St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-24
RESPONSIBILITY OF PRODUCERS.

RESPONSIBILITY OF PRODUCE RS.
The record of failures for the week as re-
ported by r. G. Dun & Co. shows that the
bulk of them occurred in the Southwest
and ON the Pacific coast. This report ac-
cords with the general drift of advices
from the whole country, which tend to
show that the depression is letting up in
the Northwest. There have been but few
failures in this section for some time and
this country appears to have entered upon
a season of prosperity. Collections are
better than they have been for two years
past, while the general trade conditions
have very materially improved. The esti-
mates 90 to show that the largest wheat
acreage in the history of the Northwest has
been seeded this season, and the outlook
for q profitable price for this cereal after
harvest was never so promising as it is now.
Wheat at 81 per bushel in autumn would
De worth more to the producers by 25 per
cent than it was when it was worth that
price nearly three years ago. The
failure of the winter wheat crop
and the outlook for general foreign
war lead us to the conclusion that
the expectation for 81 wheat will be fully
realized this fall. In the meantime, farm
ers, while increasing their wheat acreage
are very wisely varying their industries by
stock raising and the growing of such of the
neeessaries of life as the soil will admit of.
This will help them greatly on the road to
general prosperity. The trouble heretofore
in Northern Dakota and Minnesota espe-
cially, as has been pointed out in theGLoBE,
is that the farmers have not depended
enough on their own resources, but have on
the contrary paid tribute to outside pro-
ducers of the necessaries of life, with trans
portation and the profits of iniddle-men
added. To withstand such a levy as this,
with wheat even selling for 81 per bushel,
doesn't mean prosperity to the producers of
the Northwest. But with wheat at 81 per
bushel, and with their tables supplied with
meat, butter, milk and vegetables from
their own farms, life would be worth
living on the praifies of the great North
west, even while their lands are being inn
proved and enhanced in value by such
thorough cultivation. And another thing
member, is to plant trees and take care of
them until they can develop natural shelter
for stock and grow their own fuel on their
own premises. Prairie fires have wrought
the treeless condition of our prairie lands,
and not the sterility of the soil or the lack
of rain fall. Young trees, as well as other
Improvements and crops, should be pro-
tected from prairie fires by blowing con-
siderable area around them. These sug-
gestions are thrown out to our
farmers in this connection because
they cannot thrive and general prosperity
cannot prevail in the Northwest unless the
producers are prosperous. Industrial and
mercantile pursuits must languish I'M
less our farmers succeed in securing a
fair profit I'M the conduct of their farms.
Thrifty communities. stable industries and
every desirable condition must come from
the development of the farms; especially is
this true of great agricultural areas like the
prairiaS of the Northwest