The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-03-25
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-
iirely without effect it is glal TO say for the
last twenty years. It is through diyersi fed
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
a certain extent. only themselves to blame,
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 a price sufficient to
give the grower o reasonable COM
natural CONSCIENCE of an unprece-
dented development OF the wh~eat-growing
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 fa.ter than the worlds de.
maud, so that there is a steady surplus. Il
is a state of things which will remedy it.
selfin the course OF a few years; but in the
meantime it is full of hardship for those
whose dependence Is upon a crop no long
er rated at a price which gives a living pro-
fit. .
When this state of, affairs comes to pass
in any other business, unless it is known to
be temporary. men do not continue to
!p" St fae'G ,a1 getur into Frey R[I%So sSan aset , StfS: mo mo
dustry with surprisin , swiitness to con-
form to the transitions of the market, and
over production cures itself by the transfer
OF activity from the field where there is too
much to that where there is a deficit.
Now it is really easier for the
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 gro wing of II product as another. If
he c~ontinuesHto raise wheat and nothing
all the side tracks are GRO wded with cars,
VIII II the price is unsatisfactory and shows
no sign OF recovery, he must lay the major
D ,rt OF the blame for his misfortune upon
himself. For he can diversity his industry
when he pleases to do so. The wisdom OF
it has been appreciated by q great many
from the thralldom of the single crop IDEA.
Our great dairying interest has arisen large
ly in response to the demand tor diversified
ton. But the whole Northwest is still more
indifferent thar it should he to the advan.
want; ges of mixed farming, and especially
to the need OF a larger attention to the
raising OF live stock.
To consider but a single item, there has
been now for some years a constant de.
mand Tor more hogs than the market can
furnish, at prices which makes hog-raising
a ~rcmunerative business. This does not
require the abandonment Of other farm in
~terest', or any especial changes in the iarm-
er's programme. The hos is all animal
oesI, o-,nl f~r n ~o~l f,coro~ md f1rt,v
ing upon the products Of the farm aud the
refuse of the dairy. There is a splendid
market right here at home. The great
packing industry q: st. Paul is hampered
only by lack OF the raw material. While
thousands of cars OF wheat are waiting ON
the tracks for a chance to unload. and for
the buyer who does not come, the machin-
run only GU short time because not enough
hogs can be secured to keep it busy.
There is no trouble with the demand.
1t was satisfactory before, and now the
removal OF the embargo placed by for
eign nations upon American hog products
Paul packing institutions say that they
could rave used this year more than twice
the number of hogs they have been able to
buy, although one concern has expended
s., 600, 900 in that time for hogs and cattle
among the farmers of the state. A bushel
OF Wnca IS worm now rom ~ 10 OU cents
at the farm. according to the market; which
is little if any more than cost OF production,
andsometimes belowit. Agood hog is worth
ftOm SIS to $50. There is good money in
breeding them for such q market, n On
escape from The conditions which have
borne so hardly upon the farming popula-
in the last few years. The future of tho
farmer depends upon his ability to conform
his labor to the state O.the market. When
any manufactured commodity falls so low
in price that there is no money in
making it. the capitalists form a combine
and either shut down part OF the mills or
engage THAR machinery in other business
until demand has increased, meantime Sc
curing a 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 a combine. Let
every farmer in the Northwest give at least
q 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 a greater crop. and
the handsome receipts from these other in
,ere.ts wi | be Gear profit. Diversified
farming is more than ever the true gospel
Tor the farmer to-day. Those who have
tried it know that there is money in it.
Let as sec more ofit yet in Minnesota and
the Dakotas, and the pulse Of prosperity
will cease to beat high or low with every
huc: uat!on Of the wheat market.