The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-26
BIG FARM PROFITS.
Nebraska Professor Says They Are
Greater Than Those of Any Trust.


Lincoln (Neb) Letter in New York Sun.
Are the farmers of the West exacting
too great a profit upon their investment?
Ought they not be content with lower
prices, and should not the action of the
federal authorities be invoked, as 1t is
against the steel, oil and sugar producers,
to prevent foodstuffs producers from grow
ing suddenly and enormously rich at the
expense of the great common people?
These questions are presented in little
pamphlet prepared by Professor DAWSON,
OF the social economy department or the
State University Not. it is true. In lust
those words, but the evident aim of the
compilation Mr.. DAWSON has made Is TO
show that not even the tobacco or the steel
trust Is reaping as big dividends from its
investments as the farmers of the State OF
Nebraska.
The census report shows that in 1900 there
were in Nebraska 12l525 farms, with an
average value of s4,753, and total value or
1851, sos, 325 Mr.. DAVIDSON has secured re-
ports from men in every county who have
exceptional opportunities to find out the
movements In the values OF real estate, and
these show average increase of Is per
cent. over the 1900 estimate. Added to the
census figures this gives a total value OF
Figures cleaned from the reports Of the
secretary of the State Board OF Agricul-
ture show that up TO 1900 the average value
of the commodities produced on Nebraska
farms was not far from $1+0,O0000o. OF this
sum nearly $3.50 900 was represented by
the live stock shipped and slaughtered,
value OF the grain crops.
Poultry was represented by So OOO, 900 more,
butter by 100000 eggs by s2oOo,oOo. hides
and pelts by 100000. Various other prod
ucts of the farm, garden. orchard and
dairy make up the remainder of the grand
total.
These sums. 1t should be remembered.
represented only the surplus of the farm
er's products. that is. over and above what
he found necessary to maintain himself
and family From this should be deducted
10 nf or inr1 nd
other incidental expenses. This gives him
something like Is per cent. interest on his
In view of the fact that last year the
value Of farm products, exclusive Of live
stock put on the market, was $1500O0,000,
his profit on the investment could not have
been less than Is per cent. Few industrial
enterprises. even conceding that many Of
them are overcapitalized, can make such
showing as this.
The value of live stock on the ranges be-
fore the marketing in 1902 was $50 900.
Agricultural implements were worth $751;,
10000: The amount OF money on deposit
mated at not less than S90,000000.
The great rise to wealth of the farmers
in a few decades reads almost like fairy
story. In the beginning of her argricul-
tural development 1t was thought the State
could produce corn only. In the last few
years Nebraska farmers have turned their
attention to raising wheat ana alfalfa as
duced almost 100000 bushels of winter
wheat and 100000 bushels OF spring wheat
The corn crop last year was 279.000,0O0
| bushels, that of oats 100000 rye 100000
and barley 100000. There were II, 1872 acres
Of sugar beets, averaging not less than ten
tons to the acre.
The hay crop was tremendous. No ac-
curate statistics can be obtained from the
State as q whole, but in twenty-seven coun-
ties there were produced $1,000 tons Of clo-
yer. 74.000 tons OF timothy. 5000 tons of
wild hay and $4,000 tons Of alfalfa.
The raising Of alfalfa promises much for
the future Of the State. Ten years ago it
could scarcely be said to exist In Nebraska.
Last year there were over q hundred
thousand acres planted, much OF II mere
preliminary work. In some parts OF the
State this crop annually produces more
than the value Of the land 1t will be but
a few years until a million acres are under
cultivation.
Where the farmer has the advantage OF
the Industrial enterprises is that there is
no impairment of the capital invested. In
stead. the production of large crops means
added value to the land.
The raising of alfalfa, for instance, means
that every county will engage in the raising
OF live stock. The existence of live stock
on every farm means that the fertility of
the soil will be maintained, that the farmers
instead of having to pay large sums for
fertilizers will keep the soil capable OF pro-
ducing as abundantly as 1t does to-day.