The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-16


with good crops, making no allowance for
the crop failures which occur from time
to time.
But while on the oat question let me
call attention to the statistics given in
the Investment guide already referred to.
According to Henry Clews & Co., the
average prices received by farmers for
oats during the seven years 5eginnirs
with 1898 and ending with 1899 were IS
follows: 1893, 294; 1924. 32.4; 1895, 1875;
1896, 1871: 1897, 21.2; 1898, 25.5; 1899, 24.9
According to these figures oats averaged
% cents bushel during the four years of
Mr.. C1evelands Administration and only
"a cents per bushel during the three years
of Mr.. McKinleys Administration. The
present year is not yet complete. but oats
are at the present time below the av-
erage.
According to the same authority the
average prices received by the farmers
for corn were as follows: 1893, &c >;
1894, 45.7; 1895, 26.4; 1896, 2L5; 1887,
26.3: 1898, 2S.7: 1899, 1913. making an
average of about 3O.5 cents during the
four years of Mr.. Cleveland's admins
tration. and ISL cents during the three
years of Mr.. McKinleys Administration.
The fourth year is not yet complete, hut
corn is at this time above the average,
Wheat, according to the same author
ity. brought to the farmers the foil W
ing prices: 1898, 53.S; 1894, 49.1; 1885,
500; 1896, 1876; 1897, sos; 1898, $50;
1899, 5s4 showing a higher average
during the last three years than during
the four preceding The fourth year is
not complete, but wheat is now above
the average.
According to the same authority cot
ton planters received the following
prices: 1898, coo; 1894, 40; 1895 7.5g;
6. n
showing a higher average during the
four years of Mr.. Clevelands Admins
tration than during the three years of
Mr.. McKinley's Administration. The
fourth year is not yet complete, but
cotton is now above the average price.
Taking these four staples of agri-
culture it will be seen that three out of
four have not on the average brought as
much return to the farmer under the |
present Administration as under the /
previous Administration. and the fourth |
product, wheat, is more influenced than
any other farm product by foreign cen
ditions.
Advance in Merchandise.
When, however. the farmer attempts
to use his income in the purchase of
the necessaries of life he finds that the
trusts have raised prices. He must pay
more for lumber, nails. wire, harness
hardware, stoves, and agricultural i'm
plernents More, also for oil, sugar,
clothing furniture, ETC., and in addition
to these drains upon his income he must
meet an increase in federal taxaticn-
Let the parent calculate how long |
it will take a farmer to become indie |
pendent under present conditions; let !
him contrast the lot of the farmer |
with the lot of the man who profits by |
governmental favoritism and grows rich !
by the exploitation of his countrymen |
through the instrumentality of monop- |
oily. and then let him answer the ques-
ton, Is the young man, Absalom, safe?'
Has the farmers son, or the farmer |
himself any reason for giving support !
to the Republican party?
Next to the farmer in point of numbers !
and Importance come the wage-earners. |
What is the trust doing to increase the |
wages, shorten the hours, improve the con- |
dition or protect the rights of the labor /
ing man? Is his present prospect an in 1
viting one? Is he receiving a fair share I
of the proceeds of his toll? And If not, /
why not? Republicans assert that the I
workingman has full dinner pail / ask. |
in the first place, whether a full dinner /
pail is all that laboring man needs? 1t |
is an insult to the wage-earner to say that I
his thoughts are entirely centred upon his /
physical wants. Republican speakers and /
editors assume that the laboring man is |
all stomach. They act upon the theory |
that he complains only when he is hungry. |
and is happy whenever his hunger iS-ap |
peased.
The Full Dinner Pail.
IF full dinner pail were the only thing |
desired, and If every laboring man had |
plenty to eat. it would still be necessary |
for the Republican party to show some |
between Republican policies and |
the laboring mans food supply. II boun-
tiful crops come to the farmer he does not I
thank a Republican Administration. II a |
famine abroad raises the price of farm |
products here the farmer does not thank /
the Republican party for bringing the fam
inc. II an unexpected and an unpromised |
increase in the gold supply gives any re-
spite from financial stringency can the Pc |
publican party claim credit? The question /
is not whether the laboring man is able to (
exist under present conditions. but wheth-
er he is enjoying his share of the blessings I
Of the country ami of the protection OF the .
Government. Compare the laboring man /
with the trust magnate and see which fares /
the best at the hands of the Republican |
party. Enquire, also, whether the laboring |
mans income has increased as rapidly as /
his living expenses.
But even if every laboring man were |
and even If that prosperity /
could be traced to Republican legislation,
still the labOring man is citizen and must |
look at political questions from the citi-
zen's standpoint. He cannot afford to bar
ter away future security; he cannot afford |
to sleep while his Industrial independence
is being destroyed. Neither can he be en-
ticed into an irnperialistic trap, no matter
how well the trap may be baited with food
During the last campaign laboring men
were threatened with idleness by employ
ers who desired to coerce them into the
support of the Republican ticket Many
of them were told not to return to work
unless the Republicans were successful at
the polls. After the election some of
these employers closed down their shops
and others reduced wages. II advances
have been made in any branch of industry
since 1896 remember that some advance /
was necessary to compensate for the re-
auctions which occurred after the last
election.
Coercion in 1896.
"a firm in the city of Washington an
nounced shortly before the election in
1896 that it would not be able to continue
in business if / was elected. II went into
Immediately after election not
withstanding the fact that its candidate
was successful at the polls. There are in
dications that this attempt at intimida-
tion may be resorted to again this fall.
If business man feels justified in holding
in order to influence voters he cannot
complain II his creditors take steps to
collect their accounts before the election
in order to avoid possible loss