The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-30
HIGH PRICES AND FOOD SUPPLY.

HIGH PRICES AND FOOD SUPPLY.
The high prices Of agricultural
products have caused an immense
amount of discussion the present year,
and the general opinion has prevailed
that this advance In prices has come
to stay. Representative Champ Clark,
quoted in yesterday mornings dis
patches, appears to voice the consensus
of opinion. agreeing with President
Hill of the Northern Pacific Railway,
that this country is not going TO be
able very much longer to raise food
stuffs for export; that presently we
will come to the point of consuming
all that we raise. The reason given
for this is explicitly stated by Mr.. Clark
to be that something approaching two.
thirds of the population of the coun-
try is non.producDg in the agricul-
tural sense, living in cities and villages
and not on farms, and not raising any
thing beyond perhaps keeping a few
chickens. n cow or two or something
of that kind. Mauifestly, under those
conditions, with but little more than "A
third of the population producing farm
stuffs, the effects suggested seem rea.
sonable enough.
At the same time, there arc some
opinion. First of ALL we doubt If the
population will be found by the cen
sus of the ensuing year to be distrib-
uted so unequally between town life
and country life as Mr., Clark estimates.
We do not believe that the town popu,
lation as a matter of fact will be found
to be even one-half of the total 1t
is TO be remembered that farm popu
lation in the older States is distributed
differently from what it is in this
region. Here we have a large farming
population. but the settlements being
in fact also villages. the farm popula-
tion is in fact also town population to
an unusual extent.
Aside from what we consider the er-
Tor noted IN Mr.. Clark s computation
as between country and town popula-
tion. President Hill calls attention to
another feature which in time must
have very important effect in this
We refer TO the matter of
farming. The yield Of grain
per acre in this country hardly aver
ages one-half of the yield per acre in
the agricultural districts Of Europe.
We can double our supply Of agricul
tural products, therefore, so far as
grain is concerned, by better cultiva.
ton. To double the product of our
grain farms if we could do il at once,
would bring prices down and put US
ago, exporting tremendously Of grain
and flour TO Europe. We do not look
for this. however; but we do expect
10 see a gradual gain not only in grain
yields but. in crop yields generally by
more careful and scientific farming
This gain will be gradual. and Will
keep pace with tho, growth of the
and according as it will
be found 10 pay. So that no one need
be alarmed about the failure of the
food is needed, even with the present
area under cultivation (and we can
expand that area considerably yeti we
shall none Of us need to go hungry.
The country Will change from time
10 time. and undoubtedly will be self
right along. 1t is not ad-
for us TO export our agri.
cultural products when we can con
sumo them at home; and it can easily |
be taken for granted that when in
tensivc farming is called for, it will |
'ome and will be profitable, And yet
.hc probability is that the idea that |
nigh prices for farm products. COM
oared with prices Of former years, will |
lold right along may well be conceded;
md that these prices will be the gauge
If whether it will pay to do closer and |
more scientific farming than hereto.
fore,