The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-11-17
MANKATo FREE Press
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER II, 1882.
Holding Orops for a Rise,

4
have advanced i'm price. They fail to
that in some previous yeai
he same articles declined III price
soon after they parted with them.
Neither do they consider the circnm-
stance that SD often happens that
nearly all articles of general merch-
;lndise rise or fall as the price of
leading farm products does. Many
do not take into consideration the
fact that the money they have re-
ceived for their crops has been EN-
ployed to stop the payment of inter
est. or has been invested in some
thing that has advanced in price more
than the articles they disposed of.
Neither do they think of the losses
they might have sustained and plob- |
ably would have sustained 10y shrink.
age, damage by unfavorable weather,
and destruction by insects and small
animals. They put no estimate on
the comforts they have enjoyed 10y
the use of the money they realized by
the sale of their crops, on the pleasure
of having the store bills paid ut the
time they were due, and the con
seriousness of having paid the hired
help what was their due. They
simply render themselves very un.
comfortable by thinking that some
rich speculator has made little
money by buying and holding what
they had to sell. They often render
others exceedingly unhappy by talk
ing about what they are pleased to
call their loss. Their distress does
not alate even after they have learned
that the price of the articles they sold
has dropped below what it Was when
they disposed of them. They go Oh
grumbling and complaining until they
have raised another crop, which they
steadiastly resolve to hold for rise.
Holding crops for possible rise
for which there is no apparent pros
pect is an operation in the nature OF
specializing, and the majority Of
farmers are i'm no condition to slecu.
late. They have neither the capital
nor the knowledge of business re-
quired. Persons who live III great
trade centers have much better OPP
pOrtunities for collecting reports OF
agricultural productions, and for AS
pertaining what events will influence
the markets. They are also better
situated in regard To disposing of
fam products. BY having them in
elevators and warehouses they can
deliver them at any moment, or can
send them where they are desired.
They are also in a condition to form
combinations to effect the market or
to meet any emergency. They can
at any time realize in cash nearly the
entire value of the articles they have
i'm store and still have the control of
them. A farmer having but small
amount of any article in IA building Oh
his place will find it difficult to use ii
for security to raise money, If he
finds ii necessary to make use of it.
A banker OF money loaner would
have to satisfy himself of the exist
ence of the article, and that it was
of the amount and quality described.
He would also want assurance that it
would not be moved. Having salts
fled himself on these points, he would
ordinarily demand II higher rate oi
interest than money loans for i'll
large city. A cautious farmer would
keep an insurance on the articles he
is holding, and this is attended with
expense. He must also keep his
corn, grain, and other articles in il
secure place or they will be liable to
injury and loss. Unfortunately the
majority of farmers have no build
ings that afford the security of ii
warehouse as they are erected in
great shipping points. The buildings
they have are not proof against fire
or vermin, and they often afford poor
protection against rain and snow.
Farmers who live near large towns,
and who take their crops to market
in wagons, may often be gamers by
holding certain articles till there is
an active demand for them and high
prices. Hay will keep in il NOW stack
with little liability To injury, and the
price of it tluctutes more than that
of almost any crop the farmer raises.
y farmer who lives near Il city and
has hay to sell will do well to watch
the markets closely, and be prepared
to take advantage of any sudden
scarcity that may exist. II a farmer
has Il good cellar he may be II gamer
by storing his potatoes in it, if the
price at harvest time is low, us it Of
ten happens that they are scarce and
high in the spring on account of the
quantities lost by freezing during the
winter. Farmers often have better
facilities for keeping potatoes than
city dealers hive. What is true of
potatoes is also true of vegetables and
winter apples. Farmers who have
no pressing need of money. and who
have good facilities for storage, are
free to exercise their Judgment in re-
gard to the time to sell their grain.
Ii, hover, farmer has outstanding
obligations, he has no moral right to
put off the payment of just debts in
order 10 take advantage of possible |
rise in the market. Farmers often |
promise to settle with their farm help
and to pay their debts to storekeepers
and mechanics after harvest. Their
creditors expect their pay AS soon us
the crops are gathered and are ready
for the market. but the farmer often
CONSTITUTES his promise to mean any
time in the future that prices meet
his views. If a farmer is obliged to
do business on credit he should do his
best to keep his credit good. He
should not allow latter harvest" to
mean any time between cutting one
crop of grain and sowing another.