The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-04-17
THE FARMERS AVERAGE INCOME

The department Of agriculture has just issued
figures on the average income Of the American
farmer that ought to stimulate the political and
economic organization of the farmers as nothing
else has done. $
According to this report, the average income
of the American farmer during the four years
Of the war when farm products sold at an un-
usually high price and when at the same time
the farmers expenditures were unusually high,
was $1,210. This is compared with $64O, the
average income of the farmer the year before
the war when the prices of farm products were
low and the farmers expenses were compare
lively light.
This means that in 1913 and probably for the
years proceeding this when conditions were nor
NAL the farmer realized only an average Of $64O
a year after paying all ordinary farming ex-
penses, such as money paid out for labor, seeds,
on machinery, etc. He had this $64O out of
which to pay his living, family expenses, inter-
the farmer had any of that $640 left after pay
ing these personal, family and interest on mon
ey expenses he might bank that much.
The figures furnished by the department of
agriculture also mean that the farmer Jared
much better during the war period Of hlgh
prices, so far as the realization of a net income
was concerned, although his expenditures for
farming were much higher. In fact, he realized
a net income over farming expenses nearly twice
as great as during the period of low prices.
But the department of agriculture does not
tell how much of this $1,210 the average farm
err was able to save in view of the higher per-
sonal and family expenses. These expenses for
clothing, groceries, etc., were probably twice
what they were before the war and no doubt
they made a great hole in the $1,21O. -
The big fact revealed by these figures it that
the average farmers income is so low in spite
of the fact that the average farm investment is
over $4,000 and the farmer works the hardest
z-1 L. ---.~L 1-..~ e ---. IL I..s
try. Another item that is not included in the de-
partment figures is the help that the farmer
gets from the membres of his family, but does
not pay cash for. It is this help combined with
his own that earns the $64O a year during nor
NAL times and $1,210 a year during times of
high prices, according to figures issued some
time ago by the agricultural department. TAX
doubt but that the farmer realizes the lowest
investment of any investor in the United States
who stays in business and the lowest wage of
of any worker who is able to keep out Of the
bread line and the Jail.
If the average farmer realized 10 percent
interest on his investment and the average wage
for himself and his family help that the lowest
wage laborer in the United States gets, say 81
a day for himself and 81 a day for the members
of the family when worked in the field, he would
then realize as much during normal times as he
has been realizing during the high priced war
period. 49,
But this is not a fair return. The farmer is
entitled to at least the average product of the
country. This average product has been shown
to be $2,640 a year by Basil Manly the econo-
mist. The average farmer can get this only by
organizing politically and industrialy for the
public control Of markets and prices, and now
that we will slowly be getting back to normal
prices and the $64O income, this is the time for
the farmers to get together Grand Forks
American.