The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-27

interested and especially when Mr..
Hoover's statement was to the effect
that the price of wheat was to rbe
lowered in order to maintain the
present schedule of wages. We were
willing as we always have been to
accept the price made by supply and
demand but Mr.. Hoover's statement
demoralized our market, for many
elevator men will not purchase our
wheat at all on account Of the great
hazard by the possibility OF an
arbitrary price being too low and
others who are willing to buy insist
on a margin OF from so to IS cents
between the price at loading sta
ton and the terminal, which OF
course would entail a loss OF many
millions OF dollars to the farmer.
Increased Acreage.
'Tn response to the request Of our
government and special efforts by
the president of our agricultural col
lego, the farmers were induced to In
crease their acreage one million two
hundred thousand acres over 1916
thereby utilizing the land they had
intended TO use for summer fallow.
Much Of the flax produced in the
United States Is raised in North
Dakota. Many farmers in the west
ern part of the state planted their
flax ground to wheat on account OF
the above request. The result Is,
what flax they did plant is a fair
crop but the wheat in this locality
is very poor and fax is now $S.46
bushel for delivery in September,
October and November. Consequent
ly they are disappointed for they
planted this wheat and cultivated
their ground at a greater expense on
account of the high price of seed,
extra horses, machinery, labor, board,
Irvine and threshing, which we be-
lieve is fair proof OF their desire to
be patriotic.
eThe wheat crop of these United
States, according to the government
report is 658,00O,000 bushels. About
one-third of the same is raised in
the northern fringe wheat belt. Much
OF the wheat in the winter wheat
belt having been marketed at a high
price leaves practically only the
spring wheat to be affected by an
arbitrary price so far as the 1917
crop Is concerned. In view of the
fact that the United States raised
nearly double as much oats and
practically five times as much corn
as wheat and the further fact that
corn, pork. beef, and practically all
foodstuff as well as fuel have In
creased in value proportionately
more than wheat, and the further
fact that one dollars worth of wheat
has more nutriment value than one
dollars worth of any other food
product and further that II takes
only about three or three and one
half cents per capita per day for
bread, with wheat at three dollars
per bushel 1t seems to our commit
tee that you should fix the price at
least as high as the price determin-
ed by supply and demand the day
Mr.. Hoover made his statement.
Will Feed Wheat.
eff Mr.. Hoover is correct in his
that there is a shortage
of 10000 bushels of wheat to
furnish bread and seed for the al
lies, supply and demand. we believe,
would make the price of wheat five
dollars per bushel before Jan. l. 1t
will be three months before corn is
fit to seed. With corn at the present
high price much wheat is bound to
be fed unless the price is kept up for
the agricultural department claims
that twenty pounds of corn Is only
equal to IL pounds of wheat as food
for stock and poultry. We assure the
of the loyalty Of North
Dakota people and we will furnish
our share of the products, funds and |
men to carry the present war to |
but request in return fair |
and equitable treatment. The wheat |
grower has not made his money |
raising wheat. The prosperous farm |
ers in our section have made a large |
- thniT ont nf fhA /
rise in value of land. The hazard is |
greater than in any other line of |
business. Hail, frost, Hot winds, |
drought, rain, rust, chinch bugs, |
made 1t so. The farmer |
and his wife put in more hours than |
any other class of labor and receive |
less wages per hour than any other
class.
Means Less Production.
IF you lower the price 1t means |
ess production and greater consump- |
ion. Wheat is worth five cents per |
pound for feed to produce pork, |
poultry and eggs. and much of 1t will !
De used for that purpose If you /
should lower the price, for it is ma
ural for farmers to seize the cheaper /
product. When Canada comman-
leered they placed price three cents
demand. The commission men and
nillers will not suffer as their COM
has been raised from 100 to
100 per cent and Is now in effect and
We trust you will not discriminate or
DC unfair to the farmer who has only |
he one crop, spring wheat to sell.
IF the price of corn, oats, pork,
peef, poultry and other food already |
established by supply and demand
lad been reduced by an arbitrary
Price during the marketing season of
GIT and you should now reduce the |
rice of our wheat proportionally we
would not complain, even though
statistics show that
wheat is the only crop that is mater
ally short, and the nutriment value
4 81 worth Of wheat is greater than
hat Of 81 worth of other food COM
nodities. -.-
I'VE. herewith submit schedule Of
ost OF production which is compar" |
ID with government estimates when
'ou consider the extra high cost OF
eed, labor, machinery, etc., for this
ear will be quite favorable.
I'VE suggest and urge that the
anne be examined by experts famil-
ar with spring wheat growing dur
ng 1917.
,ENAToR NELSON MAKES
FIGHT ON SENAT FLOOR.
Sen. Knute Nelson, of Minnesota,
Who wired his constituents several
lays ago that he would do every
hing in his power to secure a fair
rice for northwest wheat, made a
ght on the senate floor Saturday, in
Import of the declaration hat a price
# SO a bushel would be fair.
Senator Nelson referred to an ad-
ress made by Gov. Lynn j. Frazier
t Grand Forks in which the govern
r spoke of the success of the Nom
artisan league, and said that Ii Was
Minnesota. Wisconsin. Iowa. South
dakota, Kansas and Nebraska, and
when the time came the spectators
n the grain exchanges and such in
titutions as the Minneapolis Cham
BUSINESS.