Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-27

rapid. as evidenced in particular by Mis-
sissippi, with an increase of 34Il per cent In
bank deposits; by Texas, 2iS per cent; by
Oklahoma. 172.6 per cent, and by Arkansas,
For the first time in the financial history
of the SOUTH deposits in the banks of that
region now exceed 81 ,00O000,0O0.
The foregoing remarkable increases III
bank deposits in agricultural states, as
well as the increase I'm the number of small
country banks, are directly and indirectly
because Of the profits that have come to
farms. The man with the hoe has become
the man with the harvester and the de-
postor and shareholder of the bank.
Increase in Land Values.
The change in farm values since the cen
sus of 1900 is summed up in the following
terms, detailed figures being given:
With this understanding il is found that
the cotton farms have Increased in value
460OOO,COO, the most prominent 'ncrease
among the states Icing Texas, with sl15O0O-
Col, while Georgia stands second with ST.
600 600, and Mississippi third with S62,O0O,00O
Therefore, it may be said that during the
last five years the cotton plantations have
had six crops of cotton, one OF these crops
being a permanent investment and promis-
ing to pay good return year by year.
| Sugar farms have increased in value So
0O0OO, more than half of which is found
in Louisiana and one-sixth' in California.
Hay and grain farms have such an i'm
mense acreage that the increase for them
amounts to S2,OO0, G000OO, three-fourths of
which is in the north central states; AMI
an even greater gam OF AL.1bj,uJO,but was
made by the live stock farms, nearly three
fourths of this also being in the north CEN
trail states. In the case of farms having
dairying as a speciality the increased value
was 1869 100000; tobacco farms increased
$57 coo; rice farms, S3,3OO0C0; fruit, $751;
100000; vegetable farms, sllS,0OOC0O, and
farms devoted to general and miscellaneous
4 purposes, $76S, 100000.
! In the grand aggregate Of farms Of all
classes the increased value equaled the
enormous total of S6,lS3OOOOOO.
Every sunset during the last five years
has registered an increase Of S3,NO,OOO In
the value of the farms of this country;
every month has piled this value upon
value until IL has reached NO2,WOOOO; that
portion of the national debt bearing inter,
farms in nine months, and this increase
for a little over year balances the entire
interest and noninterest bearing debt OF the
This increased value that has come to
farms is invested better than in bank de,
| pOsits or even in the gilt-edged bonds oil
private corporations.
Economic Position of Farmers.
II the farmers economic position in the
United States is to be condensed TO short
paragraph, 1t may be said that their farms
produced this year wealth valued at $40
100000; that farm products are yearly eN
ported with port value OF SS75, 600; tha
farmers have reversed in adverse interna
tional balance of trade, and have been
building up one favorable to this country
by sending to foreign nations surplus
which i'm sixteen years has aggregated $i2.
O0O,000,00 leaving an apparent net balance
of trade during that time amounting L
$685., 10000 after an adverse balance agains
manufactures and other products not agri
cultural, amounting to $4,000, 000, has beef
Offset. The manufacturing industries tina
depend upon farm products for raw ma
teTials employed 2,l54.O0O persons in 1860 an,
used capital of N,iS2OO0OOO. Within
decade farmers have become prominent a
bankers aud as money lenders Throughout
large areas; and during the last five year
prosperous conditions and the better-di
Iected efforts OF the farmers themselVe
IFaN tFnsnVs sal hot FaNs
1875 per cent, or an amount approximate
equal 70 S6,l33, 900, 600.
In his report, which comprises 132 page
! of printed matter, the secretary of ayr
culture reviews the activities OF the depart
ment for the last eight years. setting fort
, what has been done by the various bureaus
All in all, il is one of the most compre
/. henslve and interesting documents ever is
I sued by the Department. OF Agriculture