Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-08-17
Letter From Egypt.
Barry, Illinois, August, s, 1904

Our old friend Robert Barr writes
me their potatoes are fighting for
room to grow and corn is growing
so fast, it roars so at night that he
can't sleep. The suckers are more
inclined to believe fish and snake
stories than crop reports. Possibly,
if someone would find Robert per-
manent housekeeper, one to call his,
the size of the potatoes and the
nightly roar of the corn would not
in the least disturb his peaceful
slumber.
Some of our crop reports are too
optimistic and misleading to those
unacquainted with real conditions;
why such are sent for publication L
am unable to say, unless the repor-
tiers are bears on the market, don't
know what they are talking about,
or intentionally aim to deceive.
From ea' y in the spring until the
18th. July we had entirely too
mucF rain consequently much Of
ow orn was planted late and it
was impossible to cultivate it as it
should be done. Therefore quite a
per cent. of the corn in Pike and
Adams counties is very grassy and
weedy, and ranges from one foot to
five tall and not of thrifty color. 1t
is true we have considerable heavy
corn, but when | consider all things
pertaining to the crop | would not
like to estimate above IS per cent. at
best and it may fall short of that.
What is true Of the counties | have
mentioned will prove true of several
counties in the state. The Missis-
sippi and Illinois bottoms are the
Egypt of Illinois for corn and it is
upon them the prospect is gloomy
Shallow cultivation to make a
dust mulch, as advocated by the new
school Of corn raisers was no good
this season.
Our wheat was poor, from 5 to Is
bushels, pasture, oats, potatoes and
all kinds Of garden truck good,
berries and small fruit scarce. No
peaches and a light crop of apples.
Timothy and clover from last spring
seeding good stand, hay crop the
best we have had for several years
and with three weeks without rain
enabled us to secure it in good con-
dition.
Being democrat, of course [ am
generous enough to credit the re-
publican party with all the prosper
ity we can justly claim, for it is a
noted fact that they claim to be the
prosperity makers and credit the
Supreme Being and the democrats
with the adversely. Their prosper
ity claim is disputable. Mr. Roose-
welt in his euphonous vote catching
speech to the notification committee
said I'VE fit the deed to the word: we
favor changing the tariff schedule
as the business of the country de-
mands it; we think the change
should be made by the friends of
the tariff and not it's enemies" | ask
how long it would take a den OF
thieves to make complete reforma-
ton while they were finding plenty
to steal? If there were no extrinsic
influence brought to bear upon
them they never would reform, so it
is with the friends of the high tariff
They will never make any great
changes, if any, until they become
its enemies, or are actually driven
to it, then they would begrudgingly
forsake it, like the thief his pilfer.
ing. History proves their deeds
fitting other things better than theil
words. Not many years ago they
promised full dinner pals and stead,
employment, now Isuppose the deco
is being fitted to the word in Chi.
cago by $4,000 men out of work
dinner pals empty and their famil
les procuring sustenance from relief
stations. The deed made close fiji
in the Colorado mines, it also fits a
Joe Letters mine at Zeigler, ILL.,, 30
600 at Fall River Mass. trying to fl
the deed to the republican word an,
10000 at Pottsville, Pennsylvania
besides thousands Of railroad mel
> and factory hands discharged. l
a high protection tariff has increase
the business of the country and is
prosperity maker as they claim it is
l why not hold to it and let it con
tinue to increase our business? w
| can rest assured they will do tn
former until they will have to max
a a change or be defeated. The trus
!, hog of the republican breed flu,
b nishes too much fat for campaig
Q purposes to buy the floating vot
9 that neither has honor nor characte
Q to ever think the business of tn
: country will demand lower tariff
o A high protective tariff does JUS
a two things, it lowers the price {
Z, raw material and increases the pric
s Of the manufactured article: hence
n makes the laboring mans livin
It cost more and it hurts the farme
|. two ways, one on what he sells an
!, the other on what he buys. If til
!. farmer was only "a producer his bun
den would be lighter, but he is
j heavy consumer of things he doe
y not produce. Some years ago
= could buy lumber at Hannibal fe
: $3.50 per thousand, today til
# same grade would cost $50.
a could go to Quincy and get
= wagon for S55, now l would have
y pay $50, barb wire that l used [
le buy for $2.l5 to 1925 will no
h cost about $3.40. to say nothing Q
1t the increased price upon numero,
d other articles the farmer has to bu,
l. It is plain to be seen that the farm
z.ak. 80