The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-16

aggerate the farmers prosperity. and
credit a Republican administration with
good crops, making no allowance for the
crop failures which occur from time to
time.
DECLINE OF FARM PRODUCTS.
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 q Co., the
average process received by farmers for
oats. during the seven years beginning
with 1898 and ending with 1899, were as
| follows 1898, 29.4 1894, 324; 1895, 1876;
1896, 1871; 1897, 21.2; 1898, 25.5; 1899, 24.9.
! According to these figures oats averaged
% cents a bushel during the four years of
| Mr.. Clevelands administration, and only
! "a cents per bushel during the three years
| OF Mr. McKinley's administration-the
present year is not yet complete, but
oats are at the present time below the
average.
| According to the same authority the
average prices received by the farmers
| for corn were as follows: 1898, $50; 1894,
45.7: 1895, 26.4; 1896, 21.5; 1897 26.3; 1898,
2S7; 1899, 1913, making an average of about
! sos during the four years of Mr.. Cleve-
lands Administrations, and 2S.1 during the
! three years of Mr.. McKinley's admins
tration-the fourth year is not yet COM
plete, but corn is at this time above the
average.
| Wheat, according to the same autho-
/ rity brought to the farmers the following
prices: 1898, 53.S; 1894, AL; 1895, 500;
1896, 1876; 1897, sos; 1898, $50; 1899, 5S.4,
showing a higher average during the last
| three years than during the four preced-
ing-the fourth year is not complete, but
wheat is now above the average.
According to the same authority cotton
planters received the following prices:
| 1888, sos; 1894, As; 1895, 7.59; 1896, 6.6;
1897, so; 1898. ATS; 1899, IS, showing
| a higher average during the four years of
! Mr. Cleveland's administration than dur
ing the three years of Mr. McKinley's ad-
! minis traltion--the fourth year is not yet
| complete, but cotton is now above the
| average price.
Taking these four staples of agricul-
! ture 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 adj
ministration, and the fourth product,
wheat is more Influenced than any other
IdfiI IIOQUCL ny lOTelSH COluiLlOlS.
ADVANCE IN MERCHANDISE.
When, however, the farmer attempts to
use his income in the purchase of the nee
essaries of lie he finds that the trusts
have raised prices. He must pay more
for lumber, nails wire. harness, hard
ware, stoves and agricultural imple-
ments. More, also for oil, sugar, cloth
ing, furniture, etc, and in addition to
these drains upon his income he must
meet an increase in federal taxation.
Let the parent calculate how long it
| vii take farmer to become independent
under present conditions; let him con-
trast the lot of the farmer with the lot
of the man who profits by governmental
! favoritism and grows rich by the exploit
ation of his countrymen through the in
strumentality of monopoly, and then
let him answer the question, rs the
young man, Absalom, safe?" Has the
farmers son, or the farmer himself any
reason for giving support to the Re-
publican party?
Next to the farmer in point of num-
bers and Importance come the wage-ea
ers. What is the trust doing to increase
the wages, shorten the hours, improve
the CONDITION, or protect the rights of
/
pect an inviting one? Is he receiving a
fair share Of the proceeds of his toll?
And, if not, why not? Republicans as
sert that the working man has a Full
Dinner Pail" l ask. in the first place,
whether a full dinner pail is all that a
laboring man needs? 1t is an insult to
the wage-earner to say that his thoughts
are entirely conferred upon his physical
wants. Republican speakers and editors
assume that the laboring man is all
stomach. They act upon the theory thai.
he complains only when he is hungry
ana is happy whenever his hunger is ap-
peased.
TIE FULL DINNER PAIL
If a 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
connection bewteen Republican policies
and the laborng mans food supply If
bountiful crops come to the farmer he
does not thank Republican administra-
ton. If a famine abroad raises the price
of farm products here the farmer does
not thank the Republican party for bring
ing the famine. If an unexpected and an
Unpromised increase in the gold supply
gives any respite from financial string
ency can the Republican party claim
credit? The question is not whether
the laboring man is able TO exist under
present conditions but whether he is en-
joying his share of the blessings of the
country and of the protection of the gov
eminent. Compare the laboring man
with the trust magnate, and see which
fares the best at the hands of the Re-
publican party. Enquire also whether
the laboring mans income has increased
as rapidly as his living expenses.
But even if every laboring man was
prosperous, 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
! citizens standpoint. He cannot afford
to barter away future security; he can
not afford to sleep while his industrial
! independence is being destroyed. Neither
can he be enticed into an imperalistic
| trap, no matter how well the trap may
be bated with food.
During the last campaign laboring men
were threatened with idleness by en-
DIoyers who desired TO cOerce them into