The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-08-27

land but try to feel happy over theh
as we may. the following comes up TO
mar our pleasure and dispel the dream.
That prices of agricultural products, in
stead OF advancing since 1895 have &C.
tualv declined. az you viii see from the
following table, which can be easily vcri-
fed:
Aug. o. Aug. q,
1895. 1899.
New York price Of Au-
gust cotton. ........<... '40 BIO
Chicago price of Septcm-
Der Whclf........ .....-.-- ~ '-]s
Chicago price Of SePem-
her corn. ............-.... otts GA
Chicago price of Septem-
Der oats. ................. Dls 1'f
Chicago price Of Septem-
Der lard. ................ o.lo O'--i2
Chicago price of Septem-
her RIBS. .............. 6.15 $40
Chicago price Of Septem-
Der pork. .............. 80 30
This shows that prices for the above
seven articles produced by the farmer
are nearly two per cent cheaper at>the
present time than they were in August,
1880 If we could stop here then might
We still revel I'm that "cOntentment and
hope" you picture 20 US, but the worse
side is yet 70 be seen. The farmer, as
above shown. taking his produce 20 mar
ket, receiving two per cent. less than he
received four years ago. goes 10 buy
fencing wire tools tin and almost any
manufactured article, finds that the
prices. as compared with four years ago.
are from Ed 10 400 per cent higher, and
that his produce I'm exchange for these
articles brings less by half I'm some cases
and less ly four-f0ld I'm others than the
same produce brought when the sO-calied
hard times We're upon the country. ! am
no apolOgOst for Mr.. Bryan; ] never be-
lieycd I'm his free silver theory, and,
barring some temporary effects. II we
were to 60 10 the silver standard. the
farmers condition would soon be the
same but this condition confronts us, and
it Is calling I'm no uncertain tones for so
luton. il is not Mr. Bryan's free silver
that makes him so strong. but his strength
lies in the fact that the people regard him
as their Champion. fighting for an amelio-
ration of unjust conditions that have
borne heavily upon the agricultural I'M
terest of this country. Mr.. Bryan offers
n remedy however useless il may BE,
while, ON Che other hand, The Times
offers them nothing except supine sub
mission % wrong, therefore the people
go with Mr. Bryan and do not go with
The Times. DO YOU think II would be
creditable 20 the farmer intelligence If
he were 10 feel much effect of good times
when he sells his crop and can haul
home with one horse that for which he
exchanged the same amount Of crop for
merry and had 90 employ two horses 20
haul 10 home2 To he four years ago sold
his c0ttQn for nearly seven and a half
cents "a pound and bought iron pipe 10
ne id mil
cents @ foot thus getting for one hundred
pounds Of cotton two hundred and fifty
feet of pipe he cannot see how his hope
and c0ntentment' comes I'm when now he
takes The Same hundred pounds Of cotton
and sells 90 at about five and three-Quar-
ter cents and pays eight cents a foot for
the pipe thus receiving seveniy-two feet
OF pipe now as against 2O feet
four years ago. This IS one of the bene-
Cts that the farmer receives from mod
crn invention and accumulated capital"
and, no doubt. the most OF them fully ap-
prec.ate these fay0rs and VIII repay them
by voting and working for any leader that
offers 90 save them from their friends.
the capitalists Ne must 80 deeper than
gold or silver n we oxpoct 70 arrive az
causes and apply The true remedy. The
money question. ] think was only the
exponent Of conditional symptom OF
disease In the body polite rather than
cause of the disease. Your sO-calicd pros
pcrity must 20 ON to its logical end,
which Is collapse and panic, and then
we must YEARLY take up the thread
again 10 spin out more good times that
will I'm turn nc followed by another col
lapse Such q system OF economies IS abb
soiutoiy incvcusabe The idea that men
SHAH bend every energy IN so-callod good
times 90 accumulate by all manner Of
means wealth at the expense Of the
weaker I'm order that thoy may be out
Of danger when the crash comes. Is re.
pugnant TO every sense Of justice. II re-
solves itself into this, thar business IS
war and war Is he'll. Truly might we
learn wisdom from the brute creation.
The lion preys upon other animals. but
not upon his own species
A. r. THOMAS.
Lynchburg, Va. Aug q. 1899.
A difference Of two per cent Is surely
not one to make the farmer very despair
ing. supposing that his condition was a
coed one in August 1895. But why should
Mr.. Thomas have picked out August 2lst
1899. as the day for comparison The
markets are always shifting, and he could
easily have picked out a day two months
ago. when tina commodities he has select
cd would have shown a percentage OF