Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-08-26
MARVELLOUS Change
Americas Amazing Agficultu-
raj Advance
THE SOUTH FAR IN THE LEAD
"That the South, With 25,Ooo.ooo
Population, Is Producing as Much
Value in Agricultural Out-Turn as
the United States With 62,000.0O0
People Did in 1890, is One of the
Amazing Facts of Our History.

baltlmore, Md.-HeVleWlnS AIneIl-
ca Is amazing agricultural advance of
late years, the Manufacturers Record
in recent issue says:
Probably nothing more folcibly
illustrates this marvellous change than
the fact that the value Of the agri-
cultural products Of the South alone,
which will this year be between ST.
25O,OOO,OOO and $2,5OO,OOO,O0O, will
be more than the total for the United
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 woald
equal the total for the United States
in 1s9O7 That the South, with 2o,-
100000 population, is producing as
much value in agricultural out turn
as the United States with 62,000,00Q
people did in 1890 is one Of the
amazing facts of our history. In
1890 the value of all agricultural
products outside Of the South was
$1,596,OO0,OOO, OF at least $6OO,OOO,-
600 less than what the South alone
will this year produce.
The increase in the value of farm
property of $S,OOO,OOO,OOO between
1900 and 1907 is nearly nine times as
great as the aggregate national bank
ing capital of the United States 1t
is more than one-half as 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 saw
ings bank deposits of the whole coun-
try. Think for a moment Of the
increase, simply seven years incre-
ment, in the value Of farm property
being nine times as great as the total
national banking capital of the United
States, three times as great as all the
savings bank deposits accumulated
during all the past and half as large
as the entire capitalization Of all the
railroads in the United States into
which the surplus money of the land
has been pouring for over three-quar-
ters of century.
In 1890 the S,565,OOO people en-
gagged in agriculture in this country
produced total of $2,466,0O0,0O0, or
an average of $2S7 per capita. In
1907 the IL ,991, 1000 engaged in agri-
culture produced total of $7,4l2,-
100000, or an average of $6lS per
capita. During that period the num-
Der 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 so per
cent
|. In the brief period between 1900
and 1907 the value of farm property
advanced in value from 500, 0,439,OOO,-
900 to $2S, S,077 100000, gain of near
lily $s,OOO,OOO,OOO, or 81 per cent.
though the number Of people engaged
in agricultural pursuits increased only
Is per cent.
A study of facts bearing upon agri-
cultural conditions since 1870 shows
that in that year the value of all agri-
cultural products per capita to those
engaged in farm pursuits was 1926,
while from that figure here was a
rapid decline to 1886 in 1880 and dur.
ing the next 10 years the er capita
was practically stationary, as the av-
erage in 1890 was only $2S7. If re-
liable figures were available, they
would show marked decline between
1890 and 1896, because it was during
that period that the agricultural in
terests reached their most acute stage
Of poverty. In those years farm pro-
ducts, not only in the South, but
throughout the country, were greatly
depressed, selling in many cases be-
low the cost of raising. Farm lands
likewise steadily deprecated in value
By 1900, however, there b;d come
great change, due to the advance be-
tween 1897 and 1000, and in the latter
year the value of farm products per
capita was $45l, gain of 1854 per
capita, or about 81 per cent. campar-
ed with 1890. Since 1900 this gain
has continued uninterruptedly, ris
ing in 1905 to $55S per capita, in
1906 to $579 and in 1907 to $619. Sec
retary of Agriculture Wilson esti-
mates the total value of this years
farm products at $S,OO0,0O0,0O0 or
gain Of about $6OO,OOO,OOO over
1907. Accepting Mr.. Wilson's fig
ures as correct though we believe that
they will prove to be too small, the
per capita production will show an
other rapid advance this year.
In 1890 to 1906 the increasing pow
erty of the farmers of all sections.
due to low prices, was the subject
Of almost universal discussion. Con-
suners of farm products were then
buving at lower cost than they had
ever known before. But the produc-
ers. the farmers Of the land, were in
dire poverty. With the increase in
manufacturing during the last ten
years, and with the development of
railroads and the large increase in the
number of their employees, making
great gain in the number Of consum-
ers of farm products and the gradual
elimination of the cheap lands of the
West by settlements and the flood OF
gold pouring into the worlds chan
nels of trade, we have had a combi-
nation of circumstances which have
united to bring about much higher
range of values. The consumer of
farm products is no longer rejoicing
in the low prices which prevailed II
or Is years ago. The farmer is now
having his inning and though this