RAISE MORE AND BUT LESS. 179 



RAISE MORE AXD BUY LESS. 



By Hon, F. D. DOUGLASS, President Vermont Dairymen's Association. 



The future of American agriculture is a subject which should 

 deeply interest every American citizen. All new capital is developed 

 from the earth and from the manipulation of the products of the 

 earth. Our agriculture, mines and quarries furnish the foundation 

 upon which all wealth is based. Stop production in these depart- 

 ments of industry, and ruin to all financial interests would im- 

 mediately follow. If the conditions under which these must be 

 prosecuted are such that they cannot be profitably pursued, every 



financial interest suffers. Especially is this true of American agri- 

 culture. When this calling with us ceases to be a paying occupa- 

 tion, the great arraj" of consumers of manufactured wares directly 

 and indirectly dependent upon it for the means of purchasing per- 

 sonal and family supplies fail to be longer free purchasers of those 

 wares, merchants and trades-people pf all descriptions, mechanics, 

 transportation companies, manufacturers and the professional 

 classes, all feel the financial depression, and if this condition is long 

 continued general financial panic and disaster results. 



The financial outlook is somewhat discouraging to the farmers of 

 all sections at the present time. Especially is this true with farmers 

 who have a heavy mortgage indebtedness, and with those whose 

 soils are naturally poor and where from want of skill in their manage- 

 ment the}' have become so impoverished that they produce but scanty 

 crops and the consequent cost of production is out of proportion to 

 their market value. 



A general depression in the value of agricultural productions at 

 the present time seems to extend to all of the markets of the 

 world upon which we are compelled to rely for the disposal of our 

 surplus crops. This result has been brought about by those im- 

 proved facilities for transportation which have vastly extended the 

 territory from which the supplies for these markets are drawn, and 

 bj' the improved facilities for their production. The east, even to 

 far-off India and the islands of the Pacific, are flooding the markets 

 of Europe with their agricultural staples. The boundless West, in 

 consequence of the enterprise and energy of our people, has been 

 unduly developed, while its capacity for production has been vastly 



