128 The Tariff and the Farmer. 



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How mucH better than this is the prospect given by the 

 United States census, 1900! 



Here we are informed by census officials, in answer to 

 inquiry sent on, that ''no duplications took place as be- 

 tween milk, butter and cream,'' as in the Massachusetts 

 State census of 1895. 



The United States census gives the average value per 

 farm of products of North Atlantic States as $984. This 

 is the gross income : 



To obtain net, we deduct value fed to live stock, $254.00 

 Paid for hired help, 105,00 

 Fertilizers, 23.00 

 Interest on $2219 (land) at 4 per cent., 88.76 

 Interest on, and maintenance of values, $2136 (build- 

 ings, machinerj^, live stock), 8 per cent., 170.88 

 Tax (call value but $3000 for tax purpose) at $15 



per thousand, 45.00 



Total, $686.64 



Here a sufficient rate of interest was allowed to cover 

 maintenance of values, keeping buildings and machinery 

 in repairs (in the latter case providing new when worn 

 out), and furnishing the means to buy cows or horses as 

 required to maintain value of live stock. 



After deducting the value of the various items, what 

 remains is $297.36. From this must be still further 

 deducted the board of a hired man for a portion of the 

 year, and the cost of shoeing the horses. What then 

 remains (less than $250, we judge) represents the total 

 labor earnings of a farmer's family. He has this advan- 

 tage over the workman, a cheap house to live in, value 

 about $1000; so that the small income he receives is not 

 diminished by a rent bill. 



