The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-08

IL DEFENDS FARMER

WASHINGTON. u t. pec. s.
III SUSstss shcFt 81 graulscieDce san
E4xT7aap gne NAtUp II me garga prQaNe.s
@vsx .ass GEAR, sS the ssagement ~ tne
Il ses rsIary e.. 4Aefe &.4t4fe in hss ALI
4 nasa fe port fpr tsts. puunsnea to~
Essay al no sluse Ia tne worta : MS
#Kssfy fsas country iaFouMSto fafnt
fS3arssAssets @g.Ggn UlIe year son a NalNe
Il feszrnan@ >N,g-e, V90. oea wnlcn Is tov
VI ssssasse st tEac agricultural pgv4Ntts NJ
FSxhx e.@D}vy fvr tsIp. Tue Aatae 81
HtAFna gtrpAsgets fr@n4 1898 10 tne pres
SseaH se4r mas n@en progressive a4sa-
EgsNaI 4nteTTA pt1.u. Il the satue 81 me
Npruasssts 81 4sS* i paced al los. the
SSNnfue aur taIs year y 1ss. or almost
xiuABle the va4a aor the census year
NsRfexen years aee. harlng tBis per
U I'D ~ uneAaia2 .,ssss agr4vuttarai pre-
S<tuutsos1. N perlVna 0f teetSe Years, our
s3s&x Mas<a ;Ee farmers ~ tt,tA conn
E#1xg has steadily advanced n pres
4 l4asss anu Wess4L9 ana IN trttt1en4c
zA4rsax S,enasnee ID Intelligence, and d
knoAleage 81 agriculture, the total
Rsaiao 81 farm products is sss.eoo,-
E28A, ps,e
The corn erap - S,13it&sl. Gee
eaeeeas tf4af nj The record
SYe2r aspt, and Is greater than tue
ENSerage crop 81 the preceding tive
EyNxrx by IL per cent White thc
E&&ane Of this earn crop is below that
&&k 1Sss an1 q lso ~ lses. its amount
#3Iolpngs To- s.or#S II magic. 1t can
nroiy he reck oned as less than ST.
A1. HuV, Vge. aiiTa s9tiicient To can
Na tine interest bearing debt II the
Emitted States, buy al of the gold and
xter mined in al 81 the countries
ehe earta In leas. ana stll leave
the farmers d little pocket money.
1.-THE corn crop IS a national asset
more than enc sense. ii Is not
rely Mealsn tn existence for tha
nA beng, but is an asset or per-
EaAl recurrence, ear after year.
IrouKhout he ages, stupendous
lUnnt Of corn with incredible value
~ be produced
#SAil of the cereals except corn are
4esner worth only three-fourths AZ
kAcn as that crop. The great allied
E6n and steel Industries nae III the
4EAt census ysar FOR which results
34Fe been published. 1904. produc~
HIN worth only So per cent. Of the
N&iue OF this years corn crop.
The value OF the hay crop If about
NTzN. 600, geo.
M The potato crop IS third n order of
&xnantIy, and the corn crop and thu
&S1AI for all cereals third Ia vatue.
The farm value Of the cereal crops
3Sriined $2su.oee.p00 In 1910 from
8y4y. and the value of all crops de-
ahmed $It9, 600. 9op. A gain wac made.
eNsyer, IN the value of animal pro-
Mactm amounting to st24,QO.oVU. /,
&mA been a year Of high prices fer
aent and animals. for poultry AND
@GGs and for milk and butter and
3er these reasons the total value OF
&H farm products increased in 1910
N41e4, 600, geo above the estimate for
Sa10s.
nlsOrts and Imports of Farm Pro-
Nh duct-.
Except for two years, 1898 and
St61. the highest balance Of trade IN
Harm products was s4ss,oe47s7 for
34oS, year which seems to mark the
XsNamlnaiing point in the course OF
xae balance OF foreign trade In farm
Vtoducts. In 1909 the balance de
3ilned to s274.2io.I 62. and In 1910
x1aH decline continued TO sl3S. $50
IND. 1t may be that In 1910 there
NeMa not that national surplus OF agri-
NATURAL products to export which the
Ountfy had offered To other nations
the earth in years preceding; but,
6tWever this may be, II Is fact
&ognjzed In the exporting trade that
~ prices Of farm products In the
McAi year 1910, We're high enough
H6 prevent that free export move
14nt which before existed.
The value OF the exports Of farm
PRODUCTS after constant oscillation
Eo4n the easiest times increased to
~ snormous amount of s1.o17.3eG.
n IN 1908, from which there Was a
1Giine Ia 1909 and another In 1910,
which latter year the amount
3xnds AT sS7i, lo7.oe7, value which
1t been exceeded only In the years
III and 1905, previous t. 1907.
eNbsr's Share Of Consumers Prices
High prices receive considerable at
ltion In this report. In the farmer =
sect OF the matter he receives eari-
1kw percentages af the consumer $
3ce4 for farm products. In the case
milk, in IS cities distributed
fpnghout the United States where
r. subject was investigated by the
artment, the farmer receives Il eeant
per cent, or One half of the price
&10 by the consumer. The railroads
about per cent, so that the re-
N5ning ~ per cent. If the consumers
4ce n received mostly by the retailer.
The farmer receives hardly more than
~ Of the consumers price in the case
poultry: So per cent In the case OF
~: cabbage IS per cent. when bought
the head and e5 per cent. when
1n8hf by the pound; celery. 60 per
mt when bought by the bunch.
YhA apple grower receives IS per
- ct the consumers price when the
eChase Is by the bushei and So per
~ when by the barrel the straw
Ery grower gets ~ per cent. of the
Aaumers price In purchases hy the
Att and 70 per cent. when by the
no. When the consumer buys q
ek Of onions nj IA time. the farmer
Lives rs per cent. of the retail price,
eeM he buys 81 barrel. the farmer re-
EAn 81 per cent. So. in the case of
GEe1. when the purchase Is by the
- the grower receives 90 per cent
- consumers price whereas when
purchase Is by tho box the grower
~ Per cent. The rule seems 10 be
INHALER the retail quantity the
ntler the farmers share Of the con-
1ery price.
eell Grounded Complaint Against
the Farmer.
keAf presenting rnsny details with
M 10 the increase of prices on farm
uEtA between farmer and con-
(4s the secretary Of agriculture de-
that ''the conclusion is newt
thaf the consumer has no we'll
I'D complaint against the farmer
~ prices that he pays. The farmer
~ the capital for production and
the rtsk OF his loosses, his crops
M mercy Of drought, and food
oA1, and frost. to say nothing OF
0A insects and biightfng diaeases
IMPLIES hard. exacting. unremit-
<B1R. A degree and range Of In
1een and Intelligence are demand
agriculture which are hardly