Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-08-09
The Monetary Problem:
THE FARMERS PROSPERITY.
Interesting Facts Brought Out In
Evidence Given Before the
Industrial Commits siOn,

Interesting Facts Brought Out In
Evidence Given Before the
Industrial Commission.
Some very interesting facts are be-
ing brought out in the evidence given
before the industrial commission at
Washington. None of these possess
more Interest for the agricultural read
er than the statistics embraced in the
evidence of Mr.. George X. Holmes, of
the agricultural department, given on
the gath of June. We quote from the
Geographic reports:
HE furnished statistics showing that
the average per capita earnings of farm
laborers in the United States amount tc
1925 per annum, without board, COM
pared to 1927 paid to persons engaged
in domestic service, $42O paid to miners
and $445 paid to those engaged in the
mechanical arts. He also submitted fig
ures showing the per capita produc-
ton of the agriculturists of the United
States to be SLIT in the south Atlantic
states, $211 in the southern central
states, $500 in the north central states,
$3.50 in the north Atlantic states and
$519 in the western states, the average
production in manufactures being $3.50
per capita per annum. From these fig
ures he deducted the conclusion that
the condition of the farm laborer was
wretchedly poor, while that of the
farm owner was little better. He esti-
mated that after all expenses were paid
the farmer received an average of only
$22.61 per month, counting nothing for
interest. For the past few years there
has been constant decline in the price
of farm products, except in meat, dairy
and poultry products"
These facts are all the more interest
ing because they come from an officer
of the present goldbug administration,
which naturally is DESTROYS of keeping
in the dark everything that might have
a tendency to shorten its wretched po-
litical existence. The American farm
| CT ought to be the most prosperous of
all the industrial classes, and yet these
statistics show that he is but little bet
ter than a pauper. His condition is a
disgrace to our civilization, and how
any farmer with the least degree of
common sense--or any sense at all
can continue to support by his vote and
! influence the very measures that pau
perize him and insure heritage of
| slavery for his children, is more than
we can understand. In nine cases out
of ten his action is the result of stu
pid political prejudice that would make
HIN turn him wife and children out to
beg on the public roads rather than look
for anything good in the party that he
is opposed to. In fact his prejudice is
SO intense that he imagines there can
be nothing good in the other party or
it's principles, and so he continues to
''vote for the devil if he is nominated by
his party
| The boosted prosperity that was to
come with the Inauguration of McKin-
leyism has not reached the farmer, and
it never will reach him. The condition
of the farmer is worse to-day than it
ever was, and it will continue to get
worse so long as goldbugism and Shy
| lockism prevail, until the end will come
in the same system of tenantry and serf-
dom that now prevails in Europe. And
this is the set purpose of those who have
made present conditions possible. They
want peasantry to cultivate their
lands, from whom they can draw the
best favored young men and girls to
serve their households and minister tC
their pleasures. Those who have the
money intend to own both the farm and
the farmer, and no person or power on
earth can prevent them from accom-
plishing their purpose except the farm.
er himself. The farmer holds the bal.
ance of power in politics, and he could
make himself master of the situation il
he would. He also holds the meal sack
and the lock to the meal larder, and a
word from him would bring the world
to his feet. But he utters not that
word. He looks blankly into the fu
ture and 'votes as he shot, while Shy.
lock, who never risks his life battle
robs him Of his heritage and blazes the
road to poverty and shame for his chill.
dren.-Mississippi Valley Democrat.