The Southern Mercury. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 19, 1892 Page: 4 of 16
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SOUTHERN MERCURY.
May 19, 1892.
Some Facta and Figures.
The unequal distribution of the
products of labor and the unfair
allotment of the common comforts
to say nothing of the luxuries of
life, can only be made plain by
personal observation or a resort to
statistics. A comparison of the
rewards which follow production
on one band and idleness and
scheming on the other brings out
such a strong contrast as should
attract the attention of all prudent
citizens.
In a speech delivered in Congress
May 16, 1888, Hon. Ben. Butter-
worth made the following state-
ments in regard to the income of
farms in some of the states :
Per year. Per day
Ohio $394 $1.08
Georgia 150 .42
Illinois.. 470 1.30
Alabama 375 .41
Wisconsin 375 1.02
The average income of the farm-
ers of the United States is less
than $1.00 a day counting 365 days
in a year. Mr. Butterworth also
stated the average income of me-
chanics and laborers in different
cities:
Per year. Per day
Cincinnati $258.00 $0.93
Lowell, Mass 224.00 .80
Chicago 430.00 1.20
St. Louis 424.00
Philadelphia 340:75 .95
Lawrence, Mass 331.75 .90
Richmond, Va 234.00 .60
Augusta, Ga 207.00 .73
Louisville, Ky 334.00 .90
This is not a very good show-
ing for the remuneration of pro-
ductive labor. The following,
taken from the Farmer Record,
Muncie, Ind., presents an array of
facts truly startling:
From the labor reports of Mas-
sachusetts for 1890, we learn that
in that state in that year 2,481
farms were entirely abandoned.
From the reports of Maine, Ver-
mont, New Hampshire and Rhode
Island we learn that in 1890 3,318
farms were abandoned in those
states. The Ohio labor statistical
report shows that the average
wages paid in Ohio to be 98 cents
per day. The census report of the
United States shows the average
wages paid in the United States to
be only 98 cents per day. Do you
believe that consumers with such
a beggarly income can pay you good
prices for your products ?
The above are government fig-
ures: The New York Recorder
of August 23, 1891, speaking in
its local columns about the strik-
ing cloakmakers of that city, said :
" Their children cry for food, but
there is little food for them. The
few clothes that cover their backs
are gone, and in many of the homes
the children rolled on the floor
with scarcely a rag to hide their
nakedness," etc. Such a con-
dition you will find in every city
in the United States where many
persons are employed. The ma-
jority of workers if out of work
two weeks will have either to
starve, beg or steal, and yet you
expect these people to consume
what you produce!
In 1870 the average size of each fnrm
in the United States was 153 acres.
In 1880 It was 133 acres.
In 1880 it was 107 acres.
Average value per acre, 1870, $50.00.
Average value per acre, 1880, $46.00.
Average value per acre, 1890, $28.00.
Average value each farm, 1870, $3,430.
Average value each farm, 1880, $2,428.
Average value each farm, 1890, $1,620,
In 1870 every acre wheat brought. .$12.76
In 1889 every acre wheat brought.. 8.60
Loss on each acre $3.78
In 1870 every acre corn brought.. .$17.75
In 1879 every acre corn brought... 7.73
Loss on every acre Í10.12
In 1870 every acre rye brought $19.25
In 1890 every acre rye brought... 7.07
Loss on every acre ; $ 9.76
In 1870 every acre oats brought... $16.05
Iu 1890every acre oats brought... 6.26
Loss on every acre $9.76
In 1870 every acre barley brought.$20.00
In 1890 every acre barley brought. 7.43
Loss on every acre $12.57
In 1870 every acre buckwheat bro't $19.11
In 1890 every acre buckwheat bro't 8.30
Loss on every acre $10.75
Your horses, cows, sheep, swine
and other live stock have depre-
ciated in the same way, while nei-
ther your debts nor interest have
decreased, and do you not see that
you must now give twice as much
produce to pay taxes, insurance,
rent, etc., as it did formerly.
In 1890 the farmers produc-
ed wealth to the amount
of $2,213,402,564
Tlie manufacturers 4,232,325,452
Miners, etc 3.319,575,443
Making total wealth
created $9,765,203,449
This was created by twelve mil-
lion producers, the balance, or fifty
million of our population being
simply consumers, but not pro-
ducers. The laboring people,
farmers and all, who produced this
wealth received only $3,380,000,-
000 of it. Who received the
other? Let us see:
Railroad profits in 1890... .$ 318,125,339
Telegraph company profits 8,000,000
Telephone company profits
in 1890 1,838,913
National bank profits 142,695,190
Bondholders' interest 36,099,284
Manufacturers' profits 1,024,801,847
Total $1,521,582,581
The above amount these corpor-
ations admit in their official gov-
ernment report to h,ave made as
profits. The balance goes either
to middlemen or also to them, as
it is not likely that they would
state the truth. Let us see how
the farmer compares with the
highly protected manufacturer:
The farmers of the United
States have invested in
laud, machinery, etc... .$14,246,070,391
Manufacturers have inves-
ted 2,790,272,006
Value of farmers' products 2,413,407,564
Value of manufacturers'
products 4,238,325,442
Average income of each
manufacturer 4,000
Average income of each
farmer 365
You have invested nearly seven
times more capital yet make only
one-tenth as much money.
If the above statements are true,
and they are mostly taken from
official documents, it discloses a
sad state of affairs in this once
prosperous country. They also
show beyond question that the
time is at hand when such condi-
tions should be changed.—National
Econmist.
in
Remember that Dr. Petit can be
consulted, personally or by letter
without charge of any kind,
regard to any and all cases.
Saxet does cure rheumatism.
Absolutely Nothing Done!
Eight years ago the democratic
party gained some headway—a
president was elected. They had
a majority of congress. Instead of
carrying out their promises they
set about to dodge everything, hop-
ing to carry another election. But
this was a failure. A good many
people who voted democratic the
previous election saw that the
promises were not carried out.
Two years ago the democratic par-
ty practically swept the country,
gaining in the senate and having
an overwhelming majority in the
house. Just after the election the
prospects for a complete sweep of
the country from president down,
were brighter than any party has
had since the republic was estab-
lished. Alliancemen, non-Alliance-
men—in fact everybody thought
they saw a way out. They said,
"certainly the democratic party
will not fail to keep its pledges
now. The leaders see what is
needed and what will make the
party successful." What is the
record? Absolutely nothing done.
The nine Third party congressmen
have stood with the democrats on
most matters of reform. Yet with
a big majority (148) on a strict
party vote and the aid of outsid-
ers, they have only managed to
come to a tie vote on a very im-
portant and just measure—free
silver coinage. In addition to this
enough democrats have aided the
republicans in years gone by to
foist on us the national banking
system, unjust tariff laws, pensions,
land steals, outrageous appropria-
tions—everything that has brought
the country to the verge of ruin.
The present democratic house
started out with enough appropria-
tion bills to make it as obnoxious
as the famous "billion dollar con-
gress." But we believe sentiment
has been expressed so freely against
it that it has stopped. The demo-
cratic leaders know they had a
chance this last winter to prove
that it is "a party of the people."
They know that if they had kept
their promises there would have
been no talk of a Third party. In
the place of all this they defied the
will of the masses.
What we have recounted against
both parties is not humbuggery.
It is infernal rascality.—Progress-
ive Farmer.
A Good One.
A good story is told of S. H.
Foree, father of Judge Foree,
chairman of the Dallas county
Democratic committee, and Mr.
Rose an influential farmer re-
siding near Reinhardt, in Dallas
county. A few days before the
recent primaries were held, Mr.
Foree met Mr. Rose and inform-
ed him that there was to be a
grand gathering of farmers at
Reinhardt to elect delegates to a
county gathering of farmers, to
send delegates to another grand
gathering of farmers at Lampasas,
to in turn, send delegates to a na-
tional grand gathering of ^farmers
at Chicago June 20th next, and
requested his attendance at the
meeting. On the day appointed,
Mr. Rose put in his appearance
but lo, "nary farmer was
to be seen," save a couple of fel-
lows out at elbows and at knees,
"hollerin rali fer Hogg and Ker-
mission" amid the plaudits of a
select few of the governor's hench-
men. Realizing the sort of a
mob he'd got into, Mr. Rose turned
to Mr. Foree and said: "Old man,
I like ye alright 'nough, and would
die fer ye to do ye a service; and
yer son Kenny is a promising boy;
but that kind o' cattle don't go in
mine!" He then betook himself
home, through the meadow, in
search of "political pastures new"
in which to disport himself the re-
mainder of his days.
• * *—-^* < —
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Park, Milton. The Southern Mercury. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 19, 1892, newspaper, May 19, 1892; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth185465/m1/4/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .