Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-19
Farmers Prosperity.

Az Isl ~ lAGA = tNlJd4 l444' III - sup
posed to be run especially for the Gene-
fit of the farmers, and there is no
doubt that ii has been of great service
to American agriculture. Indeed il
should be, for the appropriations for
the department are rapidly increasing.
For the fiscal year 1896 5000, 100 was
voted by congress, and this was in
creased to SJ,9TS, 1GO for 1904. Have
the advantages TO the farmers in
creased in like proportion TO augment
cd appropriations or is it grown like
the other departments into Il machine
for spending money on political favor
ites? There are some rather annoying
scandals to be explained, such as the
seed frauds and the carriage and
crop report scandals" which partly cX-
plain where the money goes.
Secretary Wilson should look after
matters Il little closer and stop the
leaks before lie gives out Interviews
and makes campaign speeches Boosting
of what he has done Last spring Sec
rotary Wilson il an interview which
was widely published in many news
papers made wild claims of the uuiver-
sal prosperity Of the farmers. He said,
They are only interested in the trusts
10 know that the securities issued by
the trusts are safe investments" Mr..
Wilson was still further quoted as say
ing that the farmers pOcketbOok Is
full; that he is a capitalist. only hunt
ing for investments, flooding the west
ern banks with more money than they
can handle and sending millions to the
east for Investment"
The farmers of the country will be
delighted TO hear of their tremendous
prosperity, but most Of them VIII prob
ably have to admit That Secretary VII
sons knowledge of the condition Of the
farmers is very limited. He may know
Of q few gentlemen farmers who
farm for the pleasure Of it. who are In
tcreStcd in knowing that trust securi-
ties are safe investments. but that the
average farmer * more interested in
the high trust prices he j. paying
would be more near the truth.
As an Indication that the farmers
prosperity is ovcrstatcd one of the
large life insurance companies reports
that il increased its loans on farms in
Iowa in 1902 over $4onN.OoO- that IS,
the new loans made by this one com
DIIlN f-At'tNtvh lii''~f l''lL't ~ 'AA''S
amount. The last Iowa school census
shows that 10000 fairness have left
Iowa mostly 10 take up IandS In the
Canadian northwest. Would they have
left their fertile Iowa fields and the
flag under which they We're born to
make now homes loo miles nearer
the north pole if prosperous:
Docs that look like the transcendInG
prosperity Of the farmers Of the ban
ner agriculture state OF the Union that
Secretary Wilson talks 80 Slihly about?
There is no doubt that series of IA
vorabIe circumstances, among them
the Chlno-Japancsc war, the war in
South Africa, the war with Spain ana
the present war ia the east, has In
creased the demand for the surplus
products OF the farms. This increased
demand could have made the farmers
very prosperous. but trust high prices
were gnawing at their vitulS and de
priycd them of the profits they were
! entitled to- That process IL still going
| on, and the farmer that Secretary VIII
| son talks about must be a rara avis,
and even he IN his hunt for invest
| mcnts has met vast losses by the de
| DrCCiQilOD OF nearly All ClhNN'9 VI -
! curitics. The beef trust alone has
| flchcd millions Of dollars from the
pockets of the farmers by forcing
down the price Of cattle and hogs and
/ raising the price Of beef and pork to
! the consumers.
! If Secretary Wilson, instead OF max
! fnx exaggerated statements Of the pros
ucritv Of the farmers, would urge Pres
/ idcnt Roosevelt and his cabinet TO take
real action against the beef trust mag
mates instead Of temporary injuncuonS,
which have had no effect, lie would
come nearer earning his salary. Con
-r"~s appropriated $4,000 10 prose
cute trusts. but the department of
! justice has only expended $4,000 IN
/ hunting them ana - Tar has not
| bagCrd single Industrial trust. The
protective tariff still fosters the trusts
| and allows them 10 sell their products
/ cheaper abroad than here. and the Re
publican platform and President RoOSe-
welt in his speech of acceptance ap-
prove the protection policy and have
declared their intention 10 hold fast
10 it