Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-04-05
DOES FARMING PAY7
Answers to the Question Returned 60 Kar
sas Labor gnmmIs.ioner.

Answers TO TIE question returned TO nan
sas Labor Commis.iorer
TOPEKA, Kan, April 3 Pursuant TO
n special act Of the legislature Of 1898,
directing the Kansas labor depart
uient TO investigate and report on the
farming industry OF the state, Labor
Commissioner James =. Todd yestcr-
day transmitted TO the governor the
facts ascertuined through such invcsti-
cation. The work submitted is de-
signed To be an answer 10 the ques-
tion, Taken as II whole, does farming
pay? Why?'
The scope Of the work embraces fif-
teen years, ending January /, 1884 In
a series Of l0G tables Is given the mum
bcr OF bushels OF corn and wheat. the
local shipping price, and the total value
Of thcGc in each county for each year
for the five years ending January !,
lSsI, which was the beginning of the
boom period. Then covering period
OF ten years ending January /, 1894, is
given u series of lO6 tables, showing
by counties the number Of bushels OF
wheat and corn produced in each coun'
" each year the local shipping price,
the total value; also the value OF wheat
ana corn each year at the general aver
age price for the preceding five years.
also the net loss 20 the farmers by de-
cline in prices
The con ions or circumstances that have
eau. cd TIE price Of these two pfincipal ccrealh
. to show an average annual din nuiiun, Or lho
remedial course to bo pursued i lctt Tor We
consideration ot the philosopher and aWs
man II T. suriclput Tor This WORT TO huvi 30
la. al. FNsss HHa f4u q d
produced J,E7II,s.5 bushels Of WHEAT ihr va ue
Of which was 10, s,TtU.AJ that lhl "h'hl
maintained It's price of III i've years
ended January Z, 1854. this wheat NouId hhFo
been worth il6liL Osl2 or net loss To we
farmer. Of the state Occa-i ilod BY dccllnc 10
price Of sHs,I,igLig A.sp during thc same
-sriod no amoIn. Of corn produce IN hfu'qa
-'slL Jli bushnll. ihf ylIuo OF Nhlch "
SHs ~.spH.7lG value
Of this sine corr. r a, hcl "'''' ev,, ,' us
Tor the i've years ended January e.. -.
be ei7 IS ',' 81. or not lIss Ot tliiss!,H,...
: 10 he growers - corn
tn ioia amount Of m r'gtgcs on f,rn' In
knusIs acc rdlnf 10 IA" cen us IN NgI n
2 bi,litINV On wheat aud corn tho utu loss
du Ing the ton ear, In which this mOrtgAge
debt was mainly tontr tCtnd. wAtt a,ilAu 3
or an amount that exceed the entire mpriglgi
debt b e-,GEpst6, In tho 100 couutos slyrn
In this report there are si,uO farm
]
enough for double that numlcr or IA =
number, however, bI,5l, farm, ars cultivated
! wholly or In part by owners hiIe the tenant
| ftmnrs reach tho number OF ,O.sJl or nearly
/ ~ per cent. Of the entir' farming pOpuia n
An estimation Of tho v / 10 of farm prDUug 4
| consumed yearly by u hrmcr aud his family OF
| ive por IONS Is found 10 b. - is ~ basel up.
ON r'Hpon-Ca from l0ib prominent frmcr4 re.
! siding In uA many different townships oi tho
STATE The earnings o' a farmer an his fimi
~ i've In all is dio5
| From This department was sent i,pls lottcrs
to ~ many different farmers 10 the state, ask
| ing,among other thiIga tnis question. Taken
ls VII be & es farming piyi WA 70 To this
quor l.tJ! OF the L. y, townships In th state
resrondcd OF that number /, ~ uns Nerol
rnphhIically o. while the foriy.onn who
answered "yrs" qua i1eJ the stat mont with
ono or moro adlii iyGb tho universal tgsu.
mnny being tha, farming docs not pay becau
~ low ana continually declining prices The
price Of wheat has ut ~ lime during tbs past
ten wears r cached the general average price OF
preceding i've years aui tho same is trua
Of corn for ght OF the ton yetrA
II II a,cort Nncd that the average cost OF pro.
duCinS bushol Of wheat In X iusas I. d q
cents. while tho average loo al ipulug price
paid Tor wheat for hvs years ended Jtnutry T.
lhla ishs D. The price Of wheat ln'lk tnsas. as
well M other at,tes Hhowsa stray average
d'ciino for two decades In iH.3 II had do
clin d IN value Nh the price received freely
cqualod the cost OF production and In
81 II crossed tho danger line II In
a notorious fact that except Ia 1888 and
sgl, and In few localities OF the ate In 1919
wheat has been produced at a lo,. In X nsas
FOR the last zen years In each county m.
marles and tables celebrating th' aboyr, and
hundreds OF additional facts y rtainlng to tho
subject m tttcr In hand are given
Kansas makes u showing OF las bushels Of
wheat per acre, which Is 81 per cent above tho
national average
Tho total number persons out Of employ.
m'nt In the state on January l. 1884, Sas H..