The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-08-18
FARMER COMING INTO OWN.
South's Agricultural Progress Amaz-
ing-Value of Farm Products
in the South.

Reviewing Americas amazing ag-
ricultural advance of late years, the
Manufacturers Record, Of Balti-
more, in last week s issue says:
Probably nothing more forcibly il
lustratcs this marvellous change than
the fact that the value of the agri-
cultural products Of the South alone,
which will this year be between $2,-
250,000,000 and S2,500,000,0 will
be more than the total for the Unit
ed States in 1880, and about the same
as for the entire country as late as
1890. In 1890 who could have dared
to predict that the value Of the
South's farm products Of 1908 would
equal the total for the United States
in 1902 That the South, with &c.
100000 population, is producing as
much value in agricultural outturn as
the United States with 62,000,000
people did in 1890 is one Of the
amazing facts Of our history. In 1890
the value Of all agricultural pro-
ducts outside of the South was ST.
COG 100000, or at least $600,000,O00
less than what the South alone will
this year produce.
The increase in the value Of farm
property of $8,000,000,000 between
1900 and 1907 is nearly nine times
as great as the aggregate national
i,,1 ho tnfo
It is more than one-half az large as
the total capitalization, bonds and
stocks included. Of all the railroads
in the United States. 1t is nearly
three times as large as the aggregate
savings bank deposits Of the whole
,country. q. Think for moment of
the increase, simply seven years III
cremcnt. in the value of farm proper
ty being nine times ns great rs the
total national banking capital of the
United States, three times as great
as all the sayings bank deposits accu
mulatcd during all the past and half
as large as the entire capitalization
of all the railroads in the united Sta
tes, into which the surplus money Of
the land has been pouring for over
three-quarters Of a century.
In 1890 the 1866 900 people cngag-
cd in agriculture in this country pro-
duced total Of $2,466, ,000,0 900, or an
avcrafe Of $2.87 per capita. In 1907
the 1891 900 engaged in agriculture
produced total of $7,4l2. 100000. or
an average of $6.18 per capita. Dur
ing that period the number Of people
engaged in agriculture increased by
40 per cent, while the value of farm
products increased by 200 per cent,
and the value Of all farm property
increased by 90 per cent.
In the brief period between 1900
and 1907 the value Of farm property
advanced in value from $40, ,430, ,000,-
OOOlu $2S OF .0O0.0 900. a gain Of near
~ $4,000. 900 900. or 81 per cent.
though the number Of people rn"a"c3
in agricultural pursuits Increased on"
ly Il per cent.
ricultural conditions since 1870 shows
that in that year the value of all ag-
ricultural porducts per capita to
those engaged in farm pursuits was
*}2G, while from that figure there
was rapid decline to 1886 in 1880,
and during the next ten wars the
per capita was practically stationary,
as the average in 1890 was only &2S1.
If reliable figures were available,
they would show marked decline
between 1890 and 1896. because il was
during that period that the agricul-
tural interests reached their most
acute Stage Of poverty. In those
years farm products. not only in the
South, but throughout the country,
we're greatly depressed, selling in
many eases below the cost of raising.
Farm lands likewise steadily dcprc-
ciatcd in value. BY 1900. however,
there had come a great change, due
to the advance between 1897 and
1900, and in the latter year the value
of farm products per capita was $45l,
a gain Of $lG4 per capita, or about
81 per cent, compared with 1890.
Since 1900 this Gain has continued
unintcrr,lptcdly, riSin" in 1908 to
$51S per capita. in 1906 to 1910 and
] in 1907 10 $GlS. Secretary Of Agri-
&culturc Wilson estimates the total
1,,n ,p /