The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-12-29
BETTER BUSINESS HINGES ON
BETTER PRICES FOR FARMERS
BY Archer Wall Douglas

- DodRfd
Chairman Committee on Statistics
Unites States Chamber of Commerce
The story of business conditions
which from the four corners
of the United States is that of con
tinuing stagnant markets for all farm
commodities, coupled with prices be-
low the cost of production.
The situation differs as to locali-
ties in degree rather than in kind.
Farmers are buying only things of
immediate and pressing necessity, for
the very good reason that most of
them have neither ready money nor
credit. They are in an economizing
mood that has taken grim hold upon
them. Country banks are loaned up
all they think is safe, and the state
ment from many observers is that
getting money from banks for any
purpose is impossible"
Business is quiet in the spring
wheat states, especially where the
harvest was poor, or where the quail
of the wheat was not good. Much
the same situation prevails where
corn is the principal money crop,
and where it's price is so low that
it is tragic in it's effect on business
and on the needs of the farmer.
The price is now far below what it
was during its high period in war
These conditions account for
poor business in the spring wheat
of the northwest and the corn
sections of the middle west.
Sell Only Because of Necessity
One reason for the lack of better
demand for corn is the enormous
crop of this cereal produced this
by the south, more than enough
its own needs, when in the past
t drew upon the surplus corn states
'or much of its wants.
Livestock, wheat and oats are only
trife higher proportionately than
:orn and consequently there is no
reason, save necessity, to
them. That is about the only
eason that agricultural commodities
re coming to market in such vol
as now prevails. The farmer
must have money to make some pur-
bases, since credit is difficult for
i'm to obtain. But the scanty re-
urn he receives for his products Of
ers no inducement for him to sell,
consequently business. upon the
countryside continues in moderate /
olume, although it is really larger
han would seem likely under pre-
conditions.
Matters are somewhat better in
southern states although the re-
emit decline in cotton put a crimp
| that general buying that had got
ell under way. This buying was
lso affected by the revelation that
n official estimate of this years pro-
uction of cotton was apparently
ide of the mark.
Minor Causes That Relieve
AS always, there are many minor
auses that relieve. and alleviate the
ringency in the agricultural situa-
on. There is the dairy COW and the
oultry bird whose products furnish
UGH money to the farmer on the
hole. There are fruits in the north
estern mountain and desert states
Id in California. There is garden
uck in the gulf states and the Pa
fc slope. There are many minor
ops, rice, beans, cranberries and
,eet potatoes. There is tobacco,
here it is selling, as in North Caro-
la and Virginia. But where it is
'oled, as in Kentucky and Tennes-
e, there is a deadlock between the
lyers and sellers, with nothing do
G and consequently stagnant BUSH
There is the oil business in
any states, ~undeniably on the up
AIDE both a5 to production and as
prices, although prospecting and