The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-10-30
Agricultural Prosperity.

Recent years have been exceptionally
prosperous ones for the American farm
ers- II is estimated that this years
wheat crop is worth one hundred and
fifty million dollars more than last
years was, while the value Of ali farm
products is said 10 be four hundred
million dollars greater than il was last
year. and this despite the shortage OF
corn and other grains as result Of the
drought The reason for this is that
the crops which are short command
much higher prices in consequence. and
the advance Of price reaches even those
crops. ike wheat. which are uuusuaIi-
large. During the last five years. ac-
cording To the American AgricuItur-
ist.' the value of the five cereals. wheat
corn, rye, oats, and barley. has been six
and quarter billions o. dollars. nearly
billion more than the value during
the previous five years. Comparing the
same two periods, the cotton growers
have netted an increase of about four
hundred millions. The nine staple
crops this year represent a gain Of
seven hundred million dollars over
those Of 1886 Live stock is worth q
round billion more than il was five
years ago, and during the last quin-
quennial period. agricultural exports
show gain Of nine hundred and
thirty-eigEt million dollars over The. Dre-
viOUs five years.
These figures are gratifying. The
prosperity Of the farmers is "a thing
greatly 10 be desired. for agriculture is
the chief element in our industrial su-
premacy. At first glance it appears
singular that this should Be so. for the
money value Of our manufactures is
several fold greater than that OF our
agricultural products It would seem
that the industry which represents the
most money should be considered the
main factor ia our Industrial greatness.
But the difference is that agriculture Is
basic. while manufacturing is not. The
people could live without manufactures.
but they could not live without agr.clI-
ture- Ia farming operations. by the aid
O. nature there is an actual creation of
food without which IL would be imU0s-
siole for human beings in great num-
bers 10 subsist- Manufacturing is alto
gether secondary. Il is not. properly
speaking, creative, for 1t must have the
raw material to work upon. and much
Of this is produced by the farms The
reason Tor the difference in money value
IS that farm products are generally in
the nature of raw material. while the
manufactured article is a finished prod
uct. rendered more valuable by the
high-class. skilled labor employed in
making IL
There is also some mystery 10 many
people connected with the building Of so
vast superstructUre Of manufactures
upon what. at first glance. appears 10 be
a smaller agricultural base. II must be
remembered. though. that agriculture is
not smaller industry in fact. but only
in the money value Of its product It is
the most extensive Of American indus
tries. and gives employment 10 nearly
as many people as all others combined
There is nothing that. as a rule, has a
more important bearing upon finance
and business generally than the condi-
ton Of the crops II the crops are poor
OF the prices Tor them lCw. IL affects the
farmers power 20 buy the products Of
the factories and this depresses com
merciaI interests everywhere through
out the country
The industrial system is a complex
one. The manufacturers sell vast guam
titles Of goods 10 each other. and 10 all
other classes Of people. So the farmers
produce nearly all Of the worlds food
products, feeding not only themselves.
but all the rest Of mankind. In the life
Of the human race food is the first es-
sentiaL without IL man cannot live;
with IT in abundant supply everything
else conducive 10 his comfort, mental
and physical. follows in goOdly measure
Therefore. the whole country should re-
Joice in the prosperity OF those who till
the soil.
We must remember. however. that
prosperity IS a relative term. The farm
ers may be IN much better condition