Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-04-12
TOO MUCH FOOD PRODUCED.

TOO MUCH FOOD PRODUCED.
Mr.. c. Wood Davis, in the April
Forum, in discussing why the farm
er is not prosperous, gives some
figures and tables which are worth |
looking at. Corn being the most
important farm product in the Unit
ed States, he makes n table running |
from 1870 to 1889 and compares the
acreage, product, average price and
value Of the crop, and follows it with
a discussion in a similar fashion OF
wheat and oats, and also compares
the increase IN production of cattle
with the growth population for the
past 80 years. He says that the
yearly product of corn is worth
many millions of dollars more than
the annual product of wheat and
cotton, and that the FIVE crops in the
second half decade tabulated ex-
ceeded the five crops of the preced
ing period by 2,12S,00O,000 bushels,
and yet the farmers netted 81 ,000,
900 less from them. The price of
corn in December, 1889, in the Unit
ed States was eleven per cent. lower
than ever before reported. The
acreage in wheat now puts at about
thirty eight millions. The price for
the same period 1870 to 1897 rang
ed from S1.26 to 65 cents; the re-
turns per acre fell from Sl3.66 to S.
STA shrinkage of 30 per cent. The
price is found to vary with the
quantity produced, advancing sharp
~ nearly always after short crop,
Mr.. Davis inclines to the belief that
the extent and pressure of our sur
plus determines the price of wheat
in Great Britain and Western Eu
rope. The area in oats in 20 years
has increased from eight Aillion
acres to twenty seven and a.hali
millions, the return diminishing from
SIPS to 1924 pc: acre. His figures
also show that there is direct and
constant ratio between population
and the number of cattle. So long
as the supply of cattle remained be
low the proportion of seventy va to
one hundred people, prices were
good, and the demand was enough
to absorb the supply without undue
fuctuation in values, but above this
proportion he thinks prices are de-
pressed to an Improbable level.
The annual requirement is abou' 3D.
100000 animals and the potential
supply seventeen million.
These and other figures he gives
show that in the last 90 years as the
area of cultivation has increased, so
has the product per head, state Of
things which has resulted in lower
ing prices and diminishing the re
turns per acre. The present supply
of beef, he thinks, is sufficient for
seventy.one million people, Of swine
for seventy six millions, of wheat for
seventy-nine millions, of corn for
seventy and half millions, and Of
oats for more than one hundred
millions.
If these figures and deductions are
correct, it IS clear that the farmers
are producing too much food, and if
they continue it and the foreign
markets cannot take the surplus,
their condition must grow worse as
long as the present productiveness
of land remains as it is, which, how
ever, will not be the case when the
West is as thickly populated as the
East and the lands cannot produce
as fruitfully as now without fertliz-
ing. 1t is well known how heavy
wheat crops in the Black Sea district
and in other localities affect the
prices of our graiu IN Great Britain.
If we go on growing more grain
than we can eat, we must fluid mar
kets elsewhere or there will be such
overproduction and depression that
trouble will arise. 1t is already
cheaper in Kansas and other parts
of the West to burn corn for fuel
than to buy coal. But the United
States can find other markets than
Great Britain for grain as well as
other things. England, Germany
aud France, by their enterprise and
VIC diu EtNCu W EONCi hhNhNf IdNO
practically shut us out Of South
America, which offers a promising
and profitable field OF trade. On the
present terms, run as their ships are
by government subsidies, We cannot
get our -four, hardware and other
products into those markets. The
government or private corporations
must put up the money to allow us
to compete with our rivals, or we
shall be beaten there as elsewhero
Congressional committees every SEES.
sion take testimony from supposed
experts about the ACCESSIBILITY of
giving government aid to commerce,
but no decision is reached. Millions
of dollars worth of capital are seek
ing investment, but private individu-
ais and corporations hesitate to en-
ter the fight against powerful for.
eign nations, and so the matter
stands. One fact is clear, and that
is, there are millions of dollars
worth OF trade for the United States
with the new republic and other
countries lying south Of us, and il we
would make an effort to reach out
for it, Il fair share of it would be
ours.
-
There was meeting of the Stockhold-
ers of the Cumberland Valley and Mar.
tinsburR r. R. Co at the office of Eaulk-