The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-10-31

S;an...,t R. McKe1vie, governor of Nebraska, writes a letter to The are good, but that prices of farm products are too low Nevertheless he predicts prosperity.
 The Times,
 Bridgeport, Conn.
 Gentlemen:
 In a general letter that was issued from this office last July, a review in Nebraska at that time. Aa favor able report was then made of the prospect for crop yields.
 For your further information, I am Crop Reporter for the month of Oc- tober From this you will see the yield of wheat in the State Is reported at fifty-five and one half million bush els, and the yield of corn is approxi- mately two hundred seventeen and one half million bushels. Both of these yields are larger than the ten year average, but they are slightly lower than for the year 1920.
 At this writing more than one-half of the wheat crop has been sold. The larger portion of this marketing was done in August, immediately fol- report that received from the banks throughout the State in August, the marketing of the wheat crop resulted Z in a reduction of about ten per cent m farmers Ob41SdIlOIlS, anu d lSIt PSA cent. increase in deposits. Generally, it eased up money matters throughout the wheat-belt of the state and the banks there are in a somewhat bet ter condition now than in the strict ly corn growing and livestock area.
 There Is a good deal of last years corn still on the farm. This, in addl- ton to the present crop, will repre- sent the largest amount of corn that Nebraska farmers have ever had on hand during single crop period. The price for corn is so unfavorable that it will not move very rapidly and conse- uuently will not contribute a very great deal to immediate business im- provement. Ultimately a great deal of the corn crop will be marketed through livestock at prices that will undoubtedly be profitable to the far mer. Returns from this source should Nbegin to be reflected within the next sixty days and will continue to in crease gradually during the succeeding six months period. It is from this quarter that we may now expect the most substantial relief for farmers.
 No one can foreten the price that will finally prevail for the present corn crop If freight rates should be re- duced to pre-war level, that would add about five cents per bushe1 to the farm price of corn in this State. This, however, would not be sufficient to encourage a general movement of this crop. Market prognosticators seem to think that the price will be consid- erably increased, and that before an other crop is grown a price will have been attained that will encourage a general marketing of the crop. Mean while, the farmer feels great deal better to have this large crop on hand even with low prices prevail ing than to have nothing to sell when prices are high.
 The condition of banks through out the State is better than it has been at any other time during the present inn nrnhah1a that there will be any failures of an important : nature and the credit relief that prom ises to come into the State through the War Finance Corporation and other sources will undoubtedly enable the weaker ones to regain a position of comparative strength and sound . ness.
 So far as general business condi- . tions throughout the State are con- cerned, it would be fallacious to say that anything like normal has been attained. Prevailing prices of certain staple farm products are the lowest that they have been in twenty-five years. With large yields even these low prices would not be so bad were it not for the comparatively high level of prices that prevails in other quart CTS Excessive freight rates high wag- es high interest rates, high retail prices, and high taxes all fall with great force upon the farmer, and until fhis condition has been changed thrugh an equalization of values, nc hope should be entertained of a gen. eraI business revival.
 One needs only take look at Bu1. letin No. 999 of the U. S. Depart ment of Agriculture to know what is the matter with business throughout inc country at the present time. quote the following paragraph there from:
 'Conpared with a five year
 average before the war as 100,
 the purchasing power of farm
 products at prices paid to far
 mers in June, 1921 were as fol-
 lows: Corn s1, oats 60. barley 53
 wheat ss, rye to1, buckwheat