The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1890-02-27
Low PRICES FOR rRoprCE.

From the Chicago Tribune.
The severe depression In the prices
of grain and live stock, which has
marked the last three or four years,
has been widely commented ON aud
variOusIy accounted fOI. Some
charge IL to the account of cheaprn-
ing In processes of production and
transportation, while others seem To
think IL l. in greater part, IL not
wholly due, TO the formation Of syn
dictates or the heaTtless conduct of
bear specu latOTs i'm the markets.
Perhaps q glimpse at the real cause
OF the change noted may lie obtained
by reference to that index OF Hgri-
cultural extension, the enlargement
of occupation of public lands. The
homestead entries for the ten years
ending with the middle of 1879 ag-
gregated 81, $40 4Tj acres, while for
the succeeding decade the total was
~, 3S6, :B5S acres, the rate of increase
being nearly double.
This greater rapidity Of settling up
hitherto unOceupied lands was a leg
itimate consequence Of the enlarged
facilities for doing 80 which Epre
presented 10y railroad extensions,
but IL IL none the less a valid cause
for depression in prices, since IL has
been far greater than the correspond
ing increase in population. IL has
allowed the supply Of cereal aud
animal food TO grow much faster
than the demand. True the magni-
tude of the wheat crop has not aug
mented since about six years ago.
but during that time the cultivation
of cereals in other lands has been
widely extended. In other grain
aud livestock the abundance Of ma
terial has been so great as TO force
dswn prices by intense competition
between sellers. Especially has this
been the case with corn, a WELD
Of about I,OOO, on. 90 bushels In two
years having been accompanied by
couple Of unusually mild winters.
which reduced consumption nn the
farm 10 n minimum and LEFT all
the more To be Offered for sale out
side the communities Ia which IL
was raised. IL IL estimated that the
packing OF the West since the close
Of October includes l.I3J,OOJ more
hogs than were slaughtered in the
corresponding time last winter. The
vast Increase in tile quantity of pro-
met 10y important concessions nu the
part OF sellers, aud the wonder is
rather that the prices have not de-
accept lower figures has enormously
stimulated the foreign demand for
hog product, corn aud oats.
ID may he unphilusophical To talk
Of "OVerproduction" Of food as All
IL A.. a. q a
whole, since II cOnfeTs the greatest
good upon the greatest number. but
Il entails a terrible trial OF faith aud
patience upon the producer, who, AZ
ter having rejOiced over the prospect
Of prolific yield aud eNerted himself
To the utmost in the effort to ga,her
it In, finds himself Obliged to sell his
surplus at prices which 10 not give
an adequate return for his toll and
the investment of his capital. IL
can only cease to be- an evil To him
when he becomes able and willing
10 hold over In times OF greatest
plenty q liberal part Of his crop in
the hope of finding = more favorable
market In the future. Such an OPP
psrtunity has always come round in
the past aud probably will do so
again. IL 10 seldom that buunteous
crop occurs more than three years In
succession, and the season of plenty
10 generally followed by a period of
comparative scarcity, during which
the former surplus IL gladly absorbed
at figures which make IL pay well To
carr: II over till the consumer wants
IL. Possibly this conclusion would
be the most valuable Of those arrived
a
posed shall investigate the problem
at n salary Of $40 per day to each Of
its seveR members. They could
hardly hope 10 suggest some means
Of raising prices 50 long a the sup
ply OF material on the market APP
pears to he far In excess Of the wants
of BUYERS