Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-02-18

Farmers for Tariff.
Washington correspondence;
'r A curious controversy, and one which
will interest the farmers of the United
States, has broken out here among the
politicians and those interested In the
issues OF the late campaign. 1t relates
to the attitude of the farmers on the
questions which formed the dividing
lines In the contest OF 1896, and Is the
more curious since 1t grows out OF fig
ures obtained from reports OF the De-
partment Of Agriculture. These figures
show that the value Of the farm lands
In the States giving their electoral votes
to Mckinley is SO, 439, 35S, l. 1856, and that
OF the States giving their electoral vote
to Bryan, $1,000, 479,173. The value Of
the farm lands OF the United States Is
given as $13, 24S, S37, 800. 1t will be seen
therefore that the States giving their
electoral votes to Bryan comprised 2S.S
per cent. of the farm lands in value in
the United States. The value Of the
farm products in the States which gave
their electoral votes to Mckinley, ac-
cording to the Department of Agricul-
ture, Is, in round numbers, go per cent
of the total value of the farm products
OF the country. A study of the farm
mortgage question as developed by the
result of the election Is extremely in
teresting. 1t was assumed that the
people who were burdened with real
estate mortgages would be ready and
anxious to support a policy which
promised "cheap money" with which
they could pay off their mortgages. 1t
was urged by the Republicans during
the campaign that this assumption was
not only mistake, but an insult to the
farmers. The result showed the ac-
curacy of this assertion. The States
giving their electoral votes to McKin-
ley have, according to the Department
of Agriculture, real estate mortgages
amounting to $4,S33, 5S2,O1S, while
those casting their votes for Bryan
have real estate mortgages amounting
to only $1,125,11s, 1856. Those States
which voted for Bryan and "cheap
money" have but 1919 per cent. of the
real estate mortgages of the country.
In the agricultural States which gave
their votes to Bryan the Republican
gains were very great, showing that
the assertion that cheap money was
wanted to pay off mortgages was not
supported by the farmers in those
States. In Missouri, for instance, which
has $214,909,772 Of real estate mort
cages there has been a steady gain in
Republican strength since the agitation
Of this proposition. In the Congress
sional election of 1890, about the be-
ginning of the agitation for cheap mon
ey with which to pay Off farm mort
cages, the Republicans obtained but
AZ per cent. Of the votes of the State.
In 1892 they obtained over AZ per cent,
and in 1894, 46 per cent, while in 1889
the percentage was about the same,
despite the great efforts made by the
Democrats to restore their former as
tendency. The same may be said of
Kansas, which in 1890 gave but AZ per
cent. of votes to the Republican candi-
date, but in 1896 gave 4S per cent. to
Mckinley. Nebraska in 1890 gave but
"a per cent. of votes to the Republican
candidate, in 1892 AZ per cent, and in
1896 46 per cent, despite the fact that
the Democa tic-Silver candidate was
from that State. Indeed, in every one
of the agricultural States the Republi-
can party has made steady gains since
the proposition for ''cheap money to
pay farm mortgages was made the
rallying cry Of the Democrats and Pop
ulists.
The farmers who have come to
Washington, or sent representatives
here to present their claims in behalf
of protective tariff find in these fig
ures strong support for their asser-
ton that they have right to recogni-
ton. These figures show that the
States which gave their electoral votes
to Mckinley contain 71.2 per cent of
the assessed value of the farm lands
Of the United States and produce prac-
tcally 60 per cent. of the entire farm
products of this country. 1t is rather
curious fact that in all matters relating
to farm affairs, values OF lands, values
of products, real estate mortgages.
wages paid, sums paid for interest, the
States most deeply interested refused
to support the candidate whose plat
form was expected to meet the approx
al Of the agriculturist and especially
the debt-burdened agriculturist.
or the $2,456, 463, 219 worth of farm
products produced in the United States
only 1903, 53S, 4S4 came from States
supporting Mr.. Bryan by their electoral
vote and of the farm lands whose total
valuation is $13. 24S, 1877 800 only $780,
4I9,173 worth Is located in the States
which are found in the Bryan column.
They assert that the assumption of the
late campaign that the farmers would
support free coinage of silver, coupled
with free trade or n low rate Of pro-
lection, was an erroneous one.
They Oppose Prosucrity.
Commenting on Mr.. Bryans contin-
ded complaint about Business condi-
lions, the Indianapolis Journal says:
''Mr. Bryan has never made the ac-
quaintance of what are called facts.
He has little use for them in his bust
ness. He does not know, and does not