Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-03-20
IMMENSE CROPS
BASIS OF BUSINESS
Prosperity of Farmer Shown by
Influence on the Auto
mobile Trade
BY w. w. Ramsey
General Sales Manager ]. 1. Case, T
NJ. Company


General Sales Manager ]. I. Case, T.
NJ. Company
With the Nneat crop of 1914 reach
ing the magnificent total of S91, ,000,-
900 bushels and the corn crop passing
again on the two and one half billion
bushel figures, and market exceed
ing the demand of all former years,
the prospects for the 1916 trade in
America are brighter than for a de-
cade.
The tremendous European up
heaval may Jar the balance of the old
world for time but prosperity here
is bound to reign throughout the year.
Already the districts surrounded by
the great grain fields of the west have
begun to exert an influence on the au-
tomobile trade that will restore much
of the confidence that disappeared
last summer. Then the mania for
restrictive legislation that seemed to
grasp parts of the country, has almost
wholly disappeared and on top OF this
has come the favorable action of the
Interstate Commerce Commission for
higher freight rates.
No institution in America engaged
in the manufacture of automobiles is
in closer touch with the farmer than
the j. 1. Case T. NJ. Company and we
find that in addition to the magnifi-
cient grain field, the economic posi-
ton of the farmer is most favorable
to take advantage of the demand and
the high prices produced by the or
ders from abroad.
It is not an unusual condition to
find farmers holding most of their
1914 crops for even higher prices than
are now offered in the markets of the
N2rn RI 1i.yn Iaf aF~fp
must feed a great many more people
this coming year than ever before in
her long and prosperous history and
While heretofore he has received q
good price for his crops he is now in
position to borrow more money than
ever on his grain and consequently
can hold it longer before selling it.
There was a time when the farmer
seldom travelled a great distance or
received any information of affairs
throughout the world except what
was brought by hearsay or he learned
second handed through his weekly
paper. But the inception of the au-
tomobile and its great popularity has
changed conditions so that not only
the parcel post has been added to the
many advantages but the farmer can
travel long way to-day and become
more enlightened on economic condi-
tions than was dreamed of in the past.
Basing his action on the exports of
grain in 1914 compared with 1913,
the farmer to-day looks forward to
1915 as year when he can have
new automobile and all the other
things that he heretofore thought
entirely out of his reach. The total
value of the grain shipped out of the
country in 1914 was S340S41. 900
against s290,s53,O0O in 1913. In 1915
it is believed that the total gross in
no n-f If
reach the S5OO,000,00O figure and
when the farmer reaches the benefit
from this great trade the whole coun-
try will be immensely benefited.
The present market for automobiles
has held its own in the cities and
towns but in the rural districts the
demand has greatly increased.
With the farmer satisfied and opti-
mistic and the iron and steel indus
try recuperating from it's 1913-14 at
tack of paralysis and the railroads
dissipating the undercurrent of hesiI
tation, which marked their activities
in 1914, the general conditions look
mighty favorable for 1915.