Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-07
FARMERS ELECT OFFICERS
National Congress Listens to Paper
on "Western Tenant and Eastern
Landlord by Hilton of Topeka.

BOSTON Oct. 6.-The delegates to the
Farmers National congress were received
by Governor Wolcott at the state house
today.
Hon. II. c. Adams, dairy commissioner OF
Wisconsin, delivered an address before the
congress on The Necessity of Pure Food
Legislation"
These officers were elected: President
II. p. Hoard, Fort Atkinson, Wis; first vice
president, p. G. F. Cambridge. Brookline,
Mass; secretary, John NJ. Stahl; treasurer,
L. Van Morrison, Pennsylvania; executive
committee, B. F. Clayton, Iowa; T. c.
Slaughter Texas; E. l.. Furness Indiana;
w. G. Whitmore Nebraska E. F. Whe-
stein, Kentucky.
At the evening session among the papers
read was THE Western Tenant and His
Eastern Landlord by H. s. Hilton, To-
peka, Kan, read by F. D. Coburn.
The rapid settlement of the transmssouri
country between the ninety-siXth and
ninety-ninth meridian, transferring the title
to over 80 100000 acres from the government
to the homesteaders in the twelve years
ending with 1887; the favorable seasons,
large crops and good prices of that period
twelve years on all acres under cultivation;
the speculative fever generated by this
prosperity attracting capital for investment
cattle commencing with 1886 and the de-
cline in acre earnings commencing with
1887; the large amounts borrowed for in
vestment in land, in cattle and in town
lots from 1883 to 1887; the reaction follow
Ing the four speculative years-and the ten
of unfavorable seasons, reducing produc-
ton in a period of low prices-these are
some of the reasons assigned for the large
number who once were land owners in this
territory and are now tenant farmers, and
also the great number of nonresdents who
once were mortgages and are now land
lords. Both were brought into this new
economic relationship against their will.
and out of this relationship, and especially
'out of the desire and effort of the nom
resident land owners to dispose of their
western holdings, some evils have developed
that are bad for the tenant, bad for the
landlord and bad for the state.
Mr. Hilton quotes from the official records
to show that the present return of prosperity
to the transmissouri section is due more
| largely to cattle ttan crops; that the $780,
100000 bushels of corn crop raised in Kan
sas aud Nebraska in 1889 and heralded
everywhere as an evidence Of prosperity is
not nearly so important a factor or so en-
during source of wealth as are the 1,20O,-
600 milch cows; 100000 beef and stock
| cattle; 1,65O, 900 horses and mules and 1,5OO,-
600 sheep, worth over $500, ,OOO, 900 taxable
value.
| The animals slaughtered and sold for
slaughter in 1898 in these two states rea-
| i.Htu dlIuOSt SlUu'VuviVup anu tHlS amount
| w:ll be exceeded in 1889 The west Is pros
pering because of fine wheat crop in 1898
and great corn crop in 1899 but it is pros
pering much more because it has been get
ting gradually increasing prices for all the
| products of live stock since 1896.
The present market value of the $4,000 =
600 bushel corn crop is about Sl5O,OOJ, 600,
but the 800, 900 bushels of this being CON
verted inlo beef, pork, mutton. wool, eggs,
poultry. butter and cheese will at present
prices bring a greater revenue than the
| present market value of the entire crop.
| The abundance and certainty of the fod-
! der crops and high nutritve value of all
| products of the soil grown In this land of
sunshine makes this essentially the land of
| the big fat steer and the Missouri valley
the center of the packing interests of the
great west.
| MIR. Kelsey of Michigan introduced res
| olutions which were adopted that COM
mittee be appointed to extend the beet sugar
| industry among the farmers