The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-08-13
FACTS FOR FARMERS.
Labor Commissioner Sovereign
Issues His First Report---
Many Valuable Tables.
The Corn Controversy Settled by the Evi-
dence Of Farmers = Free Employment
Agencies - Classified Wage Tabies-ya-
rious Industries of the state of Iowa.
From the Des Mo:nes Leader.

LdD6I y aOHiIHISSloneT y. II. sovereign >
annual report is different from preced-
ing reports which have been issued
from the same bureau, both as to
quantity and quality Of matter. More
subjects are covered and with greater
accuracy. there being reports concern
ing larger number Of individuals. At
the same time. by a process of intelli-
gent condensation. the report is made
smaller in number Of pages ant. es-
pense to the state than its predecessors.
The information ii contains will be
eagerly sought. The space of single
J newspaper article is not sufficient to
cover the entire ground Of the report.
but the salient points and recommenda-
tions can be brought to view.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
The commissioner thinks the 5000
volumes Of the report authorized bv
law are not enough to supply the lcgiti-
mate demands. lie recommends
! larger appropriation for the contingent
expenses of the office. and that the re-
port be published annually instead of
bienniaily and made smaller i'm size in
order that the contents may be more
timely. lie thinks township assessors
should be required to furnish a limited
quantity Of statistical matter upon
blanks furnished by the bureau
FREE ENVIRONMENT BUREAU.
A long argument is made in favor of
, the establishment of a free employment
agency in connection with the bureau
Mr.. Sovereign says:
Nearly all kind of labor is in transit
tional state caused by the rapid ryolu-
ton III the mechanical methods OF pro-
duction and the practice Of many
manufacturers Who control the output
| by closing factories and otherwise linn
iting the supply. which is usually done
| without notice to the cmployc, and
without considering their welfare
Hundreds of our working people are
| compelled by these aud other causes to
seek employment among strangers
without any knowledge whether ii is
| obtaipable or not. They are forced by
circumstances over which they have 10
\ control to throw their labor on a
strange market without any knowledge
| OF the demand or the supply. ard many
| are unsuccessful.
| The modesty Of women prevea. them
! from making extensive travels in search
Of employment: they are thus wholly
confined to the limits of their personal
acquaintance orto private employment
bureaus which are often eS8rhitant in
| their charges and discriminating IN
| their service. The first duty of Il gov
1 .sr ut tS IN g, ~,
| zens to do right and accord them tie
| broadest opportunity to earn liveli-
hood by industrial avocatione. There
| fore the need of free public employ
| ment agencies where both laboc and
capital may make their wants known
and receive information beneficial to
| both.
/ THE STATISTIC Al REPORT.
The statistical portion Of the reports
embodies in tabulated forms the eSpe-
riences of more than 5000 farmers as
submitted by themselves. In addition
to the reports Of individual laborers not
in agricultural pursuits. the commits
| sioner by visiting mills. shops. etc..
was enabled to copy the pay rolls Of
/ 10000 men and women.
THOSE CORN FIGURES
Mr.. Sovereign tells how. when his
figures as To the cost of producing corn
We're questioned by partisan press he
confirmed them by reports from Il large
number of correspondents recommend
ed, some by republican and some by
democratic editors, and by sending the
original reports back to correspondents
| for veritication. Having quoted from
the Register its articles advocating the
uses of corn burning stoves as proof Of
the low price of corn without seem
| ingly adequate remedy. Mr.. Sovereign
| says:
The average local market price of
| grain for one or more wears may be
| above cost of production. and even in
| alcate very reinunerative returns to
| producers, yet majority of farmers
may sustain heavy losses during the
same period from sales made at prices
below cost of production. cut
| of every ten farmers in this state only
three are able to hold their grain for
| maximum prices, while the other seven
are forced to sell at minimum rates or
| whatever happens to be the market
price at the time the crop became mar
| ketable.
THE Loss IN CORN RAISING
| According to the statistical reports of
the number of acres. average yield and
average market price of corn from 1880
to 1889 inclusive. the cost of production
based upon the reports of ..l79 farmers.
being 1913 per acre. the raising of corn
for market has been a losing business
every eyar but two. when all the ele-
| ments of cost were considered. The
years when profit was made were
1851 and 1882. when the average price
| of corn was 43 and A cents per bushel
| respectively
The table shows loss to producers
| of more than $4,000 900 on the corn
produced in this state during the ptsiod
named. These figurs represent the
most liberal estimate given. They
showed that from 1850 to 1890 the farm
ers of Iowa received an average of SO. 73
per acre for the corn produced, or 60
cents per acre less than cost.
CoRRoBoRATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE.
There is every reason to believe that
the losses on corn to Iowa producers is
greater than indicated by the proceeding
table. 1t will be noticed by the follow
ing table compiled from the .Albnm Of
Agricultural Graphics" issued by the
national secretary of agriculture, June
10, 1890, that the average local market
value Of an acre Of Iowa corn from 1880