The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1900-09-29
----'--' n 711--I.7-- = = : 1880 = 'SA
WHEAT GROWERS HAPPY
MARVELLOUS EIFECT OF coon
TINES TO THE PRODUCERS.
When Wageworkers Are Employed
at Good Wages the Ratio OF
Consumption of Wheat
Springs Up at Once.


on "half-rations,,''in 1884, but on full
rations in 1898 and 1900. The official
publications of the treasury. bureau Of
statistics show that the wheat con-
sumed in the United States in 1896 was
but 3.l bushels per capita, while in
1892 it was 5.91 bushels, and in 1889, sos
bushels per capita. In 1900 the home
consumption will probably exceed 6
bushels per capita and be nearly, If
not quite double that of 1894.
This illustrates the advantage to
the farmer of a flourishing business
condition which assures him a salts
factory home market. In 1892 and 1899
factories were running on full time,
the people employed in mines We're
worked to their fullest capacity, rail-
roads and their employees were busy
and making full earnings, and every
body was able to buy all the food that
he required, while in 1899 and 1900 con-
ditions are even better. The official
publications of the department of la
Dor, show that wages are higher to-day
than ever before in the history Of the
country-better even than in the pros
porous year of 1892 when they reached
the highest average that had ever
feet of this condition upon the farmer
is shown by the figures below quoted,
which show that in. 1892 and 1899 the
people of the United States consumed
practically 6 bushels of wheat per
capita, and in 1894 but little over 5
bushels per capita. The home market
took in 1892 GO per cent of the total
crop of that year, and in 1899 81 pei
onvf xx,1,SIn ~,
sion and necessity for economy on the
part of a large proportion of the con-
sumers, it took but SO per cent of the
total production. Even the fact that
wheat was cheaper in 1894 than in 1892
or 1899 did not enable the people at
that time to consume as much as they
are now consuming under the present
high prices which the farmer is getting
for his wheat crop. The average ex-
port price of wheat in 1894 was 81
cents per bushel and in 1899 rs cents
per bushel, and is still higher in 1900.
Yet with the general depression
which existed in 1894 the home market
was less valuable to the farmer than
for many preceding years, while I'M
der the prosperity which protection
and sound currency supply, he sold
and at higher prices in 1892 and 1899.
Mr.. Bryan and the Democratic party
propose to return to all of the condi-
lions which produced the depression
of 1894 and so greatly reduced the
value of the home market and the
price of everything that the farmer
had to sell. The Democrats insist
that a part of the business depression
hi foil tIn oil 1f a
Democratic president and congress in
1892 was due to the Sherman silver
law, which they insist caused a fear on
the part of the public that the credit
and currency of the government would
not be maintained. The Republicans
insist that it was chiefly due to the
low tariff law which was. enacted in
1892, and which had been assured ever
since the election of Cleveland and a
Democratic congress in 1892. Even if
either or both these conditions are re-
sponsible for the business depression
of 1894 it is safe to assume that Dem
ocratic success in 1900 would be fol-
lowed by similar conditions, since Mr..
Bryan and his party propose, if sue
cessful, to put the country on an alb
solute silver basis, or vastly worse
than anything which could be charged
against the Sherman law; while they
also propose to return to a tariff even
lower than that provided by the Will
son low tariff act, which was notori-
ously unsatisfactory to Democrats by
reason of certain protective features
which it contained. n
The following table shows the home
consumption, total and per capita, of
wheat in 1892 1894 and 1899; also the
quantities of wheat exported in each of
those years, the average export price,
and the per cent of the crop. retained
for home consumption in each year.
It will interest every farmer, and, in
deed every one Interested in seeing
prosperity in all branches of our home
industries: 'e,-- ~ ~- t~a
;-~".a-