The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-13
FARMER !! {. I s
With IHl.I..I ZINES
This One Cause of Agricultural
Depression.
OPENING OF WESTERN LANDS.
ompetition Of the Vest Rendered EspeeialIv
Severe BY Making Freight Rates
Low-Rsporto Of interstate
Commission.
(By Associated Press

WASHINGTON, d. &C.. Nov. 12.-The,
Interstate Commission to-day made pu-:
slic its review of evidence taken before
the commission on the subjects of aSri-5
culture and agricultural-Slab labor. Among:
other subjects discussed is that of !agri-
cultural depression, Of which the COM
mission speaks as follows:
1.-THE cause most often assigned for the
depression of agriculture in the Eastern
States is the increased production due to
the opening of Western lands in advance
of the natural demand, especially through.
the agency of liberal land laws and grants
of land in aid of railroad construction
The competition of thesetWest has been
rendered especially severe by the policy
of the railroads in making freight rates
relatively low for long distances.
THE old staple. products having thus
become Improbable in the East. it has
been necessary for farmers to change
their methods and vary the character OF
their crops. taking up especially the cul-
ture of products which are not easily
transported long distances. Thus truck
farming has largely superseded cereal
growing along the Atlantic coast. but
farmers in the North Atlantic States
now complain of the severe competition
Of states further south in this industry.
and the same may be said of fruit grow
ing. Even milk is transported much long
ers distances than formerly, since the in
PRODUCTION of%refrigerator cars.
BEHIND THE TIMES.
Another cause which several witnesses
assign for the unsatisfactorys condition
of agriculture in some parts of the coun-s
try is the conservatism of the farmers
their lack of quick adjustment to
effective business planning and man
agement. The farmers as a class
have not kept up with the times. but
have raised the same crops year after
year without. regard tozchanges in supply
and demand. This undue conservatism
and lack of managing ability among
farmers is especially emphasized with
reference to the Southern States, and is.
given as. an explanation of the too exclu-
sive attention to cotton production pre-
vailnE there. afsi:ttL n $3.50.
.atscARGITYslo Fts:AiONEY.
Another cause assigned for agricultu-
raj depression nsthe South is the scar
city Of money, the difficulty. of borrow
ing on real estate security and the con-
sequent high rates of interest 1t seems
to be possible, however, to borrow money
in the South at somewhat lower rates
of interest than formerly. The declinetin
the price of cotton is ofrcourse,7 an i'm
Dortant element in the depression of .ag-
riculture in the South. The inefficiency
of negro labor is assigned as another
cause On the other hand, it is affirmed
that there is too much good and cheap
labor in the South Abundance of cheap
labor is said to be unfavorable: to the
success of agriculture because it results
in planting too large an acreage and III
NEGLECT of personal Attention by the
platter tfrs q, e.fts,s.ti xsis: ifEsits
Again. it is charged that farmers are
undl1y conservative, and that the crops
are put in without regard to suitability
of climate and soil.''