Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-10-28
SOUTH WAS NEVER
 MORE PROSPEROUS
 THAN AT PRESENT
Value of Crops This eYar Will Exceed Six Bill
 lion Dollars

1 HUI OOlldIS
 AS near as can now be estimated
 the total value of the South's agri-
 cultural output this year will be
 largely over s6,ooo, 1000, or gain
 of over S1 S1,450,000,00O over last year
 The magnitude of this amazino
 agricultural wealth can be better un7
 derstood when it is borne in mind that
 the total value of the agricultural ont- put of the United States in 1900 wac
 $5,OOO, 100000. Thus the South this
 year will produce in it's agricultnral I interests about $1,000,OOO 900 more then the entire country produced IF years ago.
 The value of the South's cotton crop of 1916, including seed, was S1,357.- S3l, ,OOO,. as reported by the United States department of agriculture. The total value of the cotton crop, in- c!udlng seed, for 1917, as reported by the New Orleans Cotton exchange. was $l, ,413, 100000. It is difficult to make an estimate which will be conserva lively safe as to the value of this years crop, in view of the uncertainty as to the yield and the wide fluctua- tons which have recently taken place, without at the same time minimizing the great possibilities in the value of this crop. It is, we think, entirely safe to estimate the value of this years crop of cotton and seed at $1,7O0,O0O,- 900, with the chance of the value , largely exceeding this, and if cotton should command the prices demanded as a minimum by the growers the to- tai would exceed S2,G0O,0O0,0O0. Grain Crop Enormous.
 The total grain crop of the South is nearly 1.6O0,000,000 bushels, which will probably exceed in value S2,350,- 100000.
 The potato crop, sweet and white potatoes, will figure up between $780, 00O.000 and $20O,OO0,OOO.
 The hay and tobacco crop can safe ly be estimated at between $450,000,- 900 and $500,000,000, but even. this would be small increase only over last years value of hay and tobacco.
 The total value of the Livestock pro- ducts of the South two years ago was over $1 1000, 100000, and with the high prices prevailing this amount may be exceeded by 20 to 25 per cent.
 This section is shipping to the North and West of potatoes, vegetables and fruits, oysters, fish and other food products over $2O0,O00,0OO, and the total value of such diversified agri- culture as fruits and vegetables, etc., including these shipments to the North, will this year be at least $650,- DOC, 1000. ...
 Thus the grand total of the south's agricultural output for 1917 will con- siderably exceed $6.000,000,000 and may easily run several hundred million dollars above that figure.
 It is true that the increased cost of everything which enters into farming has added largely to the cost of rais- ing these crops. but the margin of profit is still sufficiently great to bring to this section enormous wealth.
 Last years cotton crop, selling at over $1, 400, ,0OO,0OO, following crop of the preceding year valued at $1,- 357 7,OOO.OOO, has put the cotton grow ing interests of the South in strong CT financial position than in the last 60 years, and added to this unusual condition is the fact that the South has increased its corn production by about 30O,O00,OO0 bushels over 1916, or about one-half of the total increase of corn in the United States.
 These figures, of course, are based to some extent on the forecast of the department of agriculture for August and September and there will be slight variations when the total yields are finally reported at the nd of the year. The difference, however, will not be sufficiently great to make any marked change in the broad survey of the situation.
 Outside of considerable portion of Texas. which has suffered seriously from drought, and some limited areas in the Southwest, the South has been of it's crops and in the prices which thev are bringing. This abounding nrosperity of the agricultural inter- : ests of the South will spread into ev. cry avenue of industry and trade, Will quicken the whole business life of the South and result in an accumulation of an immense amount of surplus wealth available for future develop ment.
 All lnQuStTlCS AM1VC. Coincident with this agricultural ac, tivity and prosperity is the industrial and railroad prosperity of the South. Every mining enterprise, every fur- mace. every steel plant, and practl- callv every cotton mill in this section is croweded to xhe limit of it's capac- itv and the ability to secure labor, while the lumber interests are having an increased call for their output and shipbuilding running far into the nun nun dreds of millions of dollars, IS unoer
 way. ,.... d.. co,,+h