The sun., 1893-07-08
THE TRUTH Anour 1ND1Ax CORN.
Our Surplus Production for Export Steadily
Dimini-bine-The HsmbuG OF Uncle Jerry
Rnsk,s Cnka Walk Calmly Examined.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: 1t was
| pet theory Of the late Secretary OF Agricultur,
that the ono thing needed in this world was nj
extension OF the market for Indian corn In iii
| primary and secondary forms Mr.. Rusk firmly
| believed that the Republican party. as well q,
| the nation. would benefit greatly could tho peo
ple OF Europe be brought to sec the error o
their ways and tho beauties OF hoocake ant
corn dodGer
But the department seems to have regarded
as unnecessary any inquiry as to the length o.
the period during which we should have cake
| or dodger to spare. To have sought informn-
tion on such n subject. or to reason from the
data flowing In great stream into the depart
| mont and tricklng out Of II through the Gov.
eminent printing presses. would not have heer
an act Of exalted statcsmarship. and would
havo afforded little occusion for trumpet
blowing: nor would 1t have sufficiently i'm
pressed tho hucolic mind with the value OF the
services rendered by tho Republican party In
behalf Of corn dodgcr and noecake.
Investigation would have shown that al-
though now uses have been found for corn In
the manufacture OF glucose and beer. the sup.
ply and consumption per capita have been
quito constant. except during the period di-
rcctly affected by tho war. Such increase rs
thcre hns been IN the rate OF consumption lie
mostly due to increased expectation in primary
and secondary form. although the new uses and
extensions OF old uses have added about two
bushels hend to the domestic requirements.
Statistics OF production and distribution.
from year to year. are. 1t Ia true, not available
for periods anterior to 1870. The quantities
produced in tho census years. however indi-
cate that tho production In 1850 euualiod 2E.4
bushels per capita and 26.7 in 1860. exporta-
ton. In all forms. then being equal to about u
bushel and n hall per capita per annum. IL
the Yields in the census years were average
oncs the purely domestic consumption was
then about % bushels per capita. as against
90. in the Ave years ending with 1875. POI in
tho next five years. and 2hS during the ten
years ending with 1854
Tho increase OF two bushels In tho dom estic
consumption rnte is in small part due to new
uses. but the major part comes from great
increase In the number Of horses. relatively to
population. kept for all purposes. Those on
the farms have increased from 23J per 1000
people in 1860 to 2S4 per 1000 in 1880. or 21
per cont. as against IN Increase of 23 per
cent. in the consumption OF corn ty the homo
population. While there is no means OF de-
terminiHt- the number of horses in the towns
and upon holdings Of less than three acres at
different periods. yet tho number employed by
an urban population. growing in numbers and
wealth moro rapidly than tho whole nation.
must have increased much more rapidly
than those upon tho farms Since 1880 n
change has occurred in the character of n
part Of thc farm stock that will in itself account
for nearly. II not quite. all the increase in
the domestic CONSUMPTION OF corn. As II work
animal the OK hns practically disappeared.
His disappearance accounts for all the reln-'
tive Increase of horses upon the farm. In
1850 the ratio OF work oxen to pcople was ~
to 1000 ana that Of farm horses @35 to 1000.
tho whole number Of work animals upon thb
farm being 3O1 to 1000 people. In 1890. how
ever. the number Of work oxen had been re-
duced to 10 to 1000 people. and horses in.
creased TO 2S4. tho whole number OF farm
work animals being 1903 to ]. 200. or 4 less than
in 1860. In other words. SO oxen had been re-
placed by 40 horses. Each OF the substituted
horses consumes at least 30 bushels of corn
more than the displaced OK; md the added re-
quircments account for n large part of the in
creased domestic consumption OF corn. while
the remainder may BIZ credited to new uses.
Converted into meats and other secondary
products. corn has been the most profitable of
oil our great agricultural staples. and has con-
tributed far more to the commerce and wealth
o the nation than any other. its value. in pri-
mary and secondary forms. exceeding that
realized ny the growers from both cotton and
wheat. Favored by soils and climate that en-
able us to produce this cereal in greater volume
and ut less cost than our few competitors. We
have secured practical control Of the meat
markets OF western Europe. and the Austria
l!an cats American ham and bacon imported
via London or Liverpool This grain has
made it easy for Us to rear and fatten moro
than half the swine OF the world
We righttullv make much of our exports OF
hri yn1y In
was but $12S.OOO.OOO. MS against exports Of an
imals and animal products OF the value OF
S175.O0O.0O0. to which should bo added tho
$lS.OOO.OOO worth of corn included In tho OK
ports OF brcadstuffs and somo S.. 900 900 for
glucose and spirits to arrive al correct idea
OF tho contributions Of this grain to our for
eign commerce.
During the ten years ending with 1890 the
exports OF corn in primary and secondary
forms eIualled 11.4 per cent. OF tho reported
product or tho 1,04O.O00.O00 bushels sent
abroad during this period 5S4. 100000 went as
grain. while 1.355. 100000 bushels. or VI per
cent. assumed the form OF hams. lard, bacon,
beef hides hoofs. spirits. starch. and meal for
hcecake and dodRer
No propaganda has been necessary to pro.
motc this enormous traffic. although we have
heard much trumpet blowing about q wonder
full system OF meat inspection that was to
lit tho incubus so depressing to the agr-
cultural interest. Even this system had moth
Ing to do with the exports OF the ninth decade
Of years. ID 1t has evolved and gone into effect
since the close Of the ten years that saw ia
per cent. of the corn crop going abroad. nor
could 1t have caused the expectation Of Is per
cont. of the product between 1875 and 1890
II we should have surplus of corn in tho
coming years. either in primary or secondary
form. Europe will stand ready to absorb 1t at
better prices than we have received in the pe-
rlod OF development and increasing product,
in the cessation Of which our statesmen find
evidence Of IN intention on the part of other
statesmen to shut us out Of markets east OF
the Atlantic. They forget that the exIgoncies
OF pure politics nTe as great In Europe as in
America. and that the landhodcrs and cult
vators OF Germany and France with ballots in
their hands arc Just as potent. politically. as
they would be If living in Wisconsin or Ohio.
Europe noeds our grain meats, and cotton.
Each years addition TO tho European popula-
tons adds to the difficulties which will con-
front such rulers us attempt to shut out our