Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-01-21
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 tho AR.
Ficulturtst-Thc President. Having
Joined the Stand Patterx. Makes No
Recommendation
Notwithstanding good crops and an
increased price for them, there is cyi-
dence that both Iowa and Kansas are
not as prosperous as they should be.
Ihe records OF the school census of
Iowa for 1903 show falling Off of
pupils enrolled, the number in 1903 be-
ing 55O,2O2 as against $50, 173 for 1902.
While i'll 1900 the number was JtE;.OOO
Ihat shows the extraordinary loss of
population in three years when there
should be Il normal increase of nearly
$4,000. Ii the farmers Of Iowa are
prosperous. what makes them leave
the state and seek homes elsewhere?
Then the surprising statement is made
by the bank commissioner of Kansas
that the banks of Kansas have $780,
QUO less OH deposit today than they
mad in September. by all the ordinary
rules of business the farmers and mcr-
chants of Kansas should have more
money on deposit when tl!ey are sell
ing their crops than when they have
just harvested them. and the store
keepers should b. in the samn conli-
ton ut 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 incveas. i'm
the cost of living that is imEoveyis| in-
the people of Kansas and forcing rm-
igration from Iowa? These two states
have been noted as the banner crop
producers of the west, and yet those
signs of lack of prosperity would in-
dicate that something is prpyin- up,.n
their vitals. No wonder the low; State
grange at its last meeting danouncpd
the eXtortion of the trusts and the rail
roads, especially the packers trust.
which not only rUbs the farmers, but
the consumers. by reducing the price
Of cattle and hogs and increasing the
~
that the "Iowa idca," that the tariff
fosters the trusts and does not stimu-
late agriculture, has become tie issue
in that state and. although slnotheipd
for time by the manipulations of the
Republican leaders. will be more ditii-
cult to suppress at the coming national
election.
The farmers of the western states
are discovering that good crops and
large incomes are offset by 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 FRESH
dent Roosevelt about the suppression
of dad trusts" has produced NO re-
suits. No trust has reduced prices.
and the railroads have advanced rates
message to the new congress there is
no word of recommendation for tariff
reform The members Of his cabinat
are all noted protectionists. and SoEl"
of them are VIGOROUSLY friends of the
corporations that have been shown to
be the most pernicious cXtortionis.:;.
If President Roosevelt was sincere IL
trying to tighten the burdens OF !le
people of Iowa and Kansas and else
where. for some of the same cCndi-
tons exist in every state. lie world
certainly urge congress to reform the
tariff which high Republican liars
assured us is "tllc mother Of all trusts. "