The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-08-08
Farmers are Not Doing So Bad
Financially After
All.
TO TEST UTILITIES LAW
Bannock County Case Will Bring
Utilities Commission Before Court
-Owyhee Sneepmen in Trouble
with BasQues-Ihere is Still an
Open Season for Ducks,

A man with patience and a mathe.
NAUTICAL turn OF mind can prove any.
thing under the sun by averages, per.
centages and statistics, and 1t is done
every day. We have seen political
economists OF the small beer order
prove time and time again that 70 men
own anywhere from - to wv per cent
OF the wealth OF the country. others
snow from time to time that the tim
Der OF the Country Will be exhausted
IN " or oO years and the coal in tel.
years more. others show that within
~ years the American people Will
De living on stewed prunes ana grass
hoppers.
Inns game OF figuring present condl-
lions or ultimate results by data and
statistics, incorrect and poorly under
stood, may be interesting but is OF
little pracucal value. one or the
greatest OHenders along this line Is
the United States department OF Ag-
rIculture. 1t is poor day when the
department cannot Inquire out Dau
conultlon existing or DIRE disaster
pending. And, on the other hand, 1t
Is equally a poor day when the De-
partment cannot give Us the data tor
innumerable blessings enjoyed and
heavenly state apparent. 1t Is lar
and impartial II notning else.
Lately the Department has taken
occasion to deplore the condition OF
the farmers OF the country by reason
OF the tact that STATISTICS snow that
the average income OF the American
farmer Is only $o4u.UU per year 1t Is
admitted that Individual farmers have
a larger income. Probably a few o.
them could be called by name. But
after providing TODD tor the family,
wages tor the hired man and taxes
tor the state the farmer has only
per cent on his investment. Granting
the hgures to be correct there is no
occasion tor a dirge. "A great many
OF US have an income OF less than
$o4O.UO and no per cent on our IN
yestment, neither Is our board bill de-
Quoted from the whole wage. But 1t
$o4V.VU per year is the average income
OF the American farmer his income is
much greater IN the progressive and
fortunate sections OF the country. In
the South there are hundreds OF
thousands OF farmers whose cash in
come Is less than third OF the aver
age OF the country over. The white
trash" and negroes of many southern
states are certainly in bad condition.
They depress the average for the
country. The real American Tar
mer's income is not to be reckoned
by averaging all the farmers. Mis-
fortune on the one hand and Incidence
on the other are accountable for the
average of American farmers. In our
own state of Idaho where agriculture
has reached high state OF develop
ment and crops never fail, we venture
the assertion that the average income
OF farmers, above wages, taxes and
food, is less than $o4U.UU per year, but
what does that signiIyf Here We are
wrestling with the desert and a will
derness. In a few years those who
hold on will have a competency sole
ly through the increased value OF the
land. This increased value is
not fictitious. 1t is real and tangible.
Results are at hand to prove it. AT
present the average farmer in Idaho
has not a third OF his land in crop.
The cultivation has not reached a
high state Of intensity. 1t is getting
better year by year. Another decade
will see the Idaho farmer the most
prosperous in the country and the
American farmer the most prosperous
man in the world. Most OF us could
live on his prospects alone.