The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-20
rHE FARMERS SCARE.


wAsHrxoyox. Dec. iS-ln his annual
report the Secretary Of Agriculture makes
the stat emsnt that taken all togsther the
farmer has evidently benefited moro than
the rest Of the community from the
changes in values and submits album
dant evidence in support OF his statement
His principal ilhisf nation. however. seems
somewhat inadequate and misleading
As it stands il puts the farmer in very
bad light. He takes ten leading crops,
corn. wheat. tobacco. cotton. oats, barley
rye. buckwheat. potatoes and hay. and
SHOVE an average increase Of 12.7 per
cent. IN farm value In ten years. He COM
pares this with an average increase OF
i2.i per cent IN the prices OF eighty Ave
selected articles Of common use and con.
sumption on the farm. including food
stufis. clothing and implements. The in
ference from the surface il that the farmer
gets an average OF TT rer cent. more
than he did ten years ago for what he sells
and pays only III per cent. more for what
he b'Iys. II that were fair and exact
statement Of the case one Of two conclu-
sions wouki be necessary. either We
robbed the farmers ten years ago or they
are to-day robhing US.
The measure OF the farmer improved
financial condition could be obtained by
ascertaining the total 1910 value Of the
products OF 1900 In comparison with the
total 1900 value. The increase would not
be I'll per cent The details for all farm
products are not available. but the price
advance on cereals appears to average
about 20 per cent. On the other side the
Percentage would be ascertained by Q
similar comparison Of the farmers pur-
chases. They would unquestionably be
found to show an average price increase
much greater than III per cent. How
ever. tho general statement will stand
that between the percentage OF increase
in the price OF commodities sold and the
percentage OF increase in the price OF
commodities purchased the farmer has
had q much wider margin OF financial
benefit than any Of his fellow citizens in
their revenues and expenses. According
to Secretary Wilson there has been an
increase Of SIS per cent. in the price OF
brooms. OF 20 per cent. in rubber boots.
OF 20 In calico and IS in muslin. OF 9 in
coffee and 81 in sugar. and % In some
farm machinery. but he shows that the
acre Of corn that would buy the farmer 8
barrels Of four in 1899 would buy "a bar
rels in 1909. and that the acre Of corn that
would buy 1882 yards OF muslin In 1890
would buy iess yards in 1900 He Gays
that thu average purchasing power OF all
crops increased in ten years - per cent
when spent for coal oil. 81 per cent. when
spent for coffee. 30 per cent. for -four
and SO for sugar. the increase being duo
in sone part TO increased yields and in
large part 20 higher prices
The wage Of the laborcr and the artisan
the salary Of the clerk and the profss-
sional man show no such increase in pur-
chasing power. The farmer has a par
ticular advantage in the fact that con-
part Of his table supply IL
obtained directly from his own fields.
gardens. orchards. dairy and poultry yard
at probably somewhat less than half the
prices that the rest OF va must pay The
Secretary declares. with evident salts
faction. thai the farmers are increasing
their average acreage yield. but he does
not show what would be even more pleas
ing TO consumers. namely. that farmers
are materially reducing the unit cost OF
their products