The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-08

Bnscmr OUTLOOK POE KAKMKRs.
C. Wood Dsvis contributes 10 the Nay
Farxn N article entitled. "when The
Farmer WIN Be- Prosperous. In "a n
iczs previously written for The same mag
axine he had shown thas whatever lack Of
prosperity there il among farmers Il due
70 overprcductioo- In the present article
he assumes 70 show tbat the conditions 60
sential to prosperity are Likely to Be re-
stored BY natural laws. and cannot be by
governmental intervention.
II is evident that the writer has made .
profound sfudy Of his subject. and is more
than ordinarily qualified to givsreiiable in
formation and m intelligent opinion He
does not deny that some relief might be sf-
forded by legislation which would put .
stop 70 dealing in options for farm pro-
ducts, or to insure invariably just and rea-
sonsble rates for transportation. or 10 pre-
vent combinations from controlling prices
OF cattle and other farm products. bat ow-
ing 70 the doubt Of ameiioration from these
sources he addresses himself TO the ques-
tion Of relief from the operation of natural
causes.
In this field Of investigation he has made
diIigent research and submits statistics Of
great vaIue. Assuming the present popu-
iafion OF the country 10 be sixty-6ve mill
ions. with the area in cereals producing
average crops, and current consumption Is
per cent greater per capita than in 1874. he
estimates that present supplies are IN tx
cess OF population Is foliows: Corn
for FIVE and half million people; wheat
for fourteen million; cattle for six
million. and swine for eleven million. Then
he calculates that if population should
maintain its late ratio of increase, and pro-
ducfion increase no more than his subse-
quent showings indicate to be probable.
the home demand will absorb all OF our
food products before the end OF the cen
fury.
In support OF this assumption he sub
mits series OF carefully prepared tables.
comparing increases and decreases in the
production of leading food staples during
succession OF fve-year periods. supple
mented by Q review Of the growth of popu-
lation. and an estimate of the areas subject
to and likely to be subjected to the prodnc-
ton OF additional supplies in these lines.
The tables presenting the history Of in
crease and decrease of leading products are
arranged with reference to groups of states
and territories, as North Atlantic
Lake" Missouri Valley Southern.
A "a
Pacific. which within the limits of news
paper article cannot be followed.
But dealing in round numbers it is found
that the acreage of corn was forty-one mill
ions in 1874. sixty-two millions in 1879,
sixty-nine millions in 1854 and seventy
eight millions in 1889. According 10 these
figures the increase from "A to 70 was
about SO per cent, while from "a To 80 it
was about II per cent, and in all of the
older states has been contracting. In re-
spect to wheat il is shown that the acreage
in 1875 was in round numbers twenty-six
millions. in 1850 it was thirty-eight mill
ions. in 1884 thirty-nine millions, and in
1850 thirty -elkht millions, an increase OF Al
per cent. in the first period, of nearly per
cent. in the second. and q decrease of about
81 in the third period. The contraction of
wheat area in the Older districts has ex-
opening up of the Dakotas. Minnesota and
the Pacific coast. and the growing demand
due to increase of population in this coun-
try and Europe must exceed any conceiv-
able addition OF wheat-growing areas
As to cattle the increase from 50 to IS
was over 30 per cent, while for the period
's5- 50 it was but is per cent, and the
breaking up of the great ranges of the In
dian territory viii have material effect in
further checking production in that direc-
ton.
Reliable statistics show that to supply
home requirements and export demand in
the same proportions as now for tobacco,
cotton and animal products. there should
be 3. Is acres per capita. The actual acre
age per capita of all staples in 1883 was 3. IS.
against 2.s5 in 1871. 265 in 1874.
SO in 1879. and 351 in 1884. The
land is not in the country TO maintain
the ratio OF increase that would be required
To give the product of s.i5 acres per capita
to our prospective population in the year
1900. The conclusions well sustained that
after January. 1895. the agricultural ex-
ports of the United States will be confined
10 cotton, tobacco and animal products,
with certainly . slight, il any, excess OF
other staple food products over and above
enough necessary to supply the require
ments of the home market.
On the basis of estimates made by the
Agricultural Department, and assuming
that home requirements will consume the
products of 3.i5 acres per capita. the esti-
mated population in January, iSa. will
require In staple crops an area OF ~. So
600 acres while the area now employed is
2lt.Ooo,o00 acres, with an estimated addi-
ton OF i2,ooo,o coo acres in the four years.
making total of 22s ooo,ooo, leaving a de-
felt in 1894 OF 3. 5000 acres. All of which
goes To show that within future only
few years removed there is promise of a
future as prosperous for the farming por-
ton Of this country S. 8 whole as il now
enjoyed by the thriving and forehanded
members of that class throughout this
state Of Washington.
An INVITING FIELD.
At the present time there Is no business
which offers to residents OF this state better
F,r -, -zso-a