New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-03
HOW TO HELP FARMERS.

While great crops or corn are pushing INV"
the price Of wheat SO far that In some STATES
agriculture Is much depressed. what remed! II
there for the farmers? 1t Is no disparngcment
Of the protective system to say thai du'ies OH
wheat can help only comparatively few fnrm-
ers along the border, saving for them local
market and thus mitigating the competi'lon 10
which they are subjected from the great wheat
fields Of tho West. But the protective system
helps them aud all other farmers infinitely more
In other ways Neither Is there the possibility
of remedy in the proposal TO pay bounty on
wheat or other farm products exported. II Is
not the need OF farmers anywhere to entire more
people into the raising Of farm crops 40 that
the markets Of the world may be still more
overcrowded.
The one remedy that Is eflicacious. and mas
for many years in measure prevented the
prostraton Of agriculture Is the Development
Of other industries. so that the farmer has more
CONSUMERS TO feed within this country for every
acre he cntivates. The remedy is more cree
tive as is plainly shown by the history of prices
of farm lands in different States compared with
the proportion Of labor employed otherwise than
in agriculture. where the growth Of other in
dustrieS provides for the farmer nearby home
market for the consumption Of other products
than those chiefly exported. so that he Is Ell
abled to raise other crops more largely. and -
emanc!pated from dependence upon outside
markets for wheat and cotton The growth OF
iron manufacture and cotton manufacture IN
Southern States and Of iron mining ana all
branches Of manufacture throughout the North
west has taught this truth to multiiudes who
long refused 10 comprehend 1t. That service The
protective policy is perpetually rendering. and
It's value to the farmers Of this country can In
no way be even approximately computed.
But Government has power to help the farm
ers in other ways and most effectively great
difficulty under which they labor is the over
production of certain crops through ignorance
of the acreage planted or sown in other parts
of the country. The wild inaccuracy Of statis-
tics published profcssedly for the guidance Of
farmers but too often distorted and rendered
fatal to their interests by the desire 10 control
markets in which previous crops are being sold.
has made returns so far valueless and even
hurtful TO the farmer that the stoppage ana
prohibition Of them have been seriously urged.
But because reports by States or by the Gov
eminent in recent years have done much harm
and not much good, II does not follow that
trustworthy reports impractcable that
Suppose that the truth could he known. when
spring opens. as to the acreage sown in winter
wheat md how It has Jared, Is it not evident
that farmers in spring wheat States could de-
eide with some reason whether 10 increase or
decrease their acreage devoted to that crop!
Would there not result. within short time,
such an adjustment Of the acreage to the prob
able needs of the world as has never yet blessed
the farmers? Even during the spring. since
some States begin sowing much earlier than
others. the same guidance would be OF constant
advantage. And this is only one of many crops
which could be regulated in the same manner to
the great benefit Of the farmers, If correct in
formation We're given in regard 10 the progress
of agriculture in different States. Without doubt
Secretary Wilson appreciates fully the bless
ings which such information would confer. and
II may be presumed that in reconstructing his
department he Is aiming TO make II more help
full in that ve-y respect. II he can succeed. even
though the gathering Of the information should
cost the Government a large sum. he will do
more 10 promote National prosperity than many
men in high station ever have power to do.