Mohave County miner., 1897-01-30
The Situation m NeW York.

Now that the election IS over, and the excitement Of the campaign has sub sided, the people should lay aside all partisan feeling and carefully examine
 their own situation.
 As we look around the horizon of the industrial world in vain endeavor to find a ray of hope, we see nothing but the sombre indications of more distress, more want, more suffering The wave of pros- perity so confidently predicted by the men who sought to tasten the gold stand ard upon the people seem as far distant as ever The times continue to grow steadily worse; banks and commercial houses continue to fail, and business re- mains in the same comatose state, de spite the constant reiteration of the gold bug press that "confdence has been re- stored"
 The dire effects of the single gold standard have been as keenly felt by the farmers and wealth producers of thls state as by any class of people in this country and if they would avert the dan gers that threaten to overpower them they must disentangle themselves from the blind leadership of party politics and meet the issue side by side and shoulder to shoulder without regard to past af- filiations.
 Each spring as ever increasing num- Der of farmers find themselves unable to meet the demands of their creditors and pay theIr interest, and are forced to sur render their homes and become tenants. According to the census ot 1890, of the 226,632 families occupying farms in this state, only 97 ,509 owned their homes free of incum brance, the remaining 129, 123 being tenants or living on heavily mort gagged farms. Owing to the great drop in prices and the consequent hard times since the census it is safe to say that the number of mortgaged farms and tenant farmers has enormously increased dur ing the last six years. In many cases the farms morigaged would sell for no more than the amount of the debt, In thls great agricultural county of Wash ington, large majority of the farmers are struggling against constantly appre ciating mortgages, absolutely without hope of solvency if the present times continue. This is condition that ought not Jo exist in | state with so many nat ural advantages and resources, and where the soil is so fertile and productive.
 The depreciation of farm lands has been so great that places which formerly sold tor 12,OOOf to HOODS can now be bought for 3,0OO$ and 4,OOO$ The prices of produce have fallen at even a greater ratio, and the farmer who, twenty five years ago sold his wool for 90 cents a pound sold last fall for 12 cents pound Rye has dropped from 80 cents and Is to 80 cents bushel. Potatoes, the prnci- pal crop of the farmers Tn this section, in spite of the light yield, sell for but P cents per bushel. Other things have fallen as much; and yet in the face of this cala nitous drop in prices taxes have risen, making it more difficult for the tiller of the soil to meet his obligations The prevailing low prices make it impos- sible Tor one to pay for farm out of the proceeds of his own toil, ID matter how industrious and economical he may be, and he must ultimately give up the object of hIs highest ambition-the place he would call his home. To have a place one may call hls own, humble though it be, aids in the making of good citizenship. How long shall ii bc before honest toll will receive it's just reward How long before the farmers of New York and of the United States will see that it is low prices that is accomplishing their ruin? How long will they be de, ceived by gibtongued politicians who seek to perpetuate the existing dsas- trous conditions?
 Nearly twenty four long years have passed since the peoples money was surreptitiously destroyed. For twenty four long years the same industry chok- Ing influence has been at work. Every victory of the money power has been fol lowed by giving the screw another twist. Each year has brought harder times than the year preceding it, until now, hard pressed by debts, and interest, and taxes, the people are making their last stand If we would be saved, we must save our