Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-01-18
An ECONOMIC PARADOX
Large Crops and Lessened
Profits For the Farmer.
TRUSTS EATING THEIR SUBSTANCE
Indications In Iowa and Kansas That
the Tariff Does Not Protect the Az
ricuIturfst-The President, Having
Joined the Stand Patters, Makes No
RecO m me n datiOn.

m
Notwithstanding good crops and an
increased price for them, there is evi-
dence that both Iowa and Kansas are
not as prosperous as they should be.
The records OF the school census of
Iowa for 1903 show a falling off of
pupils enrolled, the number In 1868 be-
Ing 550.202 as against 56O,173 for 1862.
while in 1900 the number was o6,.C 900
That shows the extraordinary loss of
population In three years when there
should be normal increase of nearly
$4,000. If the farmers Of Iowa are
prosperous. what makes them leave
the state and seek homes elsew here: ::
Then the surprising statement is made
by the bank commissioner Of Kansas
that the banks Of Kansas have $500.
GOO less on deposit today than they
had In September. BY all the ordinary
rules Of business the farmers and mer-
chants OF Kansas should have more
money on deposit when they are sell
ing their crops than when they have
just harvested them, and the store
keepers should be in the same condi-
ton at the same time, for debts are
being paid and the money brought into
the state for the crops should find it's
way into the banks.
Is it the extraordinary increase in
the cost Of living that is impoverishing
the people Of Kansas and forcing en-
igration from lowaI These two states
have been noted as the banner crop
producers of the west. and vet those
signs OF lack Of prosperity would in
dicate that something is preying upon
their vitalS. No wonder the Iowa state
grange at its last meeting denounced
the eXtortion Of the trusts and the rail
roads. especially the packers trust.
which not only robs the farmers, but
the consumers, by reducing the price
of cattle and hogs and increasing the
price of meat Nor is it extraordinary
that the Iowa idea" that the tariff
fosters the trusts and does not stimu-
late agriculture. bas become the issue
In that state and, although smothercd
for time by the manipulations Of the
Republican leaders. will be more diff
cult to suppress at the coming natiolla
election.
The farmers Of the western states
are discovering that good crops and
large incomes are offset 10y the en-
larged exactions Of the trusts through
the monopoly they enjoy under pro
lection and is forcing them to examine
the tariff issue for their own saliva
ton. All the buoyant talk of presi-
dent Roosevelt about the suppression
! of bad trusts" has produced ITO re-
pAsults No trust has reduced prices
and the railroads have advanced rates
under his administration. and in his
message to the new congress there is
no word Of recommendation for tariff
reform. The members Of his cabinet
are all noted protectionists, and some
of them are notoriously friends Of the
corporations that have been shown to
be the most pernicious extortionists.
If President Roosevelt was sincerely
trying to tighten the burdens OF the
people Of Iowa and Kansas and else
where. for some of the same condi
tlons exist in every state. he would
certainly urge congress to reform the
tariff which high Republican has
assured us is 1.-The mother of all trusts. ="