The Topeka state journal., 1905-12-16

with. Possibly the public generally have
as little confidence in the governments
rushing to sell their corn
"A correspondent at Marshfield, Ind,
says; i am firm believer the govern
ment crop report is entirely too high.
The government makes our state average
4b.f pu- per acre ana the urSL pest corn
state, with Illinois second, averaging 1913
bu.s Pennsylvania third, averaging 3S.9
bu., Ohio fourth, averaging BIS bu., Wis
consin fifth, averaging $40 bu., Iowa
sixth, averaging 34.S bu., Michigan sew
enth, averaging "a bu. Missouri eighth,
averaging 1913 bu., Nebraska ninth, aver
aging 32.S bu., Indian Territory tenth, av-
eraging 32.7 bu., Minnesota eleventh, av-
eraging S2.5 bu. Looking over the corn
states we find the largest minimum aver
age the past ten years SHOWS Nebraska
grew 36.4 bu., which now shows a de-
crease Of Sc bu., Illinois shows an in
crease Of 90 bu-, ONO increased 30 bu.s
Pennsylvania increased 49 bu., Indiana
increased 7.5 bu. and Iowa 2.3 bu., Wis
consin 5 bu., Michigan bu., Minnesota
35 bu., Missouri 81 bu. This county of
Warren has always been considered about
an average in everything, but the state
was never before considered banner
corn state. We join the Wabash river
and Illinois Land is worth from SOD to
$3.50 per acre. Since husking, all admit
estimates were too high. Winds, hail
and storms have been very severe. There
is considerable blighted or rotten corn,
and some ears are short and not filled
out at the tip. There is plenty of corn on
these clay knobs that will not make 10 bu-
per acre. None will make over 40 bu.
on the very best land. cannot see where
there can be an average of over 40 bu.
of corn in Indiana
'5The above reports confirm our general
adviceS from every surplus state, prov
ing to us that the government report is
more out Of the way than last year. when
it must have been 10 per cent too large.
We believe the Nebraska report given
above practically holds good in each of
the seven surplus states. We believe that
the agricultural departments estimates
are deIuSion and snare ana more
costly to the grain growers alone than
the expense of any one department in the
affairs of the government at Washing
ton. Why it Is, we can not tell From
appearances it looks like life insurance
methods and the tactics used in report
ing cotton crops a few years ago, and
should be dealt with as heroically to rein
state more truthful estimates. The false
customs in reporting cotton estimates
kept the price for years below haI us
present value. Cotton growers and fac
tories had to rise en- masse to get better
justice Something strenuous should be
done to either prevent fOrecasting crop
or radically Overestimating it. The de-
partment was not created to depreSS val
ues of one class of product for the Dene-
fe Of another. but TO ald the husband
man. The Crop Reported, published by
authority of the secretary OF agriculture
in Washington, D. c.. monthly, in report
ing the visible grain supplies, counts
grain grown and stored in Canada as our
own. but in making up reports OF grain
grown in the United States or exported
from the United States, only counts the
grain grown in the United States. 1t is
misleading and depreSseS values why
is it done? The secretary of the treas
ury does not count the money in Canada
as our money. The secretary Of war does
not count the battleships Of other coun-
tries as our ships. Why should Secfe-
tary Wilson continuously count grain
grown in Canada as part of our visible
supply? There is a duty on Canadian
wheat of 25c per bu
Nine United States primary markets
in 1902 received 125, 900, 900 bu. of corn, Chi
cago getting $4,000, 900 bu. of it. In 1903
primary receipts were 191 million bu., Chi
cago getting 9S million bu. Last year
primary receipts were 1S9 million bu., 9hi-
cago getting over 100 million bu. of it. It
is noticeable that Chicago receives more
than all other United States primary
markets combined. These nine primary
markets received in the last three years
sos million bu. Government reports show
the three crops eQualled 1925, 100000 bu.
Thus it can be seen that less than Z per
cent of these crops reached primary mar
kets and tended to dictate the price of the
other SO per cent. Why should our agr1-
cultural department, with the seal, stamp
and authority of the United States, aid
the elevator and bear and the railway in
terests to keep down the price of Ameri-
can grain for the benefit of the European
buyer? Europe this year admits that she
wants more of each of our cereals than
ever before.
I've look for higher prices than any
recorded during the past few years and
favor buying May corn for investment or
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