La Junta tribune., 1904-09-17
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-Rise in Values.

II has been quite customary for Dem
scra,ic writers and speakers to attribute
the extraordinary prosperity Of the last
eight years to Providence. and to deny
that the Republican party could b sspe-
eialiy allied with Providence.
In answer 10 this contention President
Roosevelt, in one of his campaign
speeches In 1900. made the witty remark
that the Democratic party had fused
with about everything except Provi-
aence."
In relation TO the remarkable increase
In the agricultural prosperity Of the
United States during tho years OF Re
publican rule subsequent 10 the last
Democratic administration 1S93-lS9I).
II IL the Democratic policy to sneeringly
ask II the Republican party produced the
bountiful crops. or had anything to do
with the droushts. the rust, or other In.
auences buIlishly affecting the prices Of
commodities the farmer had to sell.
Such sueering 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 in the cash
income from American farms.
In 1901. for instance. owing to hot
winds and drought, there was lean
year In corn. and yet the farmers of the
United States got 1921 ,I6S for their
corn of that Republican year as against
e49l, ,0O6.9G7 for their corn of the Dem
ecratic year 1896. which was a fat
year" as regards naturally splendid
crop conditions. but n lean year indeed.
a. regards prices. The Republican year
1901 was thus n year in which prosper
ity for the Corn Belt farmers was pre-
served. despite q great natural disaster
20 the corn crop. while the Democratic
year 1896 was year in which there was
10 prosperity In the Corn Belt despite
ehs especially bountiful size Of the corn
crop.
Dollar wheat va fifty censwheat.
AT THE PRESENT WRITING
THE CASH PRICE OF WHEAT AT
CHICAGO IS ABOUT $LlO. In Au-
gust. 1908. It was TIA TO 00k cents:
In August, 1901. II was G6fs to II cents
In August, 1900. IL was Tia to IGA
cents; 10 August. 1899. IL was 90 to 741s
cents: In August. 1898. It was 05la to
70 cents; In August, 1897. II was 75H
- S1.O7: In August, 1891. IL was 81 to
ssh cents: In August. 1895. II was 5SSs
60 y cents; IN AUGUST. 1894. IT
WAS 51h TO 5sh CENTS.
AT PRESENT WHITING THE
CASH PRICE OF CORN AT CHI
CAGO Is 50 CENTS. In August. 1903.
Il was 50ls to So cents: In August, 1902.
IL was 30 to 90 cents. in August. 1901.
II was b3E TO 57ia cents: in August.
1900. IL was 37A to 41A cents: in Au-
gust. 1899, II was 30ta to 80 cents: in
August. 1898. II was 295. to 33% cents;
II August, 1897. I, was 26h TO 32S
cents: IN AUGUST. 1896. 1T WAS
2Oh TO IS CENTS.
Yard stick OF Republican Prosperity.
Tho general drift of these price fig
0res, covering a 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 iu market demand,
Wheat is not only ''staI OF life" bu,
Il IL also. as regards its consumption. a
yard-stiok OF national progress, The
more people advance In civilization aud
In prosperity the more wheat -four will
they consume. The present great awak
ening amongst the Oriental races is syn
ehronous with the development of ar
enormous trade in Pacific Coast wheai
Sour through the open door" to these na
lions OF the Orient.
In the case OF corn IL IL certainly 6
fact worthy of much attentive interest
chat despite the high prices for corn dur
ting the last three years. the demand ever
at these high prices has not abated. Ans
notwithstanding we seem likely TO have
this year a crop of 2.JOo.ovo.OOO bush
els. corn IL now abou; 56 cents pet
Nushel at Chicago. In 1896 the tota'
crop was 2.2s2. .s15. los bushels. but thu
price in August OF that year was COZ
20 IS cents at ChicaSo-not half whai
u h now!
Increases.
The Republican policy Of building ur
the manufacturcssof the United States
Of placing the factory besiae the farm
accounts for the broader and bettei
market the farmer during the last eight
years has been steadily getting for hi.
products. This Is noticeable In the case
81 practically everything he has to sell
increasing consumption making prices
relatively better no matter what the size
ef his crops.
Figures Of the Bureau Of Statistics
chow that the wheat consumption OF the
United States in the fiscal year 19Oi
Was the largest in the history OF the
country The table which follows shows
- qusntity Of wheat retained for con
sumption In total and per capita In each
6acsi year from 1900 to and incIsdinu
10Ol:
What and wheat Hesr sssalssd fo>
49, co1s1mptioa.
YssrsI Total Pr cspits
YAp R,~h~;a Runk~Ia