The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-05-15
BIG PROFITS IN FARMING.
FOOdstuI Producers and Stock Rails.
ers in Nebraska Are Growing
Rich at Rapid Rate.

Are the farmers of the west eXacting
too great a profit upon their invest
ment? Ought they not to be content
with lower prices, ana should not the
action of the federal authorities be in
voked, as it is against the steel, oil and
sugar producers. to prevent foodstutfs
producers from growing suddenly and
enormously rich at the expense of the
great common people?
These questions are presented in a
little pamphlet prepared by Prof. Da-
visson, of the social economy depart
ment of the state university, says a
Lincoln (Neb.) report in the New York
Sun. Not, it is true, in just those
words, but the evident aim of the COM
pilation Mr.. DAWSON has made is to
show that not even the tobacco or the
steel trust is reaping as big dividends
from it's investment as the farmers
of the state of Nebraska.
The census report shows that in 1900
there were in Nebraska 121, 525 farms
with an average value of $4,753, and a
total value of 1851, COS, 1925. Mr.. Davis
son has secured reports from men in
every county who have exceptional OPP
pOrtunities to find out the movements
in the values of real estate, and these
show an average increase of 25 per
to the census figures this gives total
value of $722, O1O,4 O6.
Figures CLEANED from the report of
the secretary of the state board of agri-
culture show that up to 1900 the aver
age value of the commodities produced
on Nebraska farms was not far from
$14,0OO,OOO Of this sum nearly $751;
100000 was represented by the live
stock shipped and slaughtered, while
$45,OOo,o 900 represented the average val
lie of the grain crops.
Poultry was represented by $3,OO0,-
600 more, butter by 100000, eggs by
100000, hides and pelts by $4,000, 900.
Various other products of the farm,
garden, orchard and dairy made up the
remainder of the grand total.
These sums, it should be remem-
bered, represented only the surplus of
the farmers products, that is, over and
above what he found necessary to main.
tain himself and family. From this
should be deducted the cost of agricul-
tural implements and other incidental
expenses. This gives him something
like Is per cent. of interest on his in
vestment.
In view of the fact that last year
the value of farm products, exclusive
of live stock, put on the market was
$15O,00O,000, his profit on the invest
ment could not have been less than
25 per cent. Few industrial enterprises,
even conceding that many of them
are overcapitalized, can make such a
showing as this.
The value of live stock on the ranges
before the marketing in 1902 was $780,
100000. Agricultural implements were
worth $31,OOO,OOO. The amount of
money on deposit iA the national and
state banks is estimated at not less
than $9O,OOO,OOO.
This great rise to wealth of the farm
ers in a few decades reads almost like
fairy story. In the beginning of her
agricultural development it was
thought the state could produce corn
only. In the last few years Nebraska
farmers have turned their attention
to raising wheat and alfalfa as well
as corn, and last year the state pro-
duced almost 100000 bushels of win
ter wheat and 100000 bushels of
spring wheat.
The corn crop last year was 279,000,.
600 bushels, that of cats 100000, rye
100000 and barley 100000. There
were II, 1872 acres of sugar beets, aver
aging not less than ten tons to the
acre.
The hay crop was tremendous. No
accurate statistics can be obtained
from the state as whole, but in q
counties there were produced $4,000
tons of clover. $4,000 tons of timothy,
500, 900 tons of wild hay and 347, 900 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 hundred
thousand acres planted, much of it
mere preliminary work. In some parts
of the state this crop annually pro-
duces more than the value of the land.
1t will be but few years until a mil
lion acraS are 11O6nr rult iva ion