Bridgeton pioneer., 1906-02-08

IMAM Yield of Gold In Four Hum
dred Years, Says American Agri-
culturist's Managing Editor-CIaims
Yankee Husbandman LIS Real Dicta-
tor of World of Commerce.
Professor w. G. Johnson, managing
editor of the American Agriculturist.
who wrote the following article on
the wonderful achievements of the
American farmer for the New York
Herald's annual financial review, says:
"Our American farmer is the wonder
OF the age. Wall street trembled when
he announced the value of his products
for 1905 at $6,415,000,00O. Railroad Of
ficials shook because of their inability
to hand to him bill of lading In 1904,
but when he asked for rolling stock to
transport his crops at the close of the
last harvest they were unable to speak.
He requested cars for 2,70S,O00,0O0
bushels of corn, 740,000OO0 bushels Of
wheat, 1,000,00O,00O bushels of oats
35,000000 bushels of rye, 100000
600 bushels of barley, 100000 BUSH
els of fiaxseed, 25O,O0O,O00 bushels Of
potatoes, 28,000,00O barrels of apples,
100000 bushels of onions, 10000
bushels Of cranberries, 650O00,O 900
pounds of rice, 280,000 tons beet sugar,
100000 bales of cotton, 580O0,OOO
tons Of hay, 100000 pounds of broom
corn and 156,O0O,O0o pounds Of to-
bacco.
I'm addition the farmer asks for
transportation of milk, butter and
cheese from 17,570,00O cows, which
products alone he estimates will be
worth in 1906 more than $685., 100000.
He values his cows at $4S2, 100000, to
say nothing Of the 43, 100000 other cat
tie, worth in round numbers $663, ,000,-
OOO Just to make the figures even up,
he says, add another $1,5OO,00O,0O0 for
horses and mules and cast your eye
over 47,400,000 sheep and swine in the
barns and fields. AS the general freight
agent starts away, scratching his head,
the farmer says provision must be
made for handling and shipping 1,800,-
100000 dozen of eggs during the next
twelve months.
when he closed the year 1904 the
American farmer announced the value
of his products at $4,900,OO0,000. The
general public was amazed at these
unthinkable figures, but when he comes
forth at the close Of another season
with an aggregate Of over $1,000, ,0O0,-
600 more than the marvellous record of
1904 we wonder what sort Of man
the farmer really is. All other classes
of producers sink into insignificance
when compared with him.
"All the gold mineral in the world in
the last 400 years could not purchase
the farm crops of the last two years.
'Farm crops for 1905 are worth more
than the value of the manufactures of
five years ago, not counting the mate
rials used. They represent several
times the gross earnings of all the
railroads in the United States.
"An occupation that produces such
bewildering figures is deserving of
more than passing attention. A few
years ago the man who tills the 6,0O0,-
600 farms in the United States was
called 'hayseed' or 'Rube.' Today he
stands head and shoulders above his
fellow coworkers in other vocations,
but we never hear him speak disre-
spectfully of any one. He is the mas
ter Of the situation. Wall street con-
Of the year by the contents Of the
farmers granaries.
"The man behind the plow has deliv-
cred his goods for 1905 and bids every
body happy New Year. His grana-
ries are bulging to overfiowing, his Gel
lars are packed and his larder is stored
with the necessities of life. He asks
aims from no man. He feeds the
world, reserving first enough for him
self and family. No one dare deny
the fact that the prosperity and well
fare of the United States are init
mately associated with the wonderful
achievements of the American farmer.
He has pushed ahead, keeping pace
with the times. In ten years, from
1890 to 1900, he increased the value of
his products nearly 93 per cent, but
the most marvellous advances have
been made during the last five years.
From products valued at $3,742,-
100000 in 1899 he advanced to $4,4SO,-
100000 in 1908 and $4,9o0,0OO,000 one
year later. 1t is by no means admitted
that these figures represent the full
value of the farm products. Besides
the value of his products the real es-
tate values of the farms have increas-
ed over 33 per cent in five years.
During the last few years the Amer
lean farmer has accumulated larger
sums of money than ever before. In
many sections his deposits have been
SO generous that the rate of interest
was forced down. Alert to these con-
ditions, the, farmer has now larger
sums in permanent investment than
ever before. He has shown his capac-
ity as financier; he is founding many
rural banks, movement of no unsta-
BILE character.
"For the first time in the banking
history of the south there are deposits