The Farmington times., 1921-07-22
FARM PROFITS ARE
COMING BACK

1t is a law of. nature that action is
equal to reaction in the opposite di
rection. For instance, pendulum al
ways swings almost as far one way as
it went in the opposite direction on
the preceding swing. A slight tap
when it starts back may send it far
ther than it went on the up stroke.
Business has its ups and downs as
does the pendulum. In many respects
business expansions and depressions
are almost as regular as is the ticking
of the clock. When business reaches
the peak of its climb we can always
rest assured that there will be a de-
cline at least nearly as far. The
world war really served as a vigorous
push rather than light tap on the
business pendulum of the world and
sent it up and up almost to its zenith,
in fact, many feared the force of the
impact would cause it to dash from
the beaten path and crash to destruc-
ton. But the upward swing stopped
before the break and for tie last year
and a half we have been witnessing
the backward swing.
Many facts indicate that it is now
about time for the business pendulum
of the United States to return in the
direction of business recovery. And
in The revival of business which is
sure to occur, we anticipate that
farming will be one of the first lines
of business to be benefited.
There are several reasons why the
farmer now should ta'-e an optimistic
view of his business situation. The
wheat carry-over from this season has
been the smallest in years. The latest
information indicates that the 1921
crop is no larger than the 1920 crop.
Stocks of wheat at terminals and in
country elevators are reported to be
more than so per cent lower than a
year ago. The visible supply is the
smallest in eighteen years.
The supply Of flour in tie hands of
merchants as well as consumers is
very low. There was 20 per cent less
flower manufactured during the year
ending June 1st than during the pre-
ceding year.
Of vital interest to farmers is the
fact that there is a decided shortage
in livestock. If per capital consump-
ton of meat and meat products were
suddenly to return to normal, the de-
mand for meat would be far greater
than the supply.
During the first five months of 1921
there were 7.716 business failures in
the United States as compared with
2,678 for the corresponding period of
1920. An expert statistician esti-
mates that at present there are about
three million persons ordinarily en-
ployed in industries in the United
States out of employment. 1t has
been demonstrated that the family of
man who has employment consumes
three times as much of the things peo-
pie eat, wear and use, as it does when
the head of the family is out of en-
ployment. Latest information indi-
Gates that the number of unemployed
has probably reached the maximum
and that unemployment is now on the
decline.
One can readily see that as workers
in textile mills. shoe factories, auto
mobile factories. furniture factories,
ETC., are resuming employment, their
requirements will be proportionately
increased. Certainly this means
greater demand and better prices for
all the things which are produced by
farmers. Lack of employment can
not be improved until utilization of
products is resumed.
Add to all this the determination of
the farmers of this country to take q
hand in the marketing of their own
products, which most assuredly viii
result in farmers getting better pric-
es or at least getting larger per-
centage Of the final selling price of