The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-10-11

dunn, dropping from 33 cents per pound
in 1892, to 10 cents in 1896, but increas-
ing TO 20 cents In 1897, Immediately fol-
lowing the restoration of the protective
tariff, under the Ding,ey law, and to
1875 cents in the month OF October 1899.
Foreign wool which under protective
tariffs, formed from 16 to 33 rer cent of
the domestic consumption inci easel to
40 per cent in 1895, IS per cent in s o,
and 81 per cent in 1897. AS a conse-
quence of this increased Importation of
foreign woods and the coon zany ng re-
duction of nearly one-hale in price. the
number and value of steep on farms
was greatly reduced The number of
sheep on farms in 1893 was Al 27S.523,
and their value SIPS ,sOs264 BY 1896 the
number had fallen to 3S29S,7SS and the
value to $65, 1871, 735, the actual value
having thus been reduced about one
half, meaning loss in sheep alone of
nearly $60,0C0,00O to the farmer, while
the annual loss in his wool clip during
that time was correspondingly great
The value of the f.reign wool import
ed prior to 1893 mad not for many years
reached so much as s20.000,003; but in
1885 it had exceeded $4,000 coo, and in
1897, the last year of the existence of
the Wilson tariff law, was $53,249, 1911;
while imports of wooden goods, which.
in 1892, amounted to $S5 900, 900 were. in
1895, and in the fiscal year 1897, $49,-
0C0, 000
Value of Farm Animals Restored by
Protection.
The value of horses on farms fen
from more than more than 81 ,007, 900, 900
on Jan. 1, 1892, to $500 900. OO9 in 1897 nd
$452, 000, 900 oD JAM /, 1897, loss OF $780,
100000 in this one item during five
years.
In mules, the value fell from STE, 00O,-
600, in 1892, to S92 600, 900 in 1897: swine,
from $241 100000 in 1892, to $166 000,-
coo in 1897; and of al farm animals the
value fell from $24s1 les, $685. on Jan. l,
1892, to S1,655 .414,612 on Jan. /, 1897
loss of $500, 341. GS6, while the figures for
Jan. 1, 1900, show that the two-billion-
dollar line has again been crossed by
the restoration Of values accompanying
the Dingley protective tariff and the
prosperity which it brought to the
farmer by increa sed home consumption,
as well as increased foreign markets.
The American Agriculturist, a WELL
II,
says that the live stock of the country
was during the wears of depression UNI
der the low-tariff act.
Value of Crops Restored by Protec-
ton.
Nor is it in farm animals alone, how.
ever, that the farmer was the loser un-
der low tariff, or the gamer under pro-
lection. The value of the corn cron in
the United States fell from s642, 90 900 in
1892, to s491 900, 900 900 in 1895; that or
wheat from s513,OOO,0 900 in 1891 to 1925
100000 in 1894, and $237 coz, 600 in 1895,
returning to $42s,eo0 coo in 1897: oats
fell in value from $2O9 900 900 in 1892. to
$132, 900 in 1895; rye, from SIS. 600, 900
in 1892 to less than $4,000. 900 in 1876;
barley, from $45, 600, 900 in 1891 to $22. =
100000 in 1896: toha Geo. from SAT, 900, 900
in 1892 to s27 90. 900 in 1895: cotton, f, ON
1926, 100000 in 1892 to $50 900, 900 in 1896:
and pota toes. from s103, coo, 900 in 1892 to
$72. 900 in 1875. In all these cases the
figures for later years show a marked
increase in values over those under the
Wilson act
Testimony of an Agricultural Au-
thority.
On this general question of the value
of crops. the American Agr;cuIturist
says that
THE value Of staple crops in 1899 was
valued at 100000 0c0 more than under
the low-tariff depression, and other
crops aggregated an increase Of more
than $500, 100000 in value. or q per cent
gain, as compared with the Period Of
depression, including 1894, 1895 and
1885,"
One other feature Of the imrroved
condition of the farmer is pointed out
by the American Agriculturist, and this
relates to the value of agricultural real
estate, which, it says, has more than
recovered in value, and is now worth
81 zoe, 100000 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 mortga ges on
farms occupied by their owners is esti-
mated at about $500 coo, 900 less than at
the beginning of the decade Mort
cages" it says, "now average only
about ~ 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 were incurred
to buy the farm or to improve it,"
Freight Rates Declined More Than
Farm Prices.
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 1873 cents p sr bushel
and in 1899 Ill cents, a fall of IS 2-s
per cent; while the rate from Buffalo
to New York by canal fell from II 9
cents per bushel in 1870, to cents per
bushel in 1899, a reduction of 73. per
cent. On freight rates from the Pacific
coast to New York the rates on canned
goods in car load lots show a fall of
from 1886 per 100 pounds in 1870. to rs
cents per 100 pounds in 1897, reduction.
of 80 per cent
Freight rates on live cattle from Chi
cago to New York fell from IS cents per
100 pounds in 1880, to rs cents in 1899:
hogs, from 43 cents to 25 cents: SHEEP.
from IS cents to Is cents, and dressed
beef from So cents to 40 cents. while re-
frigerator car rates on dressed hogs fen
from SO cents in 1887, to 40 cents in 1899.
Prosperity and the silver Question.
II. g. 49,. Ia - -