The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-05-22

know OF the upply OF any crop and
a high price to the producer could
always be maintained. This is only
one of his business delusions, born
largely of ignorance and indiffer-
ance to business methods, for he
should know that the speculator.
manufacturer or business man is fol-
lowing a particular line of business
and it is a rare thing to find him
deceived at any time as to the actu-
al or prospective supply of any crop.
The only other man who objects to
government reports is the interest
ed speculator, who opposes them be-
cause he believes that the crop re-
ports are made entirely for the ben
ieft of the farmer and he realizes
that they contain the most reliable
information as to condition and
production of the speculative crops,
and that the light of truth in re-
gard to same prevents him from
spreading false reports in order to
bull OF bear the market and there
by make his profits from the unsus-
pecting and ignorant. 1t may be true
that the speculator does take advn-
tage of the crop report at times in
his buying or selling Of futures. but
if he is enabled thereby to buy or
sell at profit is it an advantage
gained by his wiser use of these
statistics and not an advantage in
hcrent in the crop report itself.
A knowledge of agricultural sta
tistics or familiarity with govern
the public prevents interested specu-
lators from magnifying or minimiz-
ment crop reports on the part OF
ing the actual or prospective supply
of any crop and the relation there
of to a known demand whereby they
are able to successfully raise or low
er prices for their own benefit with
| a resulting loss to the producing
and consuming public. This is usual
ly done by issuing inaccurate, mis-
leading or unreliable reports as to
supplying condition or prospective
yield of some particular crop. The
farmer, Of course, is the greater
sufferer for the reason that he is
not so we'll organized as men in
other lines of business and cannot,
therefore, take advantage Of sudden
fluctuations in market prices. On
the other hand, the farmer may be
materially benefited by having de-
pendable and reliable data pertain
ing to crop conditions and crop
yields made public, such as are furn-
ished by the United States Govern
ment. He is benefited directly by
being kept informed as to the acre
age, condition and prospective yields
as we'll as prices of various crops
outside of his immediate locality,
enabling him to know when to buy
or sell to the best advantage. He
is indirectly benefited because the
disinterested reports Of the govern
ment prevent the circulation of false
and misleading reports by specula-
tors who are only interested in ma
nipulating prices to their advantage
alone.
Government crop reports are
further advantage to farmers in
that a knowledge of crop prospects
enables large manufacturing firms
and agricultural implement dealers
to distribute their wares more eco
nomically, sending larger quantity
of articles to sections where crops
are good and the demand large and
lesser quantity where crops are
poor and the demand limited. Rail-
road companies are enabled to furT-
ish and distribute cars in way to
meet the demands for transporta-
ton of crops when a delay or con-
gestion in transportation facilities
would mean severe loss to the
producer. 1t is difficult to estimate:
just how much is saved by an even
distribution of manufactured arh-
cles according to crop prospects, for
if manufacturers can avoid heavy
losses from improper distribution
they can afford to sell on better
terms with a resulting benefit to-
the farmer.
Large corporations, firms and
spectators procure information as
to crop prospects through their bus
mess associates and private crop re-
porting agencies, many of which
are maintained at a heavy expense
Of course, they study and rely to a
large extent upon government re-