378 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
June  11 
Usury  laws,  taxation  of  debts,  free  silver,  “  more 
money,”  protection,  the  solution  of  the  social  prob¬ 
lem  are  not  in  these,  but  in  liberty.  The  truth  about 
these  portentious  questions  is  not  on  the  surface.  It 
is  at  the  bottom  of  a  deep  well.  It  is  to  be  reached 
only  by  profound  study.  Let  me  offer  a  suggestion  : 
Let  the  Alliance  put  itself  in  communication  with  the 
great  thinkers,  both  living  and  dead,  who  have  de¬ 
voted  their  lives  to  the  study  of  these  problems.  Let 
the  presidents  and  professors  of  political  economy  of 
all  the  leading  colleges  and  universities  be  addressed 
with  the  request  that  they  do  two  things  :  Give  their 
own  opinions  upon  certain  questions  and  the  reasons 
therefor  ;  mark  out  a  course  of  reading  for  farmers  in 
political  economy  and  sociology.  Then  let  all  farmers 
who  are  not  satisfied  with  second-hand  opinions  or 
those  made  to  order  for  them  by  politicians  and 
cranks,  go  to  work  in  earnest  and  hammer  out  for 
themselves  opinions  which  they  are  willing  to  defend 
by  argument  in  the  face  of  the  world.  Here  is  an 
opportunity  for  young  men  who  can  never  enter  a 
college  to  get,  by  their  own  exertions,  what  I  do  not 
hesitate  to  call  a  liberal  education.  A.  f  h. 
As  It  Looks  to  an  Illinois  Man. 
I  think  the  demand  that  the  Erie  Canal  should  be 
hampered  in  the  way  proposed  is  both  unpatriotic 
and  impolitic,  and  shows  a  remarkable  selfishness  of 
spirit.  It  is  unpatriotic,  because  the 
squeeze  would  come  directly  on  the  produ¬ 
cers  and  not  on  the  “  grain  gamblers  ”  as 
intimated,  working  hardship  among  the 
pioneers  who  are  doing  so  much  to  build 
up  our  country — men  who  raise  corn  at 
15  cents  a  bushel,  and  consider  them¬ 
selves  lucky  if  they  can  get  two  cents  a 
pound  for  a  good  fat  cow. 
It  would  be  impolitic,  because  the 
main  thing  which  New  York  must  guard 
against  is  the  diversion  of  the  transpor¬ 
tation  of  Western  products  from  its  pres¬ 
ent  channel,  to  the  natural  one,  via  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi. 
As  to  the  Adirondack  Park,  1  had  sup¬ 
posed  that  the  commonest  citizen  could 
enjoy  the  beauties  of  the  park  as  well  as 
any  one,  and  as  the  “rich  inhabitants” 
pay  for  most  of  the  improvements,  what 
is  there  in  it  to  which  even  a  tramp  can 
object?  Is  he  excluded  as  long  as  he  be¬ 
haves  himself?  1  can  imagine  no  place 
where  the  tendency  would  be  greater  to 
develop  the  better  side  of  a  man  than  in 
such  a  park.  However,  I  should  not  be 
in  favor  of  compelling  an  attendance  on 
the  beautiful  object-lessons  any  more 
than  on  the  lessons  given  at  the  common 
free  schools. 
As  to  discontinuing  improvements  at 
Albany,  any  one  is  at  liberty  to  fall 
behind  the  procession  if  he  wants  to. 
but  the  invigorating  breeze  is  usually  in 
front,  and  those  in  the  rear  ranks  catch  the  dust. 
Sangamon  County,  111  hk.nja.min  bdokman. 
New  York  State  Taxes. 
Assessed  value  of  llie  State . $3,737,250,000  00 
Assessed  value  of  New  York  City .  1,785,857,840  00 
Population  of  New  York  City .  1,800,000 
City  assessed  per  capita .  $.936 
If  the  State  tax  levy  Is  for  $8,000,1X10,  the  city  will  pay  per 
capita .  2  00 
Rural  county  assessed  value .  8,000,000  00 
Population .  80,000  00 
Assessed  per  capita .  $266 
Will  pay  State  tax  per  capita .  .56 
Whole  amount  of  State  tax .  17,120  00 
County  receives  from  State  tax  for  school  purposes .  29,000  00 
Amount  received  for  schools  more  than  whole  State  tax.  11,880  00 
Average  farm  150  acres,  assessed .  3,300  00 
State  tax  on  the  same .  7  06 
Proportionate  amount  school  money.  .  8  36 
In  effect  the  average  farmer  receives  In  school  money, 
above  all  State  taxes  paid  by  him .  30 
Amount  appropriated  by  the  State  for  the  completion  of 
capitol . 800,000  00 
If  the  average  farmer  did  not  receive  any  benefit 
from  the  school  funds  of  the  State  he  would  have  to 
pay  a  tax  of  70  cents  levied  on  his  $3,300  valuation  to 
complete  the  capitol.  If  $800,000  is  the  appropriation 
for  canals,  then  70  cents  will  be  the  amount  to  be  paid 
by  the  above  average  farmer. 
In  view  of  these  figures  and  of  the  fact  that  the 
cities  at  the  terminations  and  along  the  line  of  the 
Erie  Canal  have  been  so  largely  benefited  by  it,  and  of 
the  other  fact  that  thejT  pay  a  very  large  percentage  of 
the  taxes  of  the  State,  I  am  in  favor  of  the  appropria¬ 
tion  for  canals.  In  my  view  if  the  Capitol  can  be  com¬ 
pleted  for  less  than  $3,000,000  more,  it  is  folly  for  the 
average  farmer  to  oppose  the  levying  of  70  cents  per 
year  tax  for  that  purpose. 
Perhaps  if  the  Farmers’  Alliance  will  concentrate 
its  energies  on  the  demand  for  equal  and  just  assess¬ 
ment  for  taxes  on  all  property,  both  real  and  personal, 
great  good  may  be  accomplished.  I  cannot  from  any 
data  in  my  possession  give  a  reliable  estimate  of  the 
value  of  property  that  now  wholly  escapes  taxation, 
but  believe  that  a  just  assessment  would  add  to  the 
present  valuation  at  least  a  billion  of  dollars  in  the 
State.  c.  s.  rice. 
A  Mortgage  Tax  Means  a  Money  Tax. 
1.  The  result  of  the  adoption  of  a  tax  system  pro¬ 
viding  for  the  more  stringent  taxation  of  personal 
property,  would  be  to  increase  the  proportion  of  taxes 
paid  by  the  farmer.  The  latter's  crops,  implements, 
machinery,  cattle,  horses,  etc.,  can  be  easilj'  reached 
by  the  assessors,  while  the  personal  property  owned 
in  towns  and  cities  can  easily  escape  taxation.  Any 
tax  on  that  species  of  personal  property  known  as 
merchandise,  would  inevitably  be  shifted  to  the  con 
sumer. 
2.  The  proposition  to  tax  mortgages  appears  at  first 
sight  likely  to  benefit  the  farmer  who  has  been  com¬ 
pelled  to  borrow  money  on  the  security  of  his  real 
estate.  But  since  there  is  no  law  to  compel  the  mort¬ 
gagee  to  lend  his  money,  the  result  of  taxing  mort¬ 
gages  would  simply  be  that  the  additional  tax  would 
be  shifted  to  the  borrower,  in  the  shape  of  higher 
interest,  or  a  bonus  for  getting  the  loan.  The  at¬ 
tempt  to  lighten  the  burdens  of  the  working  farmers 
by  taxing  the  money  he  borrows  for  the  purpose  of 
improving’  his  condition,  is  on  a  level  with  that  of  the 
soldier  who  tried  to  lengthen  his  blanket  by  cutting 
a  piece  off  one  end  and  sewing  it  to  the  other.  When 
he  had  finished,  the  blanket  was  shorter  than  at  first, 
by  reason  of  the  seam.  In  the  case  of  a  farmer  who 
should  want  to  borrow  money  under  such  a  system  as 
that  advocated  by  the  Alliance,  the  seam  would  be 
represented  by  the  increased  difficulty  of  securing  a 
loan. 
3.  Legislation  regulating  the  rate  of  interest  has  no 
effect  on  the  conditions  which  control  the  supply  of 
loanable  capital.  These  conditions,  and  not  laws 
fixing  a  legal  rate  of  interest,  make  interest  high  or 
low  according  as  capital  is  abundant  or  scarce.  The 
fact  that  money  is  loaned  in  New  York  State  at  the 
rate  of  2)4  or  3  per  cent  per  annum,  shows  conclu¬ 
sively  that  economic  laws  governing  the  accumulation 
and  investment  of  capital,  reduce  interest  far  below 
the  rate  established  by  law.  The  only  way  in  which 
interest  can  be  permanently  reduced  is  by  the  encour¬ 
agement  of  capitalists  to  save  and  invest  their  money. 
If  interest  in  some  farming  districts  is  five  or  six  per 
cent,  it  is  because  of  greater  risk  and  expense  in  loan¬ 
ing  money  there.  The  fourth  plank  in  the  platform  is 
not  an  economic  one,  and  I  have  no  opinion  concern¬ 
ing  it.  The  fifth  plank  I  indorse. 
6.  I  think  it  highly  unwise  for  the  State  to  provide 
school  books  for  all  children  of  school  age.  As  was 
pointed  out  by  Governor  Flower,  while  the  annual 
expenditure  for  schools  is  rapidly  increasing,  the  pro¬ 
portion  of  children  of  school  age  who  attend  school, 
has  been  steadily  declining.  Until  some  means  can 
be  found  to  remedy  this  state  of  affairs,  further  ex¬ 
penditure  would  be  inadvisable. 
7.  Laws  preventing  dealings  in  futures  are  absurd 
and  would  accomplish  nothing.  Speculation  in  farm 
products  does  not  affect  prices,  or  injure  the  farmer. 
On  the  contrary,  the  farmer  is  often  greatly  benefited 
by  the  information  regarding  crops,  etc.,  procured  by 
the  dealers  in  farm  products. 
8.  The  demand  for  liberal  appropriations  for  the 
various  departments  of  instruction  in  farm  work 
under  the  management  of  the  State,  comes  with  bad 
grace  from  the  gentlemen  who  boast  that  they  stand 
on  the  platform  of  “  special  privileges  to  none.”  All 
these  grants  of  public  money  to  experiment  stations, 
farmers’  institute  work,  and  agricultural  societies, 
are  in  the  nature  of  class  legislation,  and  should  be 
immediately  abolished. 
9.  In  this  plank  I  heartily  concur. 
Chemung  County,  N.  Y.  j.  whidden  graham. 
Feeding  Ensilage. 
an  indispensable  food. 
It  is  now  six  years  since,  from  a  doubter  and  scoffer, 
I  became  a  convert  to  the  use  of  ensilage.  At  first  I 
used  it  very  sparingly,  for  cows  and  feeding  steers 
only  I  had  the  mistaken  opinion  that,  even  though 
good  in  small  quantities,  when  largely  fed  its  effect 
was  bad,  and  that  it  was  absolutely  injurious  for  any 
animal  except  cattle.  Soon  I  began  to  increase  its  use 
to  20,  30,  40  and  even  50  pounds  per  day  for  each  ani¬ 
mal,  and  also  to  feed  it  in  a  small  way  to  sheep,  then 
to  pigs  and  then  to  horses  ;  and  now  I  give  it  to  every 
animal  on  the  farm,  even  to  the  fowls.  All  like  it, 
and  its  effects  are  only  good  with  each.  For  milch 
cows  or  feeding  steers,  its  use  is  indis' 
pensable  to  the  largest  success.  I  would 
sooner  have  half  the  grain  supply  and 
plenty  of  ensilage  than  to  double  the 
grain  ration  and  give  no  ensilage.  I’d 
be  sure  of  better  results. 
For  horses  nothing  can  be  better : 
it  keeps  their  bowels  in  the  best  possible 
order,  makes  their  coats  sleek  and  glossy, 
and  makes  them  feel  like  colts.  Espe¬ 
cially  is  this  true  of  breeding  mares  and 
growing  stock. 
For  sheep  it  is  the  ideal  food.  I  have 
thoroughbred  Hampshires  and  Dorsets 
that  have  almost  lived  on  it  during  the 
past  winter  (1891-92.)  One  pen  of  Hamp¬ 
shire  ewes  suckling  lambs  have  eaten 
ensilage  and  straw  exclusively,  with  four 
pounds  of  provender  (wheat  bran,  Jin- 
seed  meal  and  cotton-seed  meal)  to  20 
of  them,  and  they  will  weigh  not  less 
than  200  pounds  each.  1  have  a  pen  of 
yearling  Dorset  ewes  that  have  not  tasted 
anything  but  ensilage  and  straw,  and 
they  are  fat — too  fat,  some  would  say — 
and  weigh  over  125  pounds  each.  And 
for  pigs  !  Well,  I  don’t  want  better  food 
for  wintering  and  growing  young  shotes 
than  plenty  of  ensilage  and  wheat  mid¬ 
dlings,  and  but  little  of  the  latter. 
How  Much  to  Feed  ;  Alone  or  With 
Hay  or  Straw  ? 
For  cows  or  feeding  steers  of  from  700 
to  1,000  pounds  each,  a  ration  of  about  40  pounds  per 
day  with  me  produces  the  best  results,  and  with  it  three 
or  four  pounds  of  clover  hay  and  all  the  straw  (barn- 
housed)  they  will  eat.  To  my  sheep  1  give  all  they  will 
eat  up  elean,  with  a  daily  feed  of  clover  and  straw  ad 
libitum.  To  horses  I  give  about  five  or  six  pounds — 
just  enough  to  keep  their  bowels  in  the  best  order, 
but  net  enough  to  render  them  too  loose  ? 
Should  all  be  Fed  in  one  Feed  ? 
For  cows,  sheep  and  pigs  I  prefer  two  feeds  daily— 
mornings  and  nights — with  hay  at  noon  for  cows  and 
sheep,  and  straw  immediately  after  the  morning  feed 
of  ensilage  is  eaten;  for  horses  one  feed  daily,  given 
to  breeding  mares  or  growing  colts  at  noon  and  to  the 
work  horses  the  last  thing  at  night. 
What  Grain  is  best  with  Ensilage. 
For  milch  cows  or  sheep,  wheat  bran,  dried  brewers’ 
grains,  linseed  meal,  cotton-seed  meal  and  gluten  meal. 
For  fattening  animals  I  would  add  to  the  above  corn 
meal  in  moderate  quantity.  For  growing  horses  or 
breeding  mares,  wheat  bran,  dried  brewers’  grains, 
linseed  meal  and  gluten  meal  are  all  that  should  be 
given,  with  plenty  of  clover  hay,  and  for  work  horses, 
add  a  small  quantity  of  corn  meal  to  any  of  the  above. 
For  a  working  farm  team  nothing  can  be  better  than 
ensilage  and  clover  hay  with  a  mixture  of  wheat  bran , 
linseed  meal  and  corn  meal. 
How  should  Ensilage  for  Feeding  be  Handled  ? 
For  cattle,  sheep  or  pigs  I  much  prefer  to  provide 
a  box  large  enough  to  hold  one  feed  and  in  this,  12 
hours  in  advance  of  feeding  time,  in  the  morning  we 
mix  the  night’s  feed,  and  at  night,  the  morning’s.  We 
throw  in  the  quantity  needed  and  with  it  mix  the  pro- 
vender,  taking  great  pains  that  it  should  be  thorough^ 
incorporated.  I  have  found  that  it  warms  up  a  good 
