Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-03
Bushels.


Illustrations can be drawn equally
we'll from the other crops. For the
forty one years from 1866 to 1907, fig
uring on the three chief cereals. corn,
wheat and oats. there were twenty
seven instances In which a short crop
brought more than the large crop of
the year before. as against twenty
four instances In whrch short crop
brought less than the large crop If
the year before.
MUST U. S. FEED EUROPE?
One of the chief factors which make a
year of large production a year of large
return to the farmers Is the element of
foreign grain production. If the United
States has to feed Europe then 1t is clear
that the excess production, which nor
mally would cause low prices on American
farms. is taken up for shipment abroad,
and the result is high prices where low
prices would otherwise be the rule
At various times in the agricultural
history of this country that very thing
has happened and the American farmer
has benefited al the expense of the Euro
pean consumer So great were the crops
here in 1891, for instance, that a panic
which was then impending was postponed
for year or two by reason of the great
influx of foreign gold in payment for
American grain.
1t Is this factor of low European pro-
duction that grain dealers are looking
for this year as a probable cause of high
prices of American grain. and conse-
quenty great return to American farm
ers. But there is a corollary to the rule
that high prices for a big crop mean pros
perity. This is that low prices make
cheaper food for the American consumer
and so cut down the cost Of living
The point Is illustrated in the foregoing
table printed. In 1900 for instance. the
corp crop was 2105. 10000 bushels while
In 1901 1t was 1,5225 $50 600 bushels. and in
the second year the farmers received
$l7O,33 more for their crop than they
did In 1900 The consumption of corn
per capita throughout the United States
was about the same In each ycar-2i. II
In 1901 and 244 in 1900. The consumers
had to pay In the year Of the short crop
COS cents n bushel for their corn whereas
In the year of big crops they paid only
35.7 cents.
MORE MONEY AND MORE BUYERS.
1t is clear that big crops mean pros
perty irrespective of prices. for If the
farmer does not get the benefit 1t goes to
the rest Of the population. If the farmer
for one year Is unable to make inroads
on his mortgage the wage Garner lives
more cheapy. On the other hand If
the farmer gets great return from his
fields he IS able not only to pay off some
Indebtedness ha tc al, o.,
buy new farm machinery and to take into
cities. The automobile is common sight
nowadays on western farms and the
telephone has made its way throughout
the wheat lands. The indirect result of
his buying is felt among the bankers and
manufacturers. There is more money
and there are more buyers of manufac-
tured articles. The effect can be traced
to the lowest workman in the factories
He has work and plenty Of 1t and pros
perity to his employer means better
wages to himself
| Agricultural products, aside from ami.
| mails constitute II 80 per cent. of the tota
tonnage on the railroads, according to a
report of the interstate commerce COM
mission. which analysed data for the
| llSCal year enueu June ~, 1881. On many
roads. notably those in the middle West
and the Northwest, grain carrying Is a
much greater factor In railroad earnings
| than appears in the countrywide figures
of the commission. The greater the
crop the greater Is the return to the roads
and the reflection Is seen in the annual
statements and In dividends to share.
holders. Moreover. the greater the cror
| the greater Is the demand for cars and
consequently the call goes out for euuip.
ment to car builders and locomotive
builders.
PROSPERITY BASED ON CROPS.
| the prosperity of the country for better o,
worse than any other branch of pro-
duction Manufactures wait upon pros
perity for the manufacturers do mo-
make things unless they can be sold
| In less degree the same rule holds In the
products of mines. Iron ore Is not due
unless steel is in demand. Coal Is pro
vided as It is required Lumber is cut as
building needs 1t. Animals are bred fol
food as demand calls for them Mer
chants stock their stores only with thing.
that they can sell.
| But in agriculture and especially IL
the growing of grain, the fortuitous con
dition Of weather prevails. and wher
the crop turns out big new capital Is pro
vided from farmer or consumer for tn,
encouragement of the other industries.