Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-03-14

Fully $4,000, 100000 dollars has been
added to the value of the farms of the
United States in the past ten years of
Republican protection prosperity.
Practically another ten billions has in
these ten years been added to the
market value of farm products. These
are astounding figures, but they are
borne out by official statistics.
The increase in the value of farm
lands in the past five years, 1900-1905,
has been $6,131, 100000.
In report entitled Local Condi.
tions as Affecting Farm Values, 1900
19O5,' lately issued by the bureau of
statistics of the department of agricul-
ture, we find the following statement:
Increase in value for ten classes of
farms.-For rice farms the increased
value of the farm real estate during
the five years is $3,000.000, after which
are the sugar farms, with an increase
of $20,000,000. The tobacco farms in
creased $57,000.0OO, the fruit farms
$94,OOO,000, and the vegetable farms,
S113,00,000. The dairy farm increase
of $369,000,00 is exceeded by the in
crease of $4G0,000, 900 for cotton farms,
and considerably more by the increase
for farms devoted to general purposes,
including a small element of farms
with minor specialties, which was
S76S0OO,000. The grand aggregate of
increase for all classes of farms is So
131,00O,000, more than two-thirds of
which is contributed by the increase
for hay and grain farms, $1,9S3, ,0OO,-
600, and $2,263, 100000 for live stock
farms"
This increase of more than $6,00O,-
100000 in the value of farm lands in
the five years ending with 1905 is in
striking contrast with what took place
IN the four years of Democratic tariff
making, 1S93-1S97. In those lean
years-lean for the wage earners and
therefore lean for the farmers-the
decline in values of farm products was
estimated at between $4,000, 900 900
and $5,000,0 100000. American labor
was earning less and eating less. In
that same lean period of free trade
tariff revision the depreciation of farm
land values was not less than $4,000.
100000. Total loss to the farmers of
the United States In four years of
downward tariff revision, $10,000,000,-
600.
All of this gigantic loss was recov-
cred in the four years of protection
prosperity following the election of
President Mckinley in 1896. In the
next succeeding five years, ending
with 1905, years of Republican protec-
ton prosperity, there has been a fur
ther gain of more than $6,000,000, 900
in farm land value and of probably
$4,000,O00,000 in the values of farm
products.
Counting the money lost, 1S93-1S97
Oree trade perio6 $4,000 000, 900, and
the money gained back again and in
creased beyond that by the huge gains
in values of lands and of products
since 1900, and we find that restored
protection to labor, to industry and to
the products of agriculture has been
worth 100000, 900 to the farmers of
the United States!
Says the report of the agricultural
department, lately isued:
increase in value for five geo.
graphic divisions.-Nearly four-fifths
of the national aggregate increase in
value of farm realestate during the
five years is found in two groups of
states-the north central states. with
more than half of the total increase
or S3,572 600, 900, and the south central
states, with one-fifth of that increase.
or $1,201 100000 The south Atlantic
and western groups of states have
nearly the same increases-$514,0 ,000,-
600 and $500, 900, respectively. The
smallest increase is left to the north
Atlantic states, where a net gain of
$344, 100000 remains after deducting
some reported decreases in value"
Among the causes of increase II.
farm land values given in the report
under consideration are the following:
New or expanding manufacturing
industries in nearby markets. Gre
suit of protection)
Raising sugar beets for sugar fac.
tories. Result of protection.)
improved economic conditions gen.
eral prosperity. almost wholly the
result of protection.)
Some details of these higher prices
are found interesting. In 1896 (free
trade tariff period com averaged 21.5
cents a bushel; five gears later, 1901
(protection period, the average was
60.b cents bushel. Oats were worth
1877 in 1895, and 1913 in 1901. Wheat
was 59.9 cents a bushel in 1895. and
92.4 cents bushel in 1904. Eggs
brought 1863 cents dozen in 1896,
and 91,S cents dozen in 1905.
The average prices for 1901-19O4
were far greater than for 1S95-1S99.
Corn (not counting the extraord-
mary price of 60.5 cents In 19OD
was 14.2 cents higher; wheat,
5.6 higher; oats, 1912 higher;
potatoes 1876 higher. horses 900 IA