The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-05-31
FOOD FOR REFLECTION.

Interesting Report of the -Statlstician Of
the Agricultural observation-disclosures on
Exports of Agricultural Products.
WASHINGTON, May 22--The May report
of the Statistician Of the Agricultural De.
partment contains the result of the inve s..
tigation of the deficiency of surplus of
each European nation, especially in the
production of American agricultural prod
ucts. A single years data would be mis-
leading, and the average imports and exc
ports of ten years are taken to obtain the
net deficiency or surplus. The net Euro
pean deficiency is thus shown as to the
cereals, butter, cheese, etc, in connection
with European production. The question
Of possible enlargement of expectation in
quantity and variety is canvassed. and
the opportunity for displacing any impor-
tation by enlarged production is pointed
out. The investigation was made pursu
ant to the following resolution passed "a
the meeting of the National Grange held
in Topeka Kan, last fall:
Rssolued, That the Commissioner of Agricult-
Ire be requested to inquire through the con-
sular system of Government, or otherwise,
what foreign nations are now importing agri-
cultural products and ascerta n what poss:bil-
ity there would be to establish trade relations
with them to dispose OF our surplus agricu!t-
aral products, and also to inquire what agri-
cultural products are now imported that our
country and climate are capable of producing
and lay the same before Congress and publish
il for the information Of farmers.
Some of the figures given in the state
ment prepared by Mr.. Dodge are startling.
As to wheat, he says that Europe i. prac-
tically the only market that America can
have for this cereal and she imports only
IA 0O0, 600 bushels year, raising 1906
600, 600 bushels herself, more than half of
the worlds crop, and twice that of all
America. OF the European deficiency the
United States supplies 95 100000 bushels
In oats and barley there is very small
international trade, Europe importing
only 19.000,0o bushels of oats and the
United States exporting $500, 900 bushels.
Rye is the great bread grain of Eastern
and Central Europe and Russia alone pro-
duces more than does the United States
Europe imports not less than $40 Q0)
bushels, and the United States exports
less than 100000 bushels. The receipts
of European countries requiring maze do
not make sum half as large as the prod
uct of Illinois. or Of Iowa, or Missouri.
Great Britain takes nearly ee-fourths
country exports 6S,000,090 bushels. The
deficiency of France could be supplied by
Mclean County, H., and Germany re-
quires still less Russia and Roumania
have a surplus, and Southern Europe
grows enough for home consumption.
Europe imports over 100000 pounds OF
rice, but none of it comes from the United
States OF potatoes Europe grows more
ha ha Init
supplies her deficiency from Canada and
Germany. Only Greece, Belgium and
Portugal, of all European nations, do not
produce enough butter and to spare. To
make up the deiciency-250 600 600 pounds
the United States exports $4,000. 90
pounds.
1t requires 40. 00o. 900 pounds of cheese
to supply the European deficiency. Of
which lis 900. 900 is furnished by the
United States.
OF course, Europe has 10 import all her
cotton, the average annual importation
being 2,636, 600 900 pounds The United
States sends her / $50, 000, 600 pounds
Mr.. Dodge says: This country is only
exceeded by Great Britain in cotton manu-
facture and should, ere many decad- :
pass, attain the first rank. There has |
been a greater relative advance in con-
sumption of cotton in continental coun- |
tries during the past ten years than in |
Great Britain"
Europe gets from South America Asia, !
Africa and Australia two or three times |
as much wool she imports from the |
United States The net deficiency of |
Europe is 700 coo, 900 pounds, slightly |
more than is produced there.
The United States produces four fifths
of the wool manufactured here. The aim
of the wool growers of this country is to |
supply the home manufacturer if possible;
never to import raw wool. Ii there ever
shall be surplus. it will bring more
money TO the wool grower if sent abroad |
in the manufactured form.
The United States imports nearly Co.
600. o0o pounds of wool every wear
The statement shows that Europe pro-
duces about as much tobacco as the United
States-so0. zoe 600 pounds annually-and
could easily produce all she needs, but the
American tobacco is desired for two rea.
sons-it is cheap and very desirable for
terrifying the European product So the
United States furnishes az, 600 900 pounds
of the annual deficiency of 334, 90 COD
pounds
In conclusion the Statistician says
ABOUT one-tenth OF our agricultural prod
uct is exported. No other nation exports
as large a proportion. Yet the articles
shipped abroad are few. They are cot
ton, tobacco. meats, breadstuffs and
cheese. All other articles together are
but per cent of the exports. Enlarge
ment of the surplus must inevitably re-
Guce the price both at home and abroad.
What other product can be exported!
1t is folly to look TO foreign nations for a
market of any of the bulky products of
agriculture which are common to the agri-
culture of every nation. The more con-
centrated products may be proftably ex-
ported. More cheese could be sold if its
for quality should be kept up
and there was more disposition to cater
TO fastidious or peculiar foreign tastes.
Butter exports could be enlarged if they
were of better quality. Evaporated or
preserved fruits, oranges of the Southern
or Pacific coasts, wines from California,
maize, profitable market as surplus stocks
as safety valve to the home market
Kansas Knights of Pythias.
LEAvENwoRTH. Kan. Nav a2-The
State Grand Lodge of Knights Of Pythias
began three davs' session here yester-