Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-03-04

Washington correspondencs;ss f.,
The usual "kick," about the size Of the
appropriations Of the outgoing Con-
gress, has begun. say usual" for 1t
always COMES at the end Of every Con-
gress. No matter what party Is In
power, those out Of power raise the cry
OF "extravagance."
But Is 1t extravagance, that. the ap-
preparations do grow as the country
grows? And have the farmers any
reason to complain Of the increase Of
appropriations? Do they get their
share Of them, or more or less than
their natural share?
These are questions pertinent to the
present moment, when Congress Is
about to wind up it's work, and 1t Is
found that the appropriations are lit
tie larger than those of last Congress.
There has been an enormous increase
in the appropriations made by Congress
in the past twenty years, undoubtedly.
The appropriations In 1877 amounted to
$15S, 1876, TO-, and in 1897 they amounted
to $685., 1884, 554, having thus more than
doubled in the twenty years time.
Have the farmers suffered by reason
Of this enormous increase In appropria-
tons, or have they been the benefi-
and there has been a disposition to as
sumo that the increased appropriations
were out Of proportion to the increased
benefit which the farmers of the coun-
try received. This constant charge has
created dissatisfaction and complaint
among that large and intelligent class OF
citizens Of the. United States with ref
erence to the increased appropriations.
Let us see about this. There are thir-
teen great appropriation bills, agricul-
tural, army, diplomatic, District of CO.
lumbia, Notifications, Indian, legisla-
tive, military academy, naval, post
office, river and harbor, sundry civil,
and pension. What ones of these In
terest the farmer or directly benefit
him? Agricultural, of course. Then
the postoffice appropriation bill affects
no class of citizens who are more inter-
ested in the extension Of the mail SER
vice or who have enjoyed a greater i'm
provement in the service than the farm
ers Of the country. The river and har-
Dor bill Is also largely for their benefit.
The pension bill distributes very large
share of its enormous appropriation
among the farmers Of the country.
That the agricultural appropriation
bill is especially for their benefit goes
without saying. That the postoffice ap-
preparation bill benefits them very
largely and the improvements in postal
service are largely to their advantage,
everybody will admit when he CON-
pares the frequency and promptness OF
mail transportation and delivery now
with that of twenty years ago. That
the larger river and harbor appropria-
tions have been of advantage to the
farmer, more than any other class of
citizens, is also apparent when the con-
ditions are considered. The improve
ment in water transportation both upon
the rivers and the great lakes has not
only furnished cheaper freight rates
on farm products of all kinds upon the
water lines, but the reduction has
forced corresponding reduction on
the rail lines. The average freight rate
per bushel by lake and canal on grain
from Chicago to New York In 1877 was
11.24 cents. while in 1895 it was All
cents, n reduction OF nearly two-thirds.
The average rate by lake and rail in
1877 was 1913, while in 1895 it was 6.05,
and the all-rail rate, which in 1877 was
20.3, was reduced by 1895 to 1911. 1t
will be seen, therefore, that the river
and harbor improvements of the past
twenty years have wonderfully reduced
the freight rates which the farmers
must pay upon their grain to get ii to
market. That a very large portion Of
the money expended for pensions goes
among farmers everybody knows. That
question is not necessary to be discuss
ed in detail, for it Is well-known fact
that very large proportion Of the pen
sioners of the country are farmers.
Now let us see whether the increase
in appropriations in the past twenty
years has especially benefited the farm
er, or some other class of citizens. That
the farmers are the most benefited by
the four bills above acknowledgement
ture, postofiice, river and harbors and
pensions-will be generally conceded.
1t is interesting then to see what the
increase Of these four bills has been
i'm the past twenty years and compare
this with the general increase in all
appropriation bills.
The following table gives the amount
appropriated by the four bills especial
ly affecting farmers in the year 1877
and also in 1896, thus showing the
increase in the improvements which es-
pecially affect and benefit the agricul-
tural communities Of the country:
1877. 1896.
Arr;o,tt,,rol &1e5 OOO GO QOo 75n