Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-09-20
MCKINLEY PROSPERITY.
As Viewed by Thoughtful Republican
Farmer,

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Farmer.
The Grand Forks Herald's Sunday
edition had an article on the prosperity
of the farmer that is misstatement, as
I view 1t. "In the fall of 1896 the price
of wheat was about the same as now,
IS cents. In 1896 I sold one hundred
bushels of wheat at IS cents, and today
Isell like amount for the same price,
and here is the result of what the mo-
ney purchased in 1896 and what it pur-
chased today, when the Mckinley pros
perity and trusts are having full sway.
1 invested in each instance. in $500
worth of sugar, and received in 1896
60 pounds, and in 1900 80 pounds; l
key of nails in 1896, 50 90; in 1900 $4;
l gang pillow in 1885, $4,000; i'll 1900,
$4,000; 300 pounds Irvine IN 1896, 1924;
in 1900, S36; 100 pounds barb wire in
1896, 1925; in 1900, S4.75.
After finishing my trading I went to
see the banks to get the money to pay
the balance 1 owed, but they both said
they we're not loaning money to farm
ers at all, I was somewhat surprised at
this for in 1896 I had no trouble i'll Dor
rowing what I needed, but at present.
even with bonus attachment, I could not
get money. True, In 1896 there were
four banks IN Grand Forks, and now
owing to prosperity, there are only two
and deposits are not so large DIS they
were IN Grand Forks four years ago.
Not being able to borrow the money al
the bank, went back to the merchants
and machine men and prevailed on them
to take note for small balances; one
for SILL, the other for 1923, and in eact
case they told me that as part Of
prosperity I must put on a two cent
stamp. Having closed up my deals, ]
went over to the Western Union Tele
graph Office to wire my brother in Wis
consin of McKinley's prosperity, and the
agent, hungry looking, when he took m.
message, said 26 cents please. Message
IS cents and the Mckinley prosperity
costs you one cent for a stamp When
demonstrated he said, we'll, the Western
Union has only sS70,000,OO0 and last yea
paid only Is per cent in dividends, SO thu
republican party has decided that yor
farmers shall pay the one cent revenue
on the messages. The poor trusts ant
corporations need their money TO-
dividends, SO you farmers pay the reven
ue, and at that, he says, you are no worse
off than myself or other salarled people
I was in 1896 and am now getting $45
month.
T find my living, clothing, ETC., costs
me 25 per cent more than befor
Mckinley prosperity struck us. bega1
to soliloquize as to where the prosperity
of producers came in-what he has to sci
no higher than in 1896, while if he selll
a car of wheat he must pay revenue on it
If he buys dollars worth of sugar b.
only gets as much as he did IN 1886 fol
IS cents. During the year of 1893, 4, 8
6 and Z farmers paid off large per cen
tage of their indebtedness, but when tn
Mckinley trusts got to work. that wa
all stopped and in 1898, 1899 and 1901
sees an increase in the farm mortgage
indebtedness of Grand Forks county an
with particular failure of crops thi
year, the demand from farmers for mono,
is greater than ever before in the history
of the state, Verify, if Mckinley pros
perity should continue for four years
longer, the producers will be in a worse
condition than ever before, and as tn
farmer suffers, so must the western bust
ness man who lives off his prosperity,
REPUBLICAN FARMER