128 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Corn is never purchased by the world except when wheat 

 is scarce, for wheat will always have the preference for 

 bread over corn. That corn is worth to the people of this 

 country more than $700,000,000. The crop of corn has 

 added to the Avealth of this country in ninety days, — for 

 it is a ninety-day crop from the time it is planted until 

 it is harvested, — the farmers of this country have added 

 to the actual wealth of the country, by one crop alone, 

 more than $700,000,000. And, gentlemen, in reference to 

 such a paltry idea as that the fortune of the farmers is con- 

 trolled by government or controlled by law, look at the fact 

 that two years ago tlie fall in the price of cotton reduced the 

 value of cotton more than $50,000,000 in one year, and that 

 loss fell upon the poorest people in the world. You ask. 

 Who are the poorest people in the world? Not those Jap- 

 anese. Xot those Poles. Not the paupers of Europe, who 

 are instructed in blacksmithing and butter making and farm- 

 ing. There are 8,000,000 people, citizens of this country, 

 — just as much citizens as we are, — the blacks of the south, 

 Avho are engaged in the cultivation of cotton. They are the 

 poorest people in the world. Some 8,000,000 people in this 

 country (and I am sorry to say it) are engaged in agricult- 

 ure, and not protected. These people are the poorest, the 

 most docile, the most unprotected and, I fear, the most hope- 

 lessly situated people of the world. Would you add to 

 their burden? Whatever burden you add to agriculture you 

 l)ring upon the poorest people that depend upon the product 

 of the soil for their living. 



Mr. West. The gentleman just up has spoken about the 

 great exportations. If I remember rightly, 90 per cent of 

 the products of the farms, excluding cotton, are consumed 

 at home. We only export the surplus. This wool industry 

 is of great importance to our country, and it should be en- 

 couraged. Supposing everything is so cheap in our market, 

 as the gentleman seems to intimate it ought to be, how are we 

 coming out? Where are we going to get the money to pay 

 these taxes ? It does not make so much difference what the 

 taxes are, but let us have something to pay them with. That 

 IS what we want, as farmers. 



The Chairman. I am requested to give notice that the 



