Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-13
ARE HOLDING WHEAT.
Prosperous Farmers Are Keeping
Wheat for Better Prices-Minneap-
els Stocks.

Wheat for Better
oils Stocks.
innea polls, Feb. 13.-Northwestern
farmers are pretty independent nova
DAYS. Every little while some evidence
comes up of the act that the armer
in Minnesota and Dakota are more
prosperous than ever before. Not the
least significant evidence of the a
cial condition of the farmer is found in
the crop movement.
Last summer when it became evident
that q big wheat crop a been raised
there was much talk of the effect upon
prices that would follow when the far
mer began to rush his wheat on the
market. 1t will be remembered that
wheat sold here at one time during the
summer close to 81 cents. But there
were others who maintained all thru
that the crop movement would not nee
essarily be so heavy as to swamp the
markets, as allowance was to be made
for the general prosperity of the far
mers.
That those who took the latter view
were nearly correct has been shown
forcibly of late. AT least 80 per cent of
the wheat raised last yea has not yet
gone off the farms. The farmers will
sell their holdings when they get aroun
to it. They are not hard up, and do
not have to sell. If it becomes evident
that the winter wheat crop is beyond
danger, perhaps some will sell who now
hold on awaiting the possibility of dam
age reports to put up prices. Perhaps
a material advance in prices would
bring out the farmers surplus. Per-
haps it would not. At n rate, the far
mer is an important element this year,
and his moods have to be reckoned with
in any attempt to gauge the future crop
movement.
Stocks of wheat in loval elevators are
decreasing his week at the rate of owe
10000 bushels q day, and will probably
show a falling off of 100000 bushel for
this week. This Is because there is not
enough wheat received here daily to
supply the milling demand. and to some
extent millers ave to draw on the big
terminal houses for their wheat to
grind. Minneapolis wheat stocks. ac-
cording to indications ruling up to three
weeks ago. should now be over 1S.OOO.-
900 bushels. as the local elevators were
filling up at a rate to have made this
figure easily, but the lighter receipts
stopped this and another two weeks Of
it will probably see the local stocks fall
off from the present total of 16.526.000
bushels to under 10. 900, 600 bushels.
The local grain men regret this very
much. for the reason that 1T was gener-
ally thought that this crop year would
see the breaking of all records by Min
neapolis as a primary grain market. On
the previous crop, from Aug. l. 1900. to
Feb. II, 1901, the receipts of wheat We're
so, 2S0.00 bushels. while on the present
crop, receipts here from Aug. /, 1901. to
Feb. II, 1902. were 61.570.3S6 bushels.
Here is a gain on a little over half the
crop year of IL. 2S9,7S6 bushels. and with
this lead and the fact that the quantity
of wheat yet in farmers hands is esti-
mated at 80 to 35 per cent, the outlook
for continued good bushels in grain re-
ceived here was never better at this
late. Grain men do not expect the
movement to get back to its normal
proportions for the present, as in adj
dition to the other factors hat tend to
make light receipts. there is the uncer-
tainty regarding the pending tax bill.