The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-10-07
What 1t Has Meant to the Ag-
ricultural Glasses.
IT is SIMPLY ENORMOUS.
The Appreciation Of Gold Has Been
the Sole Cause.
DATES BACK TO THE CRIME OF '73.
General A. j. Warner Presents Figures
which Show That the Demonotiza-
tion of silver Was Very
Expensive.

States in 1895, then worth $50O,OOO,OOO,
at the price OF 1873 would have been
worth $1,000 OOO,OOO or S7Oo,OOO,OOO
more than in 1896; and at prices of
1896 they would have been worth
S430, 100000 more than they were
worth then; nor has there been any
increase in the number Of horses since
1893, but on the contrary a decided
decrease as will appear further on.
The 2,27S,0O0 mules in 1896, at the
prices of 1873, would have been worth
1925 100000 instead of 100000, 900, or
s125, 900, 900 more, and at prices Of 1898
they would have been worth S55, ,OO0,-
900 more than they were in 1896; and,
Us In the case of horses, the number
has decreased instead Of increasing.
The 16,1370OO milch cows in the
country in 1896, at the prices of 1878,
would have been worth to the farmers
s4S0, 900, 900, instead Of $500, 900, or
$220,O00,OO0 more than they we're
worth; and at the prices of cows in
1893, they would have been worth
1856, 900, 900, instead Of $260,000,000 or
s95, 900, 900 more; and there are not as
many COWS in the country now by
some 100000 as in 1898, although there
are over 100000 more people. The
fall in the price Of milCh cows, there
fore, is not on account of increased
numbers. II there had been an in
crease in the number Of cows propor-
tionate to the increase of population,
the price of cows would doubtless be
much lower than they are now.
At the prices that prevailed in 1873
other cattle would have been worth to
farmers in 1896 $3.50, ,OOO,0 900, instead OF
s5OS, 900, 900, or s142, 900 more. In
1896 there were 5000, 900 less other cat
tie than in 1873, and the price per head
slightly increased.
At the prices OF 1873, sheep would
have been worth $1O4,O00, 900, instead
of SEQ, 900, or $39,CvO,OOO more, and
$37, 900, 900 more at the prices Of 1898,
notwithstanding a reduction of 20 per
cent in the number of sheep in the
country.
The value of swine to farmers in
1896, If they could have got the prices
of 1898, would have been $50, 100000
more. Nor was this fall the result of
an increase in the number of swine,
but on the contrary the number fell
from 100000 in 1892 to 100000 in
1896.
Altogether the decline in the value
OF farm animals TO farmers since 1873
has been $1,22O,OOO,OOO. That is, if
last year (1s96) they could have got
the prices of 1873 for all farm animals
they would have been worth to them
$1,22O, 100000 more than they were
worth, and to that extent their power
to pay debts and taxes has been re-
duced.
And compared with prices in 1898,
before the use Of silver as money was
entirely cut off by the closing OF the
mints Of India and the repeal Of the
so-called Sherman law in the United
States, the loss to farmers by the fall
in the prices Of farm animals has been
over $500, 100000. In other words, at
the prices of 1898 farm animals would
have been worth to the farmers of this
country in 1895 more by $500, ,0O0, 900
than they were worth. Nor is this at
all attributable to an increase in the
number of farm animals, for there
has been, as stated above, an absolute
decrease IN number from 1893 to 1896,
Ms follows:
In horses from 10000 to 49,.
124,OOO, or ..,......,,........ Loss, 900
In mules from 1881, 900 to 2,27s,.
OOO, or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. b3, 900
In mllch cows from 10, 424, 900 to
1e,137, 900, or ................ 2s7,OoO
In other cattle from 35,394,0 900
to 82,Os5,OOO, or ............... ssGo, 900
In sheep from 47,273,OOO to 49,
29s,ooO, or ..............,..... s975,OOo
In swine from 46,O94,oOO to 49,
$4,000, or .................... 3252, 900
Altogether a total loss in num-
Ders OF '.',.,,......,.,,,,. 17,5lS, 900
Moreover, the number and value of
farm animals have continued to de-
cline since 1896. The agricultural de-
partment, in a note to its New Ser
ies," Report No. 145, says, "The total
value of farm animals has fallen AZ
per cent. since 1896 and 1873 per cent.
since 1893" This would indicate a
decline In the value of all farm ami
mails since 1898 Of over 1926, 900, 900. In
other words there has been an abso-
aute reduction in the number of farm
animals since 1898 Of all kinds from
184, ,2S2,000 head to 46,764 900 in 1896,
and to 0,446,00O in 1897, and at the
same time there has been a heavy de-
cline In their value to farmers.
Increase of Population.
Population In 1873 was ....... Al, ,e87, 900
Population In 1893 was ., 90 500 600
Population In 1897 was ... 1900 900
Increase OF population from 1873 to 1897,
72.5 per cent.
Increase OF population from 1898 to 1897,
0.3 per cent.
Thus while population has increased
sance 1893 by Y.3 per cent, farm ami
mails have decreased In number 4.3 per
cent. and in value 1873 per cent. There
can be but one explanation for the de-
cline in value under these conditions,
namely, the falling off in the supply OF
money. General prices are determined
by the proportion between money and
the things to be exchanged against
money. How long shall this continue2
Decline In the Value of Farm Produtcs
From 1873 10 1896.
The corn crop OF 1896 is reported