Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-25
Nebraska Prosperity Shown
by Cancelled Mortgages.
PROFITS OF THE FARMERS
Advance in the Prices of Dairy
Products.
LESS GROWING OF SUGAR BETS
Business Booming in Omaha-Re-
cent Establishment Of Many
New Industries.
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM p. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence ef The Star and the
Chicago rd-Herad.
OMAHA Neb., July %, 1909
1t is evident that the people OF Ne
braska did not mind the recent panic,
for during the year 1908 there were 1880
farm mortgages paid off and Cancelled,
representing value of $126.3o1,791. and
1868 new farm mortgages were record
ed, representing a value OF S36, 432, 651,
leaving tidy balance of about $O.OVO.
600 10 the credit OF prosperity.
In 1907 there were 1,451 mortgages re-
corded, representing q value Of S'4. N3. SiS.
and 1882. representing value of $50,
ssl 900. Cancelled
During the year 1905 the assessed value
of improved farm property in the state
was $14J.O3o. $50 an increase from $l29.-
$685. 225 in 1867, which was very good for
a panic year During the same time the
assessed value of unimproved farm prop
erty increased from Sl6,651, 469 in 1907 to
$la963,32 in 1908.
The population of Nebraska is now
about one and quarter millions and the
assessed wealth is S545.36i.S1S. an average
of nearly $2i6 per capita. men, women
and children.
The area of the state is about 50.000,O0O
acres. of which :5,OOO.OOO are susceptible
to cultivation. but only 2.11S.1a3 are now
under the plough. About 100000 acres
of the total area are sem-arid, but are
capable of producing crops under the
careful processes of dry farming or by
irrigation.
Third in Grain Producing.
During the past year Nebraska has ad-
vanced from the fourth to the third place
in the list Of corn producers. having
passed Missouri by 100000 bushels. and
has advanced to the fourth place among
the wheat producing states. The follow
ing little table will show where she
stands
Corn: Wheat. Total grain
Bushels. Bushels. Bushels.
Illinois e9s, $4,000 aO2I2 900 425. 2oI 900
Iowa. ...... 2s7. $500, soeS. 600 a2o. S2s 600
ksS5s.sa iss
Missouri 49,. 2D3. ga 600 - 900 2S9. 842.O00
Minnesota. .ssss.o sssssooo 2es 81 S2s 90"
North Dskota. $3.50, 600 6S. 42sOO0 1913, 49,. 0Uo
You will see from the above that
Nebraska is the third grain-producing
state in the country. and she is also ad-
vancng rapidly in hay. alfalfa and po-
tatoes. During the year 1903 Nebraska
$41.3OS 43I. as against .4.O11,64S tons. val
ued at $23.641.6SI. in 1907. The alfalfa
crop increased 20 per cent and the potato
crop b per cent during the year, while
the total value of all the farm crops of
Nebraska advanced In value from $1IO.-
$40. 1871 in 1907 to sa13, 4so.99s in 1908.
Profits Of Farming.
This is not entirely due to a greater
acreage or a greater yield. but large
part of the difference has come out OF
the pockets of the consumers. all of
whom realize that it costs more to do
their marketing than it did q few years
ago, but do not appreciate how much of
their good money goes into the bank &C
counts of that class to whom We have
been accustomed to offer our sympathy
and call THE horny-handed sons of toll.
During the recent discussion of the
tariff bill we heard a good deal about the
neglect OF the rights of the consumer.
We have been told repeatedly that the
robber barons among the manufacturers
are protected by high duties at the ex-
pense of the consumer. but l have not
thus far heard any one who has been
audacious enough 10 defend the rights OF
the poor consumer against these rObber
barons Of farmers out here who are liv-
ing in luxury. riding around in automo-
biles, piling up In the banks the price we
poor city people are compelled to pay
them for everything We eat and some OF
the things we wear.
For example. the price OF wool this
year on the ranch Is % cents a pound.
whereas 1t was only IL cents last year.
and the difference pays the entire cost OF
IL costs a dollar year to care for a
sheep. and this year there Is an average
advance of dollar per sheep in the value
of the wool over 1905
In 1906 the maximum price of wheat in
Omaha was 50 cents a busnei: during the
first six months of 1853 the price of
wheat has ranged from 30 cents to 81 .33
a bushel.
In 1905 tie maximum price Of corn was
4s cents bushel: in 1897 II ranged from
43 to 81 cents; in 1908 1t ranged from II
to IS cents. and during the first six
months of 1903 1t has ranged from o3 to
y cents.
Not more than FIVE years ago ~ cents
was considered bonanza price for corn,
but the quotations here show that it has
not sold below 10 cents within that time.
And you can appreciate how the farm
ers are accommodating wealth simply by
creased production of corn. wheat and
every other sort of high-priced staple
that Is raised out here.
Advance in Dairy Products.
People Who patronize the city markets
have noticed the advance in the price
of eggs and butter during the last few
years. and they complain bitterly TO the
butcher and the groceryman about II.
but the farmer has pocketed the adj
vance. The official quotations of the
Omaha market show that the average
prices OF butter and eggs. in this center
of the greatest production in the world.
as follows
Butter. Egg.
Pound Dozen.
1905 23f2" 1.c
i issm' ............... a.e ioe
iWt. Sie lic
l.HtA 2s'ae I3c
1850 ....-..................... 30iac elilc
The first thing you know the consum-
nf try uritt 40 p n