The river press., 1904-10-05
Effect Of Republican Policies in the Corn Belt
and Wheat Growing States.
VALUE OF LANDS GREATLY INCREASED
Prices of Cereals in "Lean' and "Fat" Years
Market Demand Affected by Action of Ma
tionaI Administration-Ris in Values.

1t has been quite customary for Dem
0cratic writers and speakers to attribute
the extraordinary prosperity Of the last
eight years to Providence. and to deny
that the Republican party conld be cspe
cially allied with Providence.
In answer to this contention President
Roosevelt. i'll one of his campaign
speeches i'll 1900. made the witty remark
that the Democratic party had fused
with about everything except provi-
dence."
In relation to the remarkable increase
in the agricultural prosperity OF the
United States during the years Of Re
publican rule subsequent to the last
Democratic administration (1SD3- 1890.
it is the Democratic policy to snceringly
ask if the Repu blican party produced the
bountiful crops. or had anything 20 do
with the droughts. the rust. or other in
fluences bullishly affecting the prices of
commodities the farmer had to sell.
Such sneering remarks. however. can
not suppress the fact that While there
have been many vicissitudes during the
last eight years in crop conditions. yet
there has all this time been a more or
less steady and big increase i'll the cash
income from American farms.
In 1901, for instance, owing to hot
winds and drought there was lean
year in corn. and vet the farmers OF the
United States got 1921 l.555.7 7GS for their
corn Of that Republican yearaas against
$491 ,Ot6,967 for their corn Of the Dem
ocratic year 1896. which was a fiat
year." as regards naturally splendid
crop conditions, hut lean year indeed,
as regards prices. The Republican year
1901 was thus year in which prosper
ity for the Corn Belt farmers was pre-
served. despite Il great natural disaster
to the corn crop. while the Democratic
year 1896 was Il year in which there was
no prosperity in the Corn Belt despite
the especially hountiful size of the corn
crop.
Dollar Wheat vs.. Fifty CentWh"at.
AT THE PRESENT WRITING
THE CASH PRICE OF WHEAT AT
CHICAGO is ABOUT $1.lO. In Au-
gust. 1903, it was 77A TO 90A cents:
III August 1902. it was .;Sli to 1G cents:
in August. 1901. it was 'h:s TOT cents:
in August. 1900. it was 71*4 to GA
cents: in August. 1899. it WIS 60 to "A y
cents; in August 1888. it was Elh, to
* cents: in August. 1897. it was 75A
to SLOT; in August. 1896 it was IL to
G3llk cents; in August. 1S:'1. it was oSA
to u cents; IN AUGUST, 1894. 1T
WAS 511lA TO 5SilA CENTS.
AT PRESENT WRITING THE
CASH PRICE OF CORN AT CHI
CAGO is sc CENTS. In August. 1908,
1t was o01a to s., cents: in August, 1902.
it was SO to 60 cents: in August. 1901,
it was 53:A to 5112 cents: in August,
1900, it was 3714 to Ala cents; in Au-
gust. 1899. it was 3OHl2 to 33 cents; in
August. 1898. it was 22931 to 1894 cents:
in August. 1897, it was 261A to 32!'<s
cents: In AUGUST. 1896, IL WAS
2Oha TO 25 CENTS.
Yard Stick Of Republican Prosperity.
The general drift of these price fig
ures, covering period Of about eight
years, has been of course significant not
merely of the size OF the crops Of these
particular years. but of the general
steady increase in market demand.
Wheat is not only Il staff of life" but
it is also. MS regards its consumption. Il
yard-stick of national progress. The
more people advance in civilization and
in prosperity the more wheat flour will
they consume. The present great awuk-
ening amongst the Oriental races is syn.
chronons with the development Of al
enormous trade in Pacific Coast wheat
flour through the open door to these ma
tions OF the Orient.
In the case OF corn it is certainly Il
fact worthy OF much attentive interest
that despite the high prizes for corn dur
ing the last three years. the demand ever
at these high prices mas not ahated. And
notwithstanding we seem likely to have
this year a crop Of 2.jNl.OOU.OU bush
els. corn is now about II; cents pei
buslel ut Chicago. In 1896 the tota
crop was 2,2S2.S7: 1G, bushels. hut the
price in August Of that year was 20l2
to Is cents at Chicago-Not half Wha1
it is now!
Per Capita Consun, ption of Wheat
Increases.
The Republican, policy Of building VI
tho manufactures Of the United States
Of placing the factory heslue the farm
accounts for the broader and better
market the farmer during the last eigh
years has been steadily getting for hi:
products. This is noticeable in the cast
of practically everything he has to sci
increasing consumption making prices
relatively better NO matter what the siz,
of his crops.
Figures OF the Bureau Of Statistic
show that the wheat consumption Of th'
United States in the fiscal year 1870.
was the largest in the history of til,
country. The table which follows show
the quantity OF wheat retained for con
sumption in total and per capita in eacl
fiscal year from 1890 to and includin,
1904:
Wheat and wheat -four retained 70
home cOnsumpt!On:
Fiscal Total Per Capit