The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-01-01
THE FUTURE
OFTHE FARMER.

OFTHE FARMER.
The above was the subject of dis
cussion on Tuesday last by members
of the American Economic Associa-
ton which has been holding it's ninth
annual meeting at lowering Hall,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore,
this week.
Prof. W. \. Scott, of the University
of Wisconsin, said: sit is difficult to
talk of agriculture in general, because
there are such entirely different condi-
tions in different sections. In one part
of New York State with which | am
familiar the farmer is in pretty bad
way. but in Wisconsin | do not see
that the farmer has such cause to com
plain.
ss'rhe era of bonanza farming is GER
tainly coming to a close in the middle
West, and the big farms are breaking
up there To me it seems that we are
in transitional era, because the con-
dtiOns of agricultural production have
not been adjusted to the conditions Of
consumption. The farmer is rather
slow to realize the real conditions Of
his surroundings, but think he will
do so ultimately"
Prof c. S. Walker, of Massachusetts
Agricultural College, said: at seems
to me that there is decided agricul-
tural question. 1t is whether the
American farmer shall become peas
ant tiller of the soil or will maintain
the independent position of our earlier
farmers Today the farmer, after de
Quoting rent, interest on his ownings
and wages for superintendent, receives
less for his actual labor than his own
hired man or the cheapest worker i'll a
factory. But believe that he will
maintain his position in the end.
lie is learning to cooperate; is
learning the principle of division of
labor, learned long ago by the man in
industrial pursuits. and he is demand
ing education. To me there is great
hope in our gricultural colleges. They
are to he found in every State; the
farmers sons are going to them and
taking away from them Il knowledge
of the economies OF agriculture which
cannot fail to be ofimmense advantage.
today is because he has not been pro
tected, while manufacturers have, and
because he has not learned the lesson
of cooperation.
Mr. Thomas j. Sherman. Brook
lyn lawyer and writer upon economic
topics, said that he believed that there
was great deal of truth in the farm
er's complaint that he was overtaxed.
In the townships of Massachusetts he
had found that for the care of the in
sane and other such burdens which
should fall upon the people ofthe whole
State local taxation was the method
followed and was excessively severe.
''The trouble with the farmer he
continued, sis that he is always look
ing for his remedy in the wrong direc-
ton He wants to tax the man who
has loaned his money on a mortgage OF
the man who borrows money by the
hypothecation of it. And in this effort
the corporations are overlooked. We
have given the corporations too much
power. have relieved them of too much
taxation. They ought to pay and pay
heavily for franchises. | know some
thing about this, because am coun-
sci for the street railways of Brooklyn.
Every dollar of its stock and good
proportion of its bonds represent no
tangible property, nothing save the
franchises which have been voted to it.
No wonder the farmer is complaining.
1t is the same with our big railways.
Not 10 per cent. of the stock of most
Of them represents anything they have
really paid for. What we want to do
to help the farmer should be toward I'M
doing the bad legislation of the past.