The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-10-23
Are More Willin gto Take Pub
lie in Their Confidence
SUFFER INVESTIGATION
Figures ON the -Four Leading Crops of
the Country for 1910 Are Astound-
ing and Indicate General
Prosperity
By PRESTON c. ADAMS


tered his famous "shall 1 call it war
cry? The public be d"
| Yes, indeed. It may be that some of
| the gentlemen at the head of our great
corporations in their hearts are with the
late Mr.. Vanderbilt, but even they are
| not saying it for publication while 1t is
certain that the vast majority of the
men who conduct our great business con-
Germs and financial institutions have come
to realize that the public has very real
and vital interest in the manner In which
they shall be conducted and furthermore
that the public has the power and the
will to exercise it TO see that its interests
are protected.
Therefore instead of Indignantly or pet
ulently resenting government supervision,
the majority of our fnanciers are anx-
ious merely to have the supervision con-
Quoted on reasonable lines so as not to
cripple legitimate enterprise, injure in
vestments and, a corollary. throw labor
out of employment. The public has not
yet fully realized this modification has
| taken place can be stated with absolute
confidence. even although the metamor-
phosis has not been openly acknowledged
by good many capitalists. The most en-
should be made fully acquainted with the
outs and ins of modern business methods
so as to enable them to form an intelli-
gent judgment as to how far federal or
state interference may go without entail
ing injurious consequences, consequences
that would fall not merely upon the
comparatively few individuals in control
of the particular corporation concerned.
but upon bond and stockholders as we'll
as employees.
The myth that chartered company is
some sort of mysterious organization
without soul and not amendable to law
is quickly being exploded. But only very
gradually is 1t being grasped that cor
porattons represent the capital and sup
ply labor for thousands of people whose
interests are identical with those of the
companies. 1t is little exaggeration to
say that the people of the United States
are the corporations. There is scarcely
an Individual in the country, even
though he be not an investor or an EN-
ploye of corporation whose welfare is
not in some degree dependent upon the
prosperity of these combinations.
1t is this cardinal fact-the common
interest of the corporations and the pub
lic-that our men of affairs are striving
to bring home to those who clothe our
legislators with authority. The capital
list is seeking to convey and convince the
world that he is not an enemy of his
country or of the so-called working
classes, but that he is necessary fas
well as reasonably member of the whole
economic family.
With the growth of their feeling comes
the reasonable hope that the right REM
edy of the trust evils VIII be found and
applied. - f'.'u ~ -
Owing to. the unsatisfactory condition
of the copper and other metal markets
during the earlier part of the year it was
generally believed that 1910 would not be
profitable year to the holders of stock
in American mines and matallurgical
works. With the closing of the third
quarter of the year, however, judging
from the figures available, the year. 1t is
believed. will close with a record of divi-
dend disbursements greater than that for
any year in the history of the industry.
Between January / and October l. 1913
mines and matallurgical works reporting
to The Mining World have paid dividends
totalling s55,ss7,047, as compared with $45,-
s72,275 paid in the same period in 1909 by
1903 companies. That the dividend pay
ments of these mines and works are of
regular occurrence, is proved by the fact
that since Incorporation they have Yield
ed profits which permitted the disburse-
ment among shareholders of the -enor-'
nous total of $3.50. S3S, 141. This is equiv
alent to return of 113 per cent on the
total outstanding capital of $500, 447. 1884.
In addition to the above there are large
profits which have been declared during
the nine months of the year by nine Sc
curities holding corporations so, ss2, 1923, as
| against s131s7,595 during the same period
In 1909. Since Incorporation these nine
companies have paid to shareholders s113-
l72,125, issued capitalization
Some conception of the money value
of this country's 1910 crops may be OBJ
tanned from estimates just made by sta
tisticians In the New York produce ex-
change of the value of the four principal
agricultural products this year, which
reach the astonishing level of So. 4e0, $780,
900. These estimates are based upon the
department of agricultures reports on
| condition, averaging yield per acre and
the approximate current market quota
| tons. on corn, wheat, oats and cotton.
This estimated value of 50, 500, 900 COM
pares with an actual valuation OF the
same staples last year Of $500 1871 1873,
which was the figure placed upon them
| by the bureau of statistics In Washing
| ton. compiled as of December j. 1909 OF
course. these estimates are subject to
correction later and it is thought likely
will eventually be found to have reached
larger proportions this year than those
| for last year despite the lower market
prices for corn and oats as it is probable
that the actual yields OF most of these
crops will be discovered to be much
greater than is indicated.
| M A. Carleton, cerealist of the depart
ment of agriculture. in a treatise on the
lsubject of wheat production now, and
possible future production, shows how
the wheat producing countries Of Europe
has increased its acreage and steadily
Increasing their yield per acre. Hungary,
the oldest wheat country of Europe has
Increased its acreage from 6.7970OO acres
| In 1884 to 9,474,00O in $685. How Europe
| has continued to expand it's yield is
shown in record OF figures. Yield per
acre is vital matter. In the past ten
years France has increased it's yield per
acre two bushels, Austria three bushels
and Germany SO bushels.
| Should the United States acquire a pop
ulation of 200.000,000 in 1850 and increase
its per capita consumption to bushels,
| it is estimated that by the same process
of expanding cut acreage and yield per
acre the requirements of 100000 900
bushels can be. met. In Canada 1t will
be only necessary to employ one-ninth
Of the farm areavof Manitoba Alberta
and Saskatchewan to provide 80, 000, 900
bushels per acre (which is three bushels
in excess of present Yields there would
be an annual production OF 900