The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-19
DO FARMERS LOSE?
TESTIMONY ON COST AND PROFIT
IN GRAIN RAISING IS NOT
UNANIMOUS
GOOD CHANCE TO MAKE MONEY
If Grain Raising and stock Raising
Are Combined - PhiiOsOphizing
on Possibilities of Oriental
Trade and Tariffs.
GLOBE WASHINGTON BUREAU,
Post Building, Room 10.

Post Building, Room 10.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 1S-All
the testimony on the subject of agricul-
ture and agricultural labor has been
boiled down by the industrial commits
sion, which is preparing to make its re-
port to congress. In the little pamphlet
of condensed opinion and conclusions are
some facts of general interest. Speaking
of profit and loss of wheat growing, the
evidence is summed up as follows:
There is some testimony to the effect
that grain is raised at loss in the
Northwest, but this is controverted by
other evidence TO the effect that when
farm is properly cultivated wheat raising
is profitable. Mr.. Greeley, of South VA
kota, takes an intermediate position,
maintaining that wheat does not pay
year after year unless it is raised in con-
nection with stock farming. Mr. Greeley
knows of farmers who have turned to
stock raising and yet raise more grain
than before. The attention of the whole
Northwest, he says, is turning to stock.
Discussing the 'diminution of profits,
the report says
The preponderance of testimony is to
the effect that capital employed in agri-
culture yields lower rate of profit than
it did thirty or forty years ago, but it
is pointed out that profits in all other
with the rate of interest, and the num-
Der of men who are seeking and acquir-
ing farms is cited as evidence that rela-
lively there is more profit in farming
than ever before. To those who under
stood farming the farm is said to be the
best place to make money. 1t is also
pointed out that much land that was
bought at very low prices forty years
ago is now worth many times the orig
to- nj
culated upon the present selling value of
the land it will, of course be much
lower than if calculated upon the price
which was paid for the land while it was
cheap. Again, where land was bought
at inflated prices, and has since fallen in
value, it may fail to pay fair profit
upon the actual purchase price and yet
afford reasonable prospect OF profit to
new purchaser who is able to secure it
at lower price.
Oriental Markets and Tariff.
The following sections treat Of popular
subjects: The further development of
Oriental markets is considered desirable,
especially to increase the demand for
wheat, which might perhaps be sent
from the wheat belt to the Pacific for
about what is costs to send it to the
Atlantic seaboard. 1t is estimated that
40 600, 600 bushels of wheat would be less
than half peck for each inhabitant of
China, and it it pointed out that wheat
flour has displaced rice wherever the two
products have come into competition. On
the other hand it is suggested that If
the trans Siberian railroad should handle
wheat more cheaply than American rail-
roads, 1t might become possible for ST.
berian farmers to send wheat to this
country.
Speaking of the tariff and the farmer
the commission makes this summary Of
the evidence:
Several witnesses agree that while
farmers may be helped Indirectly by the
establishment of factories and the gen.
eral prosperity due to the tariff, they
receive little, if any, direct protection.
Some go so far as to say that the tariff
is injurious to the farmer on the whole,
because it increases the prices Of the
articles he buys. Several specific cases
are mentioned however, in which farm
ers are thought to be benefited directly
by the tariff. Thus, the farmers of New
England are said to gain something from
the protective tariff on agricultural prod
ucts imported from Canada, especially
hay and potatoes and also from the duty
on tobacco. The tariff is also considered
of great value to nurserymen and to
producers of both sugar and rice, and
the duty on hides is said to help the
cattle raisers materially.
The organization of farmers is said to
have been brought about as result Of
the combinations in other lines of in
dustry, which have forced farmers to
combine for protection. These organiza-
lions have sometimes succeeded in pre-
venting attempted reductions in the
prices of agricultural products and in
creases in the prices of goods bought Ky
farmers. Some of them have succeeded
in securing legislation in the interest of
agriculture. Some have gone to pieces
on the rock of politics, but the Grange
has for many years avoided partisanship,
and has become perhaps the most IN
huential of the farmers organizations.