The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1908-01-10
.PANICS CAN'T TOUCH FARMERS
The Entire Governmental Structure Rests
on tiim-If He Prospers We all Prosper

and ships necessary. The prosperity
of every industrial center rests on his
activity and industry. Eliminate the
farmer from the situation and organized
society would drift into hopeless saw
agery in thirty days. He is the foun-
dation for every human activity.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson re-
Gently made his report, as is his wont
about this time of year. The last re-
port is significant for two reasons: it is
the best yet, and is the star OF hope to
which the panic-stricken horde is just
now turning its eyes. 1t is comforting.
Read it:
THE American farmer is more than
81, 900, 100000 above and beyond be-
ing to blame for the tight money stu
alton which has been bothering every
body else. While business Of the Uni
ted States has been paralyzed because
the banks OF New York have held ST.
900, 100000 of the country's money
tied up in marginal speculative securi-
ties, and have declined to release the
money until they could do SO without
loss, the secretary Of agriculture has
been preparing figures to show that
during the past year the farmers of the
United States have brought into the
country more than 81, 100000, 900 Of
foreign money.
While the parasitical Spectator has
been paying usurious rates for money
to gamble with in New York, and has
produced nothing, the farmer has done
nothing but produce. In the first
place, the farmer has during the past
year raised $7,412, 100000 worth Of
farm produce. A large share of this
has been sold, $1,000, 100000 worth
of it abroad, and the money placed in
the banks all over the country. Then
these banks, attracted by the interest
rates in New York, have, sent the
money there, and it has been loaned
out on securities which have since so
faded in value that if collections were
inexorably forced a good many people
who are not used to it would have to
go to work for living.
The figures about the farmers cited
are from Secretary of Agriculture Jas.
Wilson's annual report, which has just
been made public. The report has
other statements revealing with equal
eloquence the desirability of the farmer
as a citizen, but offering no arguments
in favor of the desirability of the stock
gambler. Thus it is shown that eight
such corn crops as that raised in the
United States this year, and sold at the
price this one is bringing, would build
every foot of steam railroad in the
country, including all the expensive
terminals, and pay for every particle OF
property of whatever name, owned by
these roads, but nothing is cited to
prove that the original productiveness
of stock market would or could build
a railroad in million years.
The total value of all that the farms
of the United States produced in 1907
is 10 per cent more than the value
of the total production of 1906, al
though the crops this year have not
been quite as good as last year. The
total value for 1906 is also II per cent
more than in 1905, 20 per cent above
that of 1904, 25 per cent in excess of
that for 1908, and 81 per cent greater
than the total value for 1899. The
total farm exports for the year have
been 81, 05s, 900, 900, or $40, 100000
above the highest previous record.
Corn is king, according to the sec
rotary. 1t is the chief crop of the
United States, whether measured in
money value or in variety of service
performed. The value of the 1907
crop is 26 per cent greater than the
average for the past five years. The
next best crop, from financial point
of view, is hay, although it may be that
the final estimate will give second
place to cotton, which is coming
strong. Cotton raised in 1907 is val
ued at $674,000,000, and it is the
most valuable cotton crop ever pro-