nt of about four
thousand millions during the last twenty-six years,
leaving the debt substantially unpaid, was virtually a
_robbery of the commonwealth_ by corrupt or ignorant
legislation. Mr. Stewart mentions also, that in one
year the binding twine trust, by raising prices, drew
$21,000,000 "from the farmers of the West to the
sharpers of the East." The reports of the State Board
of Agriculture of Illinois show (what is a fair
statement for the whole country) that during the last
thirty years the corn crops of Illinois have for more
than half the time brought less than the cost of their
production; and taking the entire thirty years
together, the losses so nearly balanced the profits
that the average net profit of the thirty years has not
exceeded seventeen cents an acre for each year, in the
cultivation of over six millions of acres of corn. In
the official report of Iowa also, it is stated "the
general range of farm products have sold below cost of
production, since 1885." The official "Farm Statistics
of Michigan," just issued, tell the same sad story. It
shows that the wheat crop of 1889 cost more than it
sold for, the loss being $1,471,515. The entire loss on
wheat, corn, and oats amounted to $9,226,510. Thus is
agricultural labor crushed that millionnaires may grow.
Hence it is that farmers are sinking under their
burdens of mortgage indebtedness, paying seven per
cent. or more, losing their farms, and often compelled
to mortgage crops, tools, and stock. In the single
year, 1887, 35,334 farm mortgages were recorded in
Illinois, amounting to $37,040,770, and "nine million
mortgaged homes" is the war-cry of the Farmers'
Alliance.

Thus the independent farmer is disappearing, and
although there was scarcely a tenant farmer in Illinois
in 1840, there are more than 110,000 tenant farmers
now; and we have a vast increase of large farms. But
while the farmer sinks into poverty, those who handle
his products grow rich. The Chicago Stock Yard that was
started with a million of capital has grown so
prosperously that its stoc