Warren sheaf., 1900-10-11

y
dunn, dropping from 33 cents per pound
in 1892, tos19 cents in 1896 but increas-
ing to 90 cents Ia 1897, Immediately fol-
lowing the restoration of the protective
tariff, under the Dingley law yand to
33.5 cents in the month of October, 1899.
| Foreign wool, which, under protective
tariffs, formed from Is to 50 per cent OF
the domestic consumption, increased to
40 per cent in 1895, As per cent in 1896,
and 57s per cent in 1897. AS conse-
quences of this increased Importation of
foreign wools and the accompanying re-
duction Of nearly one-haIf In price, the
number and value Of sheep on farms
was greatly reduced. The number OF
sheep on farms in 1893 was Al, ,273, ,533..
and their value $125,909, 1854. BY 1896 the
number had fallen to 3S, ,2s8, ,783 and the
value to s65, ,167,7s5, the actual value
having thus been reduced about one
half. meaning a loss in sheep alone Of
nearly $60.00O,O0O to the farmer, while
the annual loss in his wool clip during
that time was correspondingly great
The value Of the foreign wool import
ed prior to 1893 mad not for many years
reached SO much as 10000, 900; but in
1895 it had exceeded $32, coo, 900, and in.
L =
the Wilson tariff law, was $50, 3,243, ,191;
while imports OF woolen goods, which.
In 1892. amounted to $35, 900 900, We're in
1885, and in the fiscal year 1891, $4s,-
100000. :2 !, 81 554
value of Farm Animals Restored by
g Protection. b si
| The value Of horses on farms fell
from more than more than $1,OO7, ,OOO, 900
on Jan. l, 1892, to $500 900, 900 in 1896, and
$452O00,0 900 on Jan. l, 1897, loss of $685.
100000 in this one item during five
| years. s5= tiS
In mules, the value fell from $175 0OO,-
900, in 1892. to s92, ,O00, 900 in 1897; swine,
from $241,000 900, in 1892, to $166 0OO,-
900 in 1897; and Of all farm animals the
value fell from $2,461, ,755, ,69s, on Jan. /,
1892, to ST. ,414,612 on Jan. i, 1897, a
loss of $500, ,341, ,OS6, while the figures for
Jan. l. 1900, show that the two- billion
dollar hne has again been crossed by
the restoration OF values accompanying
the Dingley protective tariff and the
prosperity which it brought to the
farmer by increased home consumption,
as well as increased foreign markets.
The American Agriculturist, we'll
known publication, in recent number,
says that the live stock Of the country
in 1900 is worth $500 00O, 900 more than 1t
was during the years Of depression un-
der: the low-tarift act.
Value of Crops, Restored by Protec-
! %4 tion. ~ ~
Nor is it in farm animals alone how
ever, that the farmer was the loser un-
1 der low tariff, or the gamer under prO-
lection. The value of the corn crop In
the United States fell from $642, 90 900 in
1892, to $4s1, ,OO0, 100000 in 1896; that OF
wheat from $513,O00,0O In 1891 to $225,-5
100000 in 1894, and 237,0OO,O0O in 1895,
returning to $42S,0OO,0O0 In 1897; oats
fell In valueS from $209, ,OOO, 900 in 1892, to
$l32,OOO,0 900 in 1896; rye, from SIS ,OO0, 900
In 1892 to less than $10,O0O,OOO in 1896;
barley, from s45,000,O0O in 1891 to $22,-
OOO,OOO In 1896; tobacco, from SAT O00, 900
in 1892 to $27,00,000 in 1895; cotton, from
$526, 600, 900 in 1892 to .:.26O 900 900 in 1896;
and potatoes, from $103 0OO,0 900 in 1892 to
$72,OO0,OOO in 1896. In a II these cases the
figures for later years show a marked
4 increase In values over those under the
i Wilson act. IF +. +. lS5 S;s5ff$ a5 IS
Testimony of an Agricultural Au-
i thOrity.
I On this general question Of the value
of crops, the American Agriculturist
says that.
'The value Of staple crops in 1899 was
valued at $500, 100000 more than under
the low-tarin depression, and other
crops aggregated an increase Of more
than $2o0,OOo.000 in value, or 25 per cent
gain, as compared with the period Of
depression, including 1894 1895 and
1862
/ One other feature Of the improved
condition of the farmer is pointed out
y by the American Agriculturist, and this
relates to the value of agricultural real
estate, which, 1t says, has more than
recovered in value, and Is now worth
81, l,2O0,00O,O0O more than it was single
year ago, when the percentage OF farms
occupied by owners is now larger than
ever before, while the number of farms
under mortgage has materially de-
creased. The amount of mortgages on
farms occupied by their owners is esti-
mated at about $500 0,O00 900 less than at
the beginning Of the decade snort
cages, it says, "now average only
about II per cent of the value Of the
farms they are on, the rate Of interest
has declined, and the great bulk Of
mortgages now in force We're incurred
a to buy the farm or to improve it,
Freight Rates, Declined More Than
Farm Prices Ei
One further fact Of interest to farm
ers is that freight rates have fallen
with greater rapidity than prices of
farm production. The average rate by
rail in 1870 was 1913 cents per bushel.
and in 1899 Ill cents, fall Of 6s 2-3
per cent; while the rate from Buffalo
a to New York by canal fell from 11.2
cents per bushel in 1870, to s cents DER
y bushel in 1899, reduction Of 73 per
q cent. On freight rates from the Pacific
coast to New York the rates on canned
goods in car load lots show a fall of
3 from 1886 per 100 pounds in 1870, to 76
cents per 100 pounds in 1897, a reduction,
Of 80 per cent. 53
Freight rates on live. cattle from Chi
cago to New York fell from IS cents Der
100 pounds in 1880, to Is cents in 1899:
hogs, from 43 cents to 25 cents; sheen.
from 65 cents to Is cents and dressed
i beef from So cents to 40 cents, while re-
frigerator car rates on dressed hogs fell
from SO cents In 1897, to 40 cents in 1899.
Prosperity and the silver Question.