Evening journal., 1900-10-23
THE FARMER AS A BUSINESS MAN.
Identity Of His Interests with Those Of Industrial Activity
His Experiences in Low aud High Tariff
Years Compared

1894. Os .2T5. 900 l.55a 93a 600 227o go I32,sao
1893. 90 I53. 600 ,.O4 4O5 $40 1898 ni9.2hl unu
1896. Z I ,263 OOO O33. $50 900 i4I3 lO3 95S.t1
Total decrease. ................ 2.g4a620. .s7u
Add decrease IN wheat. ........ 3li ss6 1876
Total decrease. 3.25f.5l0.odd
The total tells a tale OF agricultural
woe already familiar 10 the farmer. The
per capita decrease tells him how the
pinch Of poverty upon the wage-earner
and the pinch Of retrenchment or bank
ruptcy upon the employer. during these
calamitous low tariff years, made for
them and for him a common grievance
They are and must be one in prosperity
and adversely; and all the political ora
tory emitted at the four points Of the
compass cannot alter the convincing
quality Of the facts
But what of agricultural revenue from
these two staples as affected by de-
creased power Of the people to consume?
The loss in the value Of the wheat crops
during 1898. 1894 1895, and 1896 was
$500 SS2,5sl, or nearly one-third OF the
total value OF the crops for the four
years. when compared with the value OF
the wheat crops in 1892 The total de-
creased farm value OF the corn crops ag-
gregated $685. 725 ,65s. making a total loss
of $685., sos ,239 on the farm values Of the
wheat and corn crops OF the United
States during these four years of low tar
IN as compared with the farm value Of
those crops in 1892.
LIVE STOCK LOSSES.
AS to live stock losses during four
years preceding the advent Of the present
government policy, the farmer could not
ask for more reluctant authority than
ex-Secretary Of Agriculture Morton, him
self free trade advocate at the time.
For the high tariff year ending Janu-
airy 1. 1898. the total value was s2,4s9,.
1881.
On January 1. 1884, with a low tariff
assured, the value had decreased sS12,-
5ss,s27.
On January 1, 1895, it had decreased
1904 4Os0,S75.
On January 1, 1896, it had decreased
s755 5SO,597.
On January 1. 1897. it had decreased
Ss2S 092. .O69-or 3S per cent. from Janu-
airy l. 1898.
What has happened under our present
policy? Live stock values had recovered
on January / of this year, to the extent
of $6S2,96O.OOO, giving them total Of
s2,2sS,37 5,413. Add to this increase an
increase Of 1923, 900 900 in the value Of
ten staple crops for 1899 as against 1896.
and the farmer is a round billion Of dol
lars ahead.
Do these enormous losses and gains
under two radically opposite policies con-
vince the farmer, or do they not? Does
he favor a repetition of his disastrous ex-
perience. or does he prefer retention Of
existing prosperity?
In the low tariff law OF 1894 wool was
treated on the absolute free trade basis.
Under that law importations. which only
once had reached 5O.OOO,OOO pounds. rose
in the very first year 10 more than 2O0.-
100000 pounds, and. in the year prior to
repeal, to more than $50, ,OOO 900. The
result was a fall in domestic values OF
nearly so per cent. Where did the
American farmer come in? Under the
present protective law the value has
risen to a point higher than that from
which it fell. It is easy to see where the
farmer comes in under this system.
In 1892, high tariff year, the value of
woolen goods imported was but sS5.565.-
S7s. In 1896 low tariff year. this value
had increased to $50. .4s4 400. The differ
ence was what our farmers paid for an
experiment. In 1898, under the high tar
iff, this value fell to less than SIS .OOO. 900.
and in 1899 was but s1s.SS2,s21. The diff
ference between $4,000, 600 and $4,000
900 represents the increase in the value
Of goods manufactured from the Ameri-
can farmers product.
volume, and a large one. could be
written containing like comparisons be-
tween the two periods; the story runs
throughout parallel with what we have
cited The value of oin oat crop in 1896
was 1892, ,4S5.O00. and in 1899 $216. 416 900.
The value Of the hay crop in 1885 was
S9S.lS5.615. and in 1899 was SAIL. 1926. 1877.
Tobacco in 1885, S35 1874 .22O. and in 1899
S45,OOO.0OO. Rye in 1896. S11. .s64. .s26 and
in 1893. Sl2,214.11s. Potatoes in 1895.
SIs'ss4'9Ol, and in 1899. sss,s2S ,ss2. over
production must. of course, pay the pen
atty OF reduced values, regardless Of pro-
tective tariffs. This. however, is the net
result Of a change from the depressed
conditions during the period 1926. or.
more properly, 1887:
The farmers markets and prices have
increased both at home and abroad. A
given quantity Of farm production will
buy more now than ever before. and is
produced with far less cost. The pur.