The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-22
FARMER OBJECTS.
John Watson, of Clay County,
Talks About Old Corn.
Says Amount on Hand is Much
Exaggerated.
FIGURES FOR MARCH.
All Estimates Were Made at
That Time.
False Reports Work an Injury
to CattIemen.

The long absence of rain in Kansas
has caused old neighbors and lifelong
friends to quarrel about the condition
of the Kansas corn crop and there are
supporters of two propositions doing
business in the state One is that the
corn crop is short; another is that this
makes no difference owing to the
amount of old corn on hand. which, ac-
cording to Secretary Coburn's report,
was so million bushels March 1.
The fact that Kansas had on hand
large supply of old corn was very en-
couraging to those who were feeding cat
tie, but John Watson, a cattleman from
Clay county, who is now feeding, takes
exception to the statement concerning
the large supply of corn in sight and has
written to the State Journal the follow
ing letter:
THE manipu1ators of the wheat and
corn market have been busy working
disadvantages to the people who deal in
actual corn and wheat by juggling the
reports to advance the price of corn.
The cattlernen and others who have to
pay out good money for the corn or
wheat which they purchase pay the pen
alties inflicted by the spectators who
thump the market up and down and
thereby make money.
THE supply of old corn on hand
March has nothing to do with the pres
ent situation. March 1 was five months
ago and thousands of bushels of that
supply have been consumed by feeding
since that time, each month. The spring
seed has come from that; the farmers
have brought their horses through the
summer and the facts are, in my opin-
ion, that the large supply of corn which
existed at that time is now considerably
diminished.
1.-THE people of the state do not admit
the fact, OF course, that the corn crop is
not what was expected but the plain
truth is that the yield will be much
smaller than was anticipated.
The price of corn at this time indi-
dom if ever has the price gone up at
harvest time as it has this year. The
drouth pushed the price up, everybody
knows that, and the continued absence
OF rain cut the crop to such an extent
that the price has continued to advance
The SPECTATORS have been manipu-
lating the information concerning the
supply on the boards of trades so as to
keep the price down while they bought
all there was in sight to buy. Then they
hold for the rise which is sure to come
The corn cribs of the country where
year ago there We're thousands OF
bushels are now empty. Ride along the
railroads of the state and see the i'm
mense cribs without an ear in them. If
the corn crop of Kansas reaches half a
crop, in my opinion, the producers NAV
from one end of the state to the other
and know that the information which I
nave is true. Jewell, the banner corn
county has only a half a crop this year,
in fact some of the reports from there
indicate less than that. A part of the
county has a good wheat crop but the
rule of Jewell applies throughout the
north and western part of the state
1.-THE corn crop is short in WELD and
the supply of old corn is very-much di-
mlnished from the reports which we
have had.
Il do not write this letter in a spirit of
criticism of Mr. Coburn's report, which
as TO the available supply last March
was undoubtedly correct as his reports
are, but that supply is now diminished.
It's decrease is due to several causes;
justified in saying that it is unfair for
the newspapers of the state to main
tain that Mr. Columns figures for March
are applicable at this time This infor-
nation going abroad while it is good to
say, comes back upon the feeders and
buyers with redoubled energy when the
actual conditions are known"