Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-05-17
rhs nIistn.. Of Emo Farmers.


The secretary of the Kansas Board
Of Agriculture has been making an
investigation of the cost Of producing
the different farm staples OF the state,
saws the Globe. Democrat, and his fig
ures, based upon reports from every
county, form an interesting and in-
structjve contribution to the discussion
OF the most important of current in
dustrial problems. He finds that the
cost varies IN different localities. ow-
ing to the difference In the yield per
acre and in the rental value of lands.
Taking the state as whole the aver
age cost of growing bushel OF wheat
is so cents and of corn q cents. The
bulk of both of these products for sew
eral years past has been sold at prices
falling below these figures. Thus 1t
requires no labored process Of arith-
metic to show that the Kansas farmers
who have been raising wheat and corn
have lost money; and the same is true
regarding the farmers of Missouri and
Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. In GER
tain sections of all of these states said
crops have yielded fair profit; but
generally speaking they have not paid
expenses. This presents the whole
situation at q glance, as far as the two
leading western states are concerned.
Is it any wonder that men doing bust
ness under such conditions are not
able to pay off mortgages as they fall
due or to put money in the bank for
future comfort and happiness?
1t is easy to say that the farmers are
not to blame because their occupation
has thus become unremunerative but
as q matter of strict fact they are
themselves largely responsible for the
depression which puts them at such a
disadvantage. They have known for
some time that there was no money III
wheat and corn, and yet they have
gone on producing them in the larg-
est possible quantities as if they were
somehow compelled to do so. They
might have raised other crops for
which there was constant and profit
able demand. Their lands could have
been devoted 10 uses which would
have guaranteed them satisfactory re-
turns every year. BY persisting in the
policy of producing year after year
more than was wanted of these two
articles they have simply done what
they could TO make matters worse in
stead of taking judicious steps to i'm
prove 1t. The idea that a farmer is
Obliged to continue raising wheat and
corn because that has always been the
rule will not stand the test of reason
and common sense. In agriculture, as
in every other business, success de-
ponds upon intelligence. The things
produced must be adapted to the
wants of the purchasing element 1t
is idle to hope for better prices so long
as the amount offered is in excess of
the amount desired. To produce more
when there is already enough is mere
" to aggravate the evil and not to re.
move or modify it. IF there had been
a proper Investigation of crops in the
last three or four years the present
distress would not have come TO pass.
Tn that sense, therefore, the farmers
are blamable. They missed their OPP
portunity and failed to recognize the
necessity of changing their plan of OPP
crations. The lesson is a severe ore,
but it may prove in the end TO be
most salutary and valuable.