Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-12
The Uurdens of the Farmers.

To the Editor OF the Dlspatch'
The money-changers and manufacturers
are making the land resound with their
vociferations OF prosperity. II condiuohs
Justify this. then we have begun TO bulln
the house from the top, instead OF the
bottom.
Agriculture, which is the foundation OF
all solid prosperity because no other IN
terest can exist without il; an interest III
which about half the people in this coun-
try are directly engaged, and dependent
upon IL for a living, has experienced No
| change for the better. The average faTin
| er is worse of to-day than he was IN th'
midst of the Cleveland panic. The prices
OF many of his products are lower now
| than they were then and he is compelled
| by law to pay more for his store goods.
! The cost Of production OF most OF our
staple crops, If not all, except under inc
most favorable conditions, IS more 'ha'
the market price. lndisputable eVideh1,
Of this is the merely nominal price OF
lands. Lands which. under normal condi-
tions formerly sold at from $40 10 $50 per
acre. now sell at 81 per acre. There car
be but one explanation Of this, and thal
Is that there is no profit in working land
Now. the people who own the SOIL OF
| a country and are jewellers In MONIES.
with all the good influences which such
life carries with II, constitute us man
conservative strength; and, IT would seem
| ought 10 be entitled 10 some conslderd-
ton from the government which they
| CHIEFLY maintain. But this is not the case
as any one can ascertain VINO Wlshes u
know the truth.
The politician. imagining himseh
! statesman. boasts of our large exports
| and bis, balance OF trade. forgetting that
| Cd ri
OF the articles that produced the result
and that. too, at goldbug prices, or nall
their normal value, as reckoned In money
under the gold standard. With bmetailism
ar normal monetary conditions, prevail
ing the money value of our exports woulo
have been double what they were, ana IN
balance of trade in our favor Wou'l nav
been about the enormous sum or $2ov
0O0OO0. lie points with pride 70 the ID
crease Of railway traffic, and the~cons'
quent enhancement in value or STOCK
and bonds. and yet ignores the cause j.
the main, the increased products OF lH'
farm. In fine. look where you WILL IN III
counting-house. or factory, tho railwa
Office the press. the halls of legislation
the stock exchange the wheat corn cot
ton. or tobacco exchanges, and the farmer
and his interests are not 10 be round
except as a goose 10 be plucked.
VIII you find them In the courts OF law
as objects of protection? Alas, even tnes'
are registers OF the will Of the money
power! and will pronounce any law un
constitutional which proposes to make th'
rich bear their proper share or the our
dens OF the ~vernment, which creates
FOR them Il ditons and opportunities
which I'll thl Golfers out Of the earninsi
OF honest industry. If anybody doubts
this let him consult Mr.. Justice Shiras
Again. we have laws for the suppression
Of trusts. which are robbing honest pro
auction Of its reward and compelling con
sumers TO pay what suits the interests o.
, these respectable thieves in combination
and vet they laugh the courts 10 scorn
But Duty and Destiny now holds tn'
helm Of government, and probably IL i
OFT destiny which infiicts these evils, ah'
our duty 10 submit 10 them uncomplain
inelv. If this be so, the people will be ap
To saw Of them what Vanderbilt said o
the public
do not know whether this will find
Mace in the columns OF the Dispatch.
am sure it would not in most or IN
great ca newspapers. and the reason j
Z that IL contains too much of truth. Truth
Justice and right are a long ways below
mar. and our government is little concern
ed about establishing parity" betweel
these and the interests OF the money
changer. ARMS hAD - - ~ " i'i-i~
Woburn. Va, March g. 1899.