The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-01-10
Selling Crops.

times exclaims the farmer, while he
has 1000 bushels of wheat, and more
of corn, on hand and will not SELL"
Another Iowa paper chimes in: eff
both the butter and cheese men had
commenced in the spring and sold
regularly every week, it is certain they
would be better off now.'' And an
other gives an indignant snort over the
fact that "Mr. j. d. last May had 800
bushels of wheat which he could have
sold for $3.50 per bushel, but he held
on and finally sold for $780,
Now gentlemen of the press. let us
seriously inquire whether you or the
farmers know their business the best.
We have always contended and urged
that if a man is in debt, it is his duty to
sell and meet his obligations when due.
In that case there should be no delay
for better prices. But if he be out of
debt, it is no ones business when he
sells, but his own. A farmers crop is
for supporting his family, paying his
taxes (which is the heaviest item, pay
ing expenses of the farm, and prepar-
ing the next crop. These expenses oc-
cur through the year. If he had sold
1000 bushels of wheat last September,
what would he do with his money? Is
there any place of real safety for it? If
deposited in banks or saving institu-
tons, if he does not lose it all (and the
chances are decidedly against him) he
will imagine he will lose until his life
and his money are a burden to him. If
he lends it to his merchant, he will
probably have to take it out of the store
in goods, at enormous profits. Or if
he keeps it in his house he runs the
risk of himself and family being MUIR
dered by tramps and burglars in rob-
bling him. Under these circumstances,
do any of YOU honestly think it is bet
ter for the farmer to sell his products
at once? Are you not aware of the
risk, the dread and fearful forebodings of
farmers away out on the prairies, with
money boarded in their houses, or more
dangerously deposited in the banks?
We are writing this under the inspi-
ration of fact. A man owed us a
considerable sum, due next June. He
sold his wheat the last of September.
He buried his money, with the inten-
ton of so keeping it until next June.
But to-day he dug it up, and bringing
it to us, offered to let us collect the in
terest until next June, if we would take
the money now. We took the money,
but not the interest.
There is just as much sense in urg-
ing the merchants and mechanics to
throw their goods upon the market at
once and take whatever they will bring,
and not hold on to them, thereby de-
privins the world of the use of the
money they will bring. If these edi-
tors would take time to think, they
would be ashamed of volunteering their
advice where it is not needed; and
where, if it were needed, it would seri-
ously injure and annoy those who took
the advice. There is nothing a farmer
can keep so well as his crops, until he
needs the money. The disastrous and
criminal failures of banks, lately, cause
widespread distrust, and even with the
safest banks the farmer cannot know
which to trust. He would be happier
to have no money than have it where
it causes him trouble. Then we think
this volunteer advice and sneers at the
farmer for holding his crops are out OF
taste and entirely out of place.
Our advice would be to pay your
debts, then hold and sell when you need
the means.-IowG State Register.