The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1890-07-10

and most successfully. must know
what other States are doins. end
what foreign countries Of both hem
ispheres are doing In growing the
food-suppiy Of the world. For In
stance. Kansas last year produced
8, 600, 900 bushels Of wheat. Only
about 1e.O00, 600 were needed for home
consumption. The remainder, s.
oO0,OOO bushels, was forced 10 look
for n market somewhere outside OF
Kansas; and there being at least |
Is. 600 60 bushels oF surplus In the |
United States, this wheat, Tor other |
wheat displaced by IT, IL Obliged to
travel all the way to Liverpool 10
end q market, aud there the Kansas
wheat farmer comes In competition
with the farmers Of India, Of Russia,
OF Germany, of Australia aud Sonth
America. AL Of whom send wheat 10
the same market; aud It becomes i'm
portant to tue Kansas farmer TO
know what his neighbnrs are doing
In these foreign countries In the way
Of supplying England with the
wheat she needs.
II. on investigation, the Kansas
farmer finds that these foreign coun-
tries. which twenty years sgo
grew comparatively but little
wheat for export, now furnish or are
capable OF furnishing England, at
present prices, with nearly all the
wheat necessary to feed her poPula-
ton, the practical question which
presents itself to him for solution IL
this: Can he, the Kansas farmer, de-
liver wheat ut q profit in Liverpool,
England at one dollar per bushel?
The English farmers themselves
have been to great extent robbed
Of their home market by this out
side competition, aud have greatly
reduced the wheat acreage. In lSS2
the wheat area Of England was T.
OH, 0U0 acres. Ia 1889 u was only
/ 2,T51,O0O snTes. should not the
American farmer do as the English
farmer-grow less wheat. Can the
Kansas farmer deliver wheat at q
profit In Liverpool at one dollar per
bushel?
By q study Of the statistics Of for
eign countries we learn their pro-
ductive capacity, and also the ex-
tent to which they are capable Of
furnishing the supply Of wheat TO
meet the demands In European
markets; aud IL thePe foreign eoun-
tries are able aud willing to deliver
wheat In Liverpool markets at a
price which practically excludes
American wheat growers, u IL wise
In US to accept the situation and
govern ourselves accordingly,
Hence the value OF statistics and
their necessity to au intelligent
understanding Of the farmers bus
iness.
Not darkness, but more light Is
needed by the farmer every where.
l BY way OF enforcing this PROPOSE
ton, I quote briefly from an address
delivered ut the Interstate eonven-
ton OF cattle-men. held at Fort
Worth, Texas, last March, by Col
onel Black, of Texas, q prominent
cattle-grower OF that stRte:
although We are scattered from
one end Of the country to the other.
and each individual would seem TO
be engaged In q distinct business,
we are all partners 10 one sense Of
the word, and are dependent upon
each other for success. IL Texas in
cresses her cattle trade without In
forming the people engaged In the
same trade In Missouri, Kansas aud
other states, the result will be dis
astrous to the whole. We are en-
gagged In supplying the demand for
o single product, and there must be
some system employed that will In
form all parties interested in the
business OF the exact condition. OF
affairs from week to week, 50 that
each individual can shape his
course according to existing circum-
stances.
"WhAt we need. In my judgment,
Is o bureau Of information and sta
tistics In each Of the cattle produc-
ing and cattle-feedIng states; q
headquarters, In other words, I'M
der the management Of q compe-
tent secretary, directed by q presl-
dent and board Of directors, where
all the latest information can be
recorded aud distributed among
those engaged in the live stock In
dustry.
I'VE want to know what the wish
BILE supply of beeves Is, aud what
number Of feeders and one aud two
year old steers we have on hand,
and what the increase In calves
is every year. 'In q word, We want
to know how our business IL pro-
crossing, and how 1t Is progressing
In other states"
There we have In a nutshell the
value, the necessity Of statistics TO
an intelligent prosecution Of the
farmers business: 1--WE want to
know how cur business Is progress
Ing In other states;" and, I add, in
other countries. The wheat-grower
now has, through the establishment
Of Statistical bureaus, the knowledge
which the eattle-meu are now seek
Ing TO secure. Farmers, however,
have yet, rs . rule, not learned TO
avail themselves Of the advantages
Of this statistical information. II
they had, they would have . better
understanding than they nov have
a. 10 at least one OF the foundation
causes Of the present agricultural
depression. They wodld know that
the reduction OF the wheat and corn
area In the United States, and the
increase In area Of certain other
crops Of which we do not grow
enough In our own country to meet
the demands Of home consumption,
would greatly relieve the farmers
condition and promote his interests.