Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-14
BUMPER CROP PROMISED.

A prominent banker oe northwest
Iowa has been quoted as saying that
recent speculation in northern lands Is
not to be held entirely responsible for
Iowa business and bank conditions. He
asserts that Iowa men have madeabou;
as much money on their Dakota lands
as they have invested in Canada, blu.
that the cause of tight money condi-
lions in Iowa and rather difficult re-
tail trade lies in the fact that Iowa has
not raised bumper corn crop since
1900.
What this banker has said is largely
true Speculation of any kind VIII
cause a temporary money stringency'
but as soon as time has elapsed IN
which to liauidate normal conditions
ought to return if no other discourage
ment remains. Bank wealth or money
capital is contantly on the move. per-
forming the work of common carrier.
and in time will make trips enough
from hand to hand to move an enor-
NOUS load, to liquidate a tremendous
amount of loans. but real wealth, the
nrod,,cts of Iowa farms, must be pro-
duced in great volume or we Will re-
main hard up One bushel of corr.
can't pass from hand to hand. satisfy
ing twenty demands for corn, as bank
dollar Will do. we eat the corn, while
the dollar goes OH forever.
Iowa has not raised bumper corn
crop for three seasons. III 1900 the
WELD of sa5 million bushels was a rec
ord breaker. In 1899 there was good
crop, but prior to that the yield did not
exceed 800 million bushels. except IN
1876 and in 1891. The season OF 1901
was considerably under the tenyear
average of 2sl million bushels, and the
last two years were but little better.
Viewing these statistics and basing our
hopes upon the law Of averages we
have every reason to expect another
great crop this summer. The year 1892
gave a bumper yield. then again in 90,
i've years later, and three years more,
IN 100 and 1900, and now we approach
the fourth season since the last high
mark 1t is time for the god of grains
to smile on us again.
What this would mean to our ma
tional prosperity is difficult to con-
ceiye. Iowa raises more corn'tha any
other state in the union. Corn consti-
suites two fifths of the total value or
all the soil products raised in the stats
and can amount to any sum from S7o,-
coo, 900 to 1920. 100000 for the state in
any one year. This means considerably
more than a million of dollars for each
i county in the state from a single sen
sons crop of a single cereal. The dir
ference between a poor crop and b
bumper yield can amount to Saoo,ooo
rer county on corn alone and, since
poor corn weather is generally poor
crop weather for all other grains, rec-
ord breaking crops of all kinds this
year can amount to ss,ooo.ooo per
county and a poor yield can cut this
sum down an average of s1oo0,0O0 per
county No amount of speculation ever
yet known among men can equal the
material effect of loss like this. In
the great years of 1900 and 1896 the
months of May and June We're dry
while seeding was in progress, and gem
erous rains followed in July during the
tasseling period. We have the law of
averages on our side this year ana
every reason to expect another OF
Iowas never-failing, periodical. bum.
per crops.