The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-09-07
Prices OF Farm Products.

1t is recognized that the safety of
the farmer against the complete or
partial loss which follows the failure of
or a low price for his grain crop is in
diversified agriculture. To succeed in
diversified agriculture, however, the
farmer must have the immediate homo
market open to him. The man who
raising nothing but wheat, the main
portion of which crop is marketed
abroad and the price of which is fixed
IN the foreign market, may have but
slight pecuniary interest in the pros
perity of those in immediate vicinity
who are engaged in other pursuits be-
sides agriculture. The man who en-
cages in diversified farming, and who
aims to have something to market
every month in the year, is, in small
way, manufacturer, whose success
For failure Is dependent upon the con-
dition of the local market ia which
he disposes of his product. In seasons
OF prosperity, when factories are run
ming on full time, when all the labor
in the market is employed at good
wages, the demand for all the numer-
Gus products of diversified farming is
at its best, and the prices are cores
pondlngly high. The farmer, garden
Grand fruit raiser share in the pros
|perity which comes to the whole COM
munity, and share abundantly.
Wheat will always be the great
money crop of the best portion of
Eastern Washington. Probably no.
where else in the world can this grain
be raised cheaply or so abundantly.
The wonderful fertility of the soil as
sures such crops that the proportion
ate cost per bushel is reduced much
below the standard IN other sections.
While>the larger portion of the land
will be devoted to wheat raising, the
experience of the past few years has
shown that profits are really greater
in diversified farming than in grain
raising, while the risk of serious loss
in any one year is eliminated. The
prices which have prevailed and the
large market demand which has exis-
ted on Puget Sound for the past few
years have turned enormous sums of
money into the pockets of the farm
ers of the eastern portion of the state.
With the exception of grain, there is
hardly farm product which has not
nearly doubled in value within the
past four years. That increase in
value has come almost entirely from
the increased demand, due to the
more prosperous condition and in-
creased spending capacity of the peo-
pie in the local markets.
The populistic orators who, four
years ago, were shouting that the low
price of farm products was due to the
decentralization of silvet, now as loud
" proclaim that the Republican party
is in no sense entitled to credit for the
improved prices, which are due entire
ly to the increased demand. That
prices are governed by the Law Of sup
ply and demand no one now seeks to
deny, although it was denied strenu-
ously by the Bryanites four years ago.
What the Republican party does claim
credit for, and the record bears out
the contention, is the restoring to the
country Of such healthful Conditions
that labor is now employed at remun-
erAtive rates. and that the purchasing
power Of the people Of the country
has been enormously increased as the
result of the prosperity following Re
publican legislation. This increased
purchasing power has been followed
BY an increased demand Tor farm pro ]
ducts and higher price. The farm
ers have had 8 full share "a
can prosperity, aa they ha5l 81
50 the Democrefic ~ dversit lilch