The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-02-03
Money for Farmers.

Money for Farmers.
The moral enforced BY the low price Of
wheat is an ancient one, which the Pioneer
Press has preached to the people. NOT en-
tirely without effect it is glad to say, for the
last twenty years. Il is through diversified
farming that our agricultural interest is to
work out its own salvation; and the men
who are suffering because they have ex-
pended all their capital and labor on the
production of wheat which will market for
little above what it has cost them. have, to
The plain fact is that there is over-produc-
ton OF wheat. There is more wheat raised
in the world than can be marketed, under
Ordinary conditions, at q price sufficient to
give the grower a reasonable COM
pensation for his work. This is
natural conscience Of an unprece-
dented Developments OF the wheat-gro wing
area in the United States. Under the slim.
ulous OF cheap lands and low transporta-
ton rates. the wheat product Of this coun-
try has increased faster than the world de-
mand, so that there is steady surplus. II
is state OF things which will remedy it.
sell IN the course OF few years; but in the
meantime it is full of hardship for those
whose dependence is upon q crop no long
When this state of affairs comes to pass
IN any other business, unless it is known to
be temporary. men do not continue to
put their labor into products that offer no
satisfactory return. They change their in
dustry with surprising swiltness to con-
form to the transitions Of the market, and
oyer-production cures itself by the transfer
much to TINT where there is deficit.
Now it is really easier for the
farmer to do this than for any
other man. The manufacturer can
not cease making one product
and engage his men upon another without
extensive changes and considerable loss.
But the fields Of the farmer are. unless eli
matte conditions forbid it, as available for
the gre wing of one product as another II
he continues to raise wheat and nothing
but wheat. when every elevator is full and
all the side tracks are crowded with cars,
when the price is unsatisfactory and shows
no sign OF recovery, he must lay the major
part OF the blame for his misfortune upon
himself For he can diversity his industry
when he pleases to do SO. The wisdom 81
It mas been appreciated by great many
farmers Of Minnesota who have escaped
from the thralldom of the single crop idea.
Our great dairying interest has arisen large
~ In respon se to- the demand for diversified
ton. But the whole Northwest is still more
Indifferent than it should be to the advan
vantages OF mixed farming, and especially
to the need Of larger attention to the
raising of live stock.
been now for some years q constant de-
mand for more hogs than the market can
furnish, at prices which makes hog-raisine
remunerative business. This does moi
require the abandonment of other farm in.
terests, OF any especial changes in the farm
ers programme. The hog is an animal
easily cared for, good forager. and thriv.
ing upon the products Of the farm and The
refuse of the dairy. There is splendid
market right here at home. The grea
packing industry of St. Paul is hampered
only by lack OF the raw material. While
thousands of cars OF wheat are waiting or
the tracks for chance to unload, and for
the buyer who does not come, the machin.
cry ofthe pork packing establishments car
run only on short time because not enough
hogs can be secured TO keep it busy
1t was satisfactory before, and now the
removal of the embargo placed by for
.eign nations upon American hog products
has increased it vastly. The officers Of 81
Paul packing institutions say that they
could have used this year more than twice
the number of hogs they have been able te
buy, although one concern has expended
~ VV0,OVV ia tAdt tILuC 4OI AOSS duO CdtClt
among the farmers of the state. A bushe
of wheat is worth now from 40 to so cent.
at the farm, according to the market; which
is little if any more than cost Of production
andsometimes belowit. Agood hog is worth
tom SIS to $40. There is good money in
breeding them for such market, aud al
escape from the conditions which have
borne so hardly upon the farming popula
jim the last few years. The future of the
farmer depends upon his ability to conform
his labor to the state Otthe market. When
any manufactured commodity falls so low
jim price that there is no money in
making it, the capitalists form a combine
and either shut down part Of the mills OF
engage their machinery in other business
until demand has increased, meantime Sc
curing larger price for the lessened out
put and making themselves whole. That
is the policy for the farmer, and it does not
need an organization or combine. Let
every farmer in the Northwest give at least
a portion Of his time, Of his labor and Of
his acreage to the raising of cattle and
hogs for the market He will get
more money for the wheat that
he raises with the balance than
he does now for greater crop, and
the handsome receipts from these 9th er in
terests viii be clear profit. Diversified
farming is more than ever tie true gospel
Tor the farmer to-day. Those who have
tried it know that there is money III it.
Let us see more OFT yet in Minnesota and
the Dakotas. and the pulse If prosperity
will cease to beat high or low with every
huctuatiOn of the wheat market.