Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-09-16
Agricultural Depression in England.

The royal commission appointed
nearly four years ago by the Rost berry
government to Enquire into the agri-
cultural depression prevailing in Great
Britain, and whether it can be alleviat.
ed by legislation or other measures"
has at length made it's final report.
The report discusses the distribution
of agricultural depression and its
causes and adds reflections upon the
currency question. recommendations,
etc. In some districts of Great Britain
large areas, according to the report,
have ceased to be cultivated. OF ara
BILE land in 1875 there were 1920, 900
acres and of pasture land 1882. 600
acres; in 1895 arabic land was 10, 967, 900
acres, pasture 1851 900 acres Some
1,900,0 900 acres have ceased to be plant
ed in wheat. In some areas farms can
duction of rent in the more depressed
area is 80 per cent; in other localities
the reduction has been from 90 to 80
per cent. In some grazing and dairy
ing districts the reduction has been
only Is per cent. The production of
grain, live stock, wool, ETC., has been
materially affected. During the last
twenty years agricultural laborers have
decreased in number by 242,053 while
the total population has increased by
6,955.88 In that period farmers have
averaged but go per cent of what was
formerly considered an ordinary profit.
All persons connected with the land
have suffered severely, but the land
owner most of all, having lost both in
rental and in the capital value of his
land. Tenant farmers have lost their
profits and part of their capital In
some few counties there has been fall
of the wages of agricultural laborers.
The depression is affirmed to be due
to a fall of prices. In the last twenty
years the three staple cereals have fall
en- 40 per cent. In the case of wheat
the fall has been 50per cent. Beef has
fallen from "a to 40 per cent, according
to quality; mutton 90 to 80 per cent,
wool over so per cent, dairy produce 80
per cent, potatoes from 20 to 80 per cent,
There has been remarkable increase
in all forms of imported food stuffs.
Some space is given by the commission
to the conditions under which competi-
tors produce and the question of the
probable duration of their ability to
produce cheaply.
In the way of remedies certain modi-
| fications of existing laws are suggested
by the commission by way of lightning
the farmers burdens or aiding him to
bear them. No heroic measure of relief
is proposed; no tariff on farm products,
such as the protectionist landowners
of Germany and France enjoy. Ten of
| the sixteen commissioners, however,
concur in a supplementary report,
which suggests that ''some general
causen for the general decline of prices
| may probably be found in the great
monetary changes which were made in
certain countries in Europe and in the
United States in 1878 and 1874" Moth
| ing is said of the increased use of ma
chinery and improvement of methods
as tending to cheaper production and
render it excessive in 1874, with the re
suit of causing supply to exceed de-
| mand and thus produce the fall of
| prices. This omission is explained
when we look to the circumstances of
| the appointment of the commission
and its personnel. 1t contains Mr.
Chaplin and other protectionists and
bimetallists of his kidney. Having
been appointed by the Radical Govern
ment long time ago it cannot, of
course, be said to represent British
public opinion at the present time.
This seems to be evidenced by the fact
that the commission suggests an sin
ternat1onal arrangement" for ''rever-
sal of the monetary policy of 1871
while not suggesting the abandon
ment of the gold standard in this coun-
try" the ten members of the commits
sion suggest that "the reopening of the
minis abroad and in India and the re-
storation of silver, either wholly or in
part, to the position it filed prior to
1873 would be of the greatest benefit to
tie industry of agriculture. Such ac-
ton by an international agreement. !"
wouli in the opinion of the commits
sioners. check the constant and pro-
gressive fall in prices" and perhaps
cause prices to ''tend to RISE" What
ratio should be fixed by an interna-
tional arrangement is not explained
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