Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-06-29
A FARMERS TRUST.
A Grange President Believes One to
Be Impracticable.
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE DEPRESSED
By the Opening Of the S0ulanges Canal
In Canada the Cost OF Transport
Ing Wheat by the Great Lakes
Will BE Reduced.

Ager, president of the Maryland state
grange, Patrons Of IIusbandry, was be-
fore the industrial commission yester-
day. He said a trust among the farm
crs, such as was suggested by Mr..
IIavemcyer, was impracticable, owing
to the difficulty of getting the farmers
to hold up prices. Speaking of negro
labor, he said il was unreliable because
of the natural Incidence and indiffer-
ence of individuals of the race. Liquor
he regarde | as the great ban Of that
people and responsible for nne-tenths
of the crimes committed by them. He
considered the condition OF the average
farmer worse than it was 20 years ago,
but he believed money invested In farm
ing safer than in other lines of bust
ness. He attributed the number Of
abandoned farms in the states to the
fact that they were owned by non-resi-
dents He said the grange was not so
prosperous in point of numbers as for
merly and he attributed the falling off
largely to the fact that the grange
could not be used in politics.
H. W. YOumans, Of South Carolina,
occupied the witness stand during the
afternoon session. lie said the agri-
cultural interest OF the south was great
~ depressed, and he attributed the de-
preston to the fact that silver was not
recognized as a money metal. He said
there had not been an increase to the
volume Of money to correspond with
the volume of population. As conse-
quence there had been general de-
probation Of values. lie was proceed
ing to develop his views upon ispoint
when Maj Farquhar made point Of
order against the character Of the testi-
mony, and the point was sustained by
the chair Mr.. Harris) after somewhat
spirited encounter between Represent
alive Livingston and the republican
members.
Mr.. Youmans then proceeded to other
considerations. lie thought the tariff
also an obstacle to progress, saying
that while the cotton grower of the
United States was compelled to COM
pete with the cheap labor of the world
In sales abroad, he was not allowed to
buy the product of that labor in other
articles abroad without paying duty
of 40 per cent upon it. As remedies
he suggested the free coinage Of silver,
a lower tariff and local banks of issue.
He had tried the diversifcation OF
crops and had not been successful.
Mr.. Youmans said he had no fault to
find with negro labor and that he pre-
ferrcd it infinitely to imported labor.
81 employ 800 or 400 negroes, he said,
"and find them docilc and willing to
work. go away and leave my family
among them, feeling confident of their
safety and protection" He thought,
however, that the negro was, as u rule,
irresponsible to the efforts to educate
him, and while he willingly paid his
share for such efforts at education, he
considered the money so spent thrown
away.
REDUCE COSTS OF TRANSPORTATION.
Chicago, June 22.-The Record to-
day says; The Canadian government
will open the Soulanges canal in Au-
gust, and by its operation the cost of
transporting lake freights to tide water
will be reduced beyond the possibility
of profitable competition by any other
existing route. The cost of transport
ing wheat via the lakes and Erie canal
will be reduced one-half. The same is
equally true of all other products des-
tined for transatlantic ports from the
territory tributary to the great
lakes. In this enterprise the Cana
dian government has expended over
s62, 10000 Besides this, there
has been expended from canal reve-
nues for repairs and betterments
enough to make total of $4,000, 900.
The United States government has paid
out but $40, 900, 900 for all purposes on
The great lakes, their harbors and con.
nections since the beginning of the
government 1t is generally accepted
by shippers that Liverpool makes the
price of cash wheat, and that every
cent saved on the cost Of delivering ii
1t Liverpool means that much more to
be paid to the owner of the wheat at
+he time it is sold and shipped. As the
saving on wheat will be somewhere
near three cents bushel, the added re-
turns to the farmer of the northwest
for the single item of wheat would in
)ne year amount to 50, 600, 900; on Other
exports Of his producing he would prob.
ably save twice asmuch more in freight
liui kNs' inns, ~ 10 lutubul, Will
operate to open the eyes of the farmer
about the great lakes to the Importance
Of a deep waterway to the Atlantic
which would still further increase the
value of his products, While the north
west may contemplate with gratihca.
lion the prospect of q new and cheaper
water route to the Atlantic, New York
IS beginning to awaken from its long
continued disregard of the require
nents of western commerce, 0bservant
persons are confident that New York
,ity will lose much of its enormous ex-
port shipping business, which amounts
10 somewhere near l50,0OO,0OO bushels
Of grain onsuaiiy.
Would Not support His Family.
Danville, Ill.,, June %. james Briley.
VI Rossville, staggered into the police
'tation here and reported that he was