The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
LOSSES IN FARMING.
NON-POLITICAL STATISTICS
FROM NEW YORK.
1t Is Evidently Time for the Farmers
to Try Some Measures for tho Better
ing OF Their Conditlon-Bolton Halls
Logical Views

Although the state of New York gave
nearly 100000 majority for the gold
! standard in 1896, the farmers of that
state could have reversed the result had
T they been SO, disposed. ,Put ths farm
ers in that region stood by Wall street.
Bimetallism has never made much
Roadway in the interior of New York,
and all the agricultural countries gave
maJorities for Mckinley. Hence one
would suppose that New York farmers
had been prospecting with Wall street
under the gold standard; but what are
| the facts?
Bolton Hall writes as follows: Find
ing New York City so crowded by able
bodied men out of employment, not a
lew OF whom were apparently willing
10 labor in the country districts if sit
uations could be found for them, the
Association for Improving the Condi-
tlon of the Poor determined to make in
curry into the relation between the
congested population in cities and the
reported existence of deserted farms
Having been furnished by special
contribution with sufficient funds to
conduct limited investigation, the
committee secured the services of a Mr.
kJelgarrd, an intelligent Pennsylvania
FARMER, to travel through such Of the
agricultural districts of New York state
as ne could reach during the summer
months, with the purpose of gathering
information by personal inquiry and
observation,
At the same time, Mr.. George r.
| PoWell, an agricultural expert, of
Ghent, Duchess county, N. Y, under
TOOK, at the committees request, to
conduct by correspondence the same
inquiry. He showed, conclusively. that
the farms are falling into disuse.
From 1890 to $780, the population
OF the country increased twelve times,
While that Of the cities Of 5000 inhab-
ltants and over increased eighty-six
times. In 1870, one thirtieth of the
population of the United States lived in
cities and in 1880, nearly one-fourth.
IN the past one hundred years, the pop
ulation Of New York state has multi
Piled itself more than seventeen times,
and that of the city about forty-six
tlmes. During the same period, the
city of Albany has increased twenty
seven times"
The reason is evident. Mr.. Kiel-
gard reports that Is per cent of the
New York state farmers are not max
Ing living, and 5 per cent on the esti-
mated value Of their farm property; 40
per cent are running behind every
year. The farmers are not paving
more than per cent interest for their
money, and GA per cent report no
knowledge of accounts being kent
These observations are substantially
confirmed by Mr.. Powell.
Inc reasons assigned by the farm
ers for their lack of prosperity. while
taxing many forms, usually are equiv
alent to the simple statement that
prices for farm products are too low
Yet the farmers of New York voted for.
monetary policy that will avowedly
keep prices low, and voted against free
silver coinage, which the New York
Wall street organs constantly proclaim
would double prices. But Senator
Chandler Of New Hampshire saws thew
Will vote differently next time. Let
us hope so.
Mr.. Hall comments: "One can hard
iy avoid the conclusion that the true
cause of the evil has hardly vet been
reached Is not this principal cause?
The land for miles around our cities
the very land which ought to supply
abundant crops, being near the sources
Of manure-the land which is near the
market for its productive land upon
which the farmer could work and still
enjoy the blessings Of society and hu-
man intercourse, is taken out of use by
speculation. 1t is generally either I'M
used or badly cultivated, on account of
the uncertain tenure of the cultivation
So the farmer is forced out to regions
"Way Back to Back Woods or to
"Lonelytown.'
Mr.. Kjelgaard incidentally reports
the remarks: THE farmers are getting
tired OF this struggle. For want of So
cial conditions, churches and schools
the boys won't stay on the farm. and
the old folks cannot get competent
help to work them" 'sThe better edu-
cational and social facilities are offered
by the town, and the natural desire of
men is to live in communities. "The
best farm laborers leave the country
for cities to obtain yearly work, which
most farmers do not furnish in late
years; also to perform less hours of