The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-14
More Wheat Now Being Sold
and Notes Paid.
Visible Supply of Wheat Cut by
5O,OOO,OO0 Bushels.
KANSANS HOLD MOST GRAIN
Return to Normally Depends
Entirely Upon Farmer.
No Production Cut For 1921
Indicated in Acreage.

Chicago, Jan. 14-Strike of farmers
against marketing wheat in an effort
to force higher prices is starting to
break. in view of rinanciers, grain
dealers. and others in touch with the
situation.
The real magnitude of the strike
was brought home to grain dealers
today with announcement by the Chi
cago board of trade statisticians that
50.000.000 bushels less of wheat
passed thru Chicago in 1920, conn
pared with the year previous.
Cut Marketing so Per Cent.
In 1919, the figures showed 1887
600 bushels passed thru Chicago cham
nels, while in the year just ended
only 2s.997.000 bushels were handled
The visible supply" of wheat on JAM
uary 1. 1921. was 43.O63,0OO bushels.
compared with 75.363.000 bushels
year ago. The visible supply is the
amount actually held in the great mar
ket centers and shows that the farm
ers' strike had decreased marketing
nearly SO per cent.
The widespread effects of the strike.
blamed as being largely responsible
general industrial depression. were ex-
planned by David r. Forgan, president
of the National City bank.
Caused Tight Money.
Farmers borrowed millions of dol
lars from their bankers a year ago tn
Ilnance this years crop. When prices
Ieii ana they refused to sell, they were
uhapie TO repay their loans or paw
other debts and bankers ran short OF
money. Funds. which would have
peen used in developing and Carving
on On otner business, We're held by the
.arHefs- causing tight money" until
the farmers began to liquidate.
All Depends on Farmer.
The whole order of events Was
mated when the farmers refused to
sell Forgan stated. 'Agriculture Is
the fundamental, basic industry-or,e-
hair OF the people of the country de-
pend on it for living
BEFORE business can become nor
mai. the farmer must do three tbinpz
he must sell: he must paw what he
owes his banker. and his other debts.
ana then he must buy. Liquidation
pegins with hirn and passes upward
along the line"
Forgan said the movement of wheat
was starting. 1T is slow but the ten
dency is unmistakable," he said.
Viewing the situation generally.
think the worst is over"
No further large drops in prices
We're anticipated as result of the
marketing of large quantities of grain.
Collections Improving.
Officials of the International Har-
vester company, also in close touch
with the crop situation, said that an
increased flow of grain to the central
market had been noticed since the
first of the year. Collections among
farmers have shown slight improves
ment. they said.
THE farmer is doing the right thing
by marketing only such produce as Is
necessary for him to live" said j. +.
Jones. manager of the sales depart
ment of the Harvester company. In
doing SO he is stabilizing the market,
which would be much lower if he
his grain.
because of the wide disparity in
price between what he sells and what
he must buy. the farmer is holding his
grain. This disparity will gradually
clear away"
Is Heaviest In Kansas.
B. w. Snow. of Bartlett Frazier COM
pany. large grain dealers. said that the
strike was felt heaviest in Kansas and
In other sections of the
country. he said, the crop was now
being marketed nearly normally
The large decrease in the amount OF
grain handled thru Chicago last year
was due. at least in part, he believed.
to the fact that shippers are sending
grain to ether markets, especially Gall
weston. He said the farmers rushed TO
market with their crop in 1919 be-
cause the government had guaranteed
the price. while this year the markets
ing is more gradual.
That the lower prices probably VIII
not result in a cut in production OF
wheat this year is shown by the gov
figures on the acreage of win
ter wheat. The government reports
showed 37,773.000 producing acres In
1920, while the estimate of winter
wheat now planted is 40,605,0o0. IL
was pointed out by government ex-
perts that this will be reduced later.
however. by some being killed during
the winter.
Ex-U. S. Commissioner Slain.