The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-21
PROSPERITY OF THE FARM.

The New York World, which is far
away from the real farmer, takes a rosy
view of the general prosperity of those
who are engaged in agriculture. These are,
in fact, the most prosperous times that
farmers have ever seen, all things consid-
cred. Everything they have to sell brings
good prices in cash. There has not been
a season in many years when all the prod
ucts of the farm have brought better
prices. The World, however, is somewhat
in error when it declares that the short
corn crop is better for the farmer than a
full one. This statement is made upon the
assumption that the farmer takes to mar
ket every bushel of corn that he raises.
If such were the case the assumption that
the short crop will put more dollars into
the farmers pockets than a full one is
true, since the price of corn falls to a
low figure, as does every other staple,
when the supply is greater than the de-
mand. Fortunately, now that Europe is
learning the value of our corn, it is not
possible that even in Kansas corn will be
cheaper than coal for fuel, since there will
be a large export when prices are moder-
ate. There are few good farmers in the
land who do not feed more corn than they
sell. Now, when prices are so high, they
must either feed What they have to keep
their stock or dispose of their stock. If
they do the first they will have no corn
to sell at the high price, and if they sell
their stock they will be obliged to restock
their farms when the prices of stock are
high and the price of corn low. So this old
story that a small crop is worth more than
a large one is not true.
The World also says that land has adj
vanced in value. This is true. and it is
probably due to the fact that the universal
prosperity of farmers during the past four
years has caused many men to turn to
farming as one of the most profitable in
vestments Cor small amounts of capital
and for men who must depend upon their
own labor. The market for the farmer is
constantly broadening at home and abroad.
The manufacturer meets sharp competition
in every market in Europe, but as the
years pass the greater is the dependence of
Europe upon the agricultural products of
the United States.
The World also discovers that there has
been a sharp decline in Populistic oratory
in Kansas, whose bank deposits are $751;
900. 900 and whose farmers debts are rap
idly being paid" This is all due to the
change which came with the Inauguration
of William Mckinley and his policies. He
called Congress to revise the tariff; con-
fdence came; industries started up; there
was Il wider demand for the products of
the farm. and as soon as the farmer ex-
perienced a larger demand he had money
with which to purchase the goods of the
manufactures This prosperity has been
growing for five years, until it is now al
luded to as an Astounding prosperity
with no signs of hating. No class is more
prosperous than the farmers who can tide
over short corn. potato and other small
crops. Banks have sprung up all over the
country, and farmers who were borrowing
money six years ago and were discouraged
now have bank accounts or the equivalent
in better conditions. In the midst of this
aII-round prosperity which followed the
tariff legislation of 1897 and the gold
standard legislation of the next year there
are those, including the New York World,
demanding that the present tariff be
smashed. Those who are making this de-
mand can never learn from experience. but
men who are now prosperous on farms and
in factories will not forget the dark days
that followed the smashing of the tariff
in 1894.