ia the harvester alone ar
shown fully. In other words, II tcda.
only requires onc-fifth OF the labor cos
20 harvest grain that IL did twenty year
AGO.
To entirely overthrow this las. pcrver
sion of truth. with which silver men ar
trying 10 bolster up a losing cause. r,
tail prices Of some Of the principal farr
machinery have been secured from lead
ing manufacturers showing the cost Z
the farmer in 1878 and the cost In 1885,
As the wheat crop begins with the pillow
take the following statement from IN
Oliver Chilled Plow works Of Sout
Bend, Ind. and sec how the cost {
plOws has been reduced.
'We Manufacture plows alone and
the year 1873 chilled plows Of the nun
bcrs 20 and 40 were the leading pa
terms. The same numbers are yer
largely used at this time and our con
parsons are accordingly based on then
Ia 1874 the retail price OF tho No. 30 W,
in 1879 the retail price OF the No. 10 WI
$40
The same piows now retail az $3.50 eac
Cast shares for these plows In 1919 r
tailed at so cents each; now retail az
jointcrs for these piows IN 1879 retaIled
$40 each: now retail at 81 each.
wheels for these piows IN 1873 rctailed
81 80 each; now retail at 81 each.
Clcvisce for these plOWs In 1875 retnlled
81 each: now retail at % cents each
And other Items In about tho same ratl
The construction and quality Of Il
goods are far better than in 1873"
ID. M. Osborne and Company Of A
burn. N. Y. the great manufacturers
harvesting machinery, quoting from ths