Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-07-05
FARMERS AND TRUSTS.
How the Creations of McKInIeyIsm
Have Increased AgrIcuI-
turIsts' Burdens.

In a speech delivered in the house
Of representatives on the Cd inst. Con-
gresham Clayton, of Alabama, proved
by facts and figures that while trusts
have been the beneficiaries of McKin-
ley prosperity" farmers have been
it's victims.
The Year Book of the department
of agriculture for 1899, which has Just
been issued, shows that the farm prod
ucts and farm animals in 1899, al
though vastly increased in quantity
since 1900, had fallen off in value to
the extent of $7O6, 1863, 971. This only
counts as farm products corn, wheat,
oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, pota-
toes. hay and cotton. If the farm
products of 1899 had brought the same
prices as did the same products in
1890 they would have brought more
than they did by the sum of So ,6O9,-
1854.
The farmers raised 1913 900, 900 more
bushels of produce in 1899 than they
did in 1890, and yet this produce was
worth $2O5 100000 less than was the
smaller crop of 1890. This only cal
culates the cereals.
The farmers of the United States
are paying more for all they consume
than they were when the present adj
ministration went into power on
March 4, 1897, and have lost during the
present administration nearly $2,OOO,-
100000 by the decline in prices of farm
products. In this calculation the sta
tistics of 1897, the first year of the
present administration, are used.
The wheat in the farmers hands in
1897 was valued at $42S, 547,121. The
wheat in the farmers hands in 1899
was valued at 1919, 545,259. The farm
ers lost $1O9, 100000 in the value of
wheat alone, and yet the yield of
wheat was increased
The value of the cotton crop in
1897 was $319, 900 600, and it had fallen
off $14,OOO,OOO the next year, while
the crop of 1899 is not yet calculated.
The average price of wheat in 1897
was sos cents bushel, while in 1899
it was only 1914 cents a bushel.
These are the figures given by the
republican secretary of agriculture,
and it cannot be said that they were
concocted for a democratic campaign
argument.
BY the decline in the price of their
products the farmers have lost SO, OOO,-
100000 since McKinley's Inauguration.
while in 1899 alone the prices of trust
purchased fabrics advanced 80 1-3 per
cent. simultaneously with a cheapen-
ing of the things he raises to sell, the
things the farmer must buy become
dearer. In control of both branches
of congress and of the executive de-
partment, it was within the power of
the republican party to lessen the
price of trust-made goods by repeal
ing, or authorizing the president TO
suspend, the duties on similar i'm
ported goods. But this power the par
~ did not exercise. 1t refrained be-
cause it wanted the pecuniary sup
port of the trusts in the ensuing
campaign, and if it crippled the trusts
by Withdrawing the protection that
sustains them it would not have re-
ceived it. Rather than iniure the
trusts, it preferred to inflict injus-
tice upon the farmers, to continue the
conditions which while forcing down
the things the farmer sells forces up
the things he must buy.
Nevertheless, after thus discriminate
ing against ann and in favor of the
combinations that are dishonesty APP
propriating the fruits of his labor, the
party will have the effrontery to ask
the farmer for his vote. The trusts
would not support the party If it had
legislatedI in the interests of the soil
tillers and against them. Why should
the farmer support the party when it
has legislated for the trusts and
against him? The trusts are pros
porous because they act concertedly
in rewarding their friends and pun
ishing their enemies. Farmers and
others, who, unprotected, must sell !
their labor or the products of their
labor in open competition, can eXpe-
rience prosperity only by emulating
the trust example. If they support !
those who are despoiling them they |
will be robbed perennially, and de-
serve to be robbed. They are ire
mendous power at the polls. If they |
vote right the trusts will disappear
and the robbery cease.