The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1922-02-09
AGRICULTURAL REPORT LINKS FARM PRICES WITH
DOMESTIC PROSPERITY

DOMESTIC PROSPERITY
No who has been reading the columns of the public
for the last 80 days doubt that there tremendous
drive organized for the purpose of convincing the farming
terests OF the United States that their prosperity depends
European markets.
In view of this drive especially that the pub
lie has been given Part One of the exhaustive report of the
joint congressional committee agricultural inquiry.
In discussing the of the decline prices of farm
ducts into which the report exhaustvey presenting
tables which back to $780, the following facts set forth
st The decline in prices of agricultural products in the
1920 and 1921 not due to overpoducon the
of those relatively greater proportion
to the population of the United States than they had been
many preceding years.
End The period of decline in prices of certain products such
as butter cheese etc., concded with the period of the great
est imports of dairy products.
3rd The prices of all kinds Of products vary
direct ratio to the domestic consumption of those products
Domestic consumption in turn depends almost wholly and d
rectly upon industrial employment.
This emphasized various places in the report and s
clearly demonstrated by the tables which the report
Speaking of the relation of prices to the domestic conump
OF wheat: 1T is notable in this connection that per capita
consumption of wheat has shown marked tendency to
in periods of industrial DEPRESSION Farther
the same paragraph the report The table nd
cate that domestic consumption probably the largest factor
In determining the price In general number of
TONS the price of wheat decreased in years of low CON
sumption and increased in periods of high consumption
The table referred to- accompanying the report shows that
the domestic per capita consumption of wheat lower
1920 than in since 1900 being only 46 bushels
Tor 1871 are not presented in the report but from
data issued by the various agencies known
the per capita consumption OF wheat 1921 ii anything
less than in 1920)
Continuing to quote the reports conclusions regarding
price of wheat:
perhaps most notable fact shown by this table is the
tremendous drop the price of wheat during 1920 notwt
standing an increase in exports probable that this
drop can be attributed almost wholly to the falling off of
estc consumption and the beginning and continuance
dustral depression"
Upon the subject of the price and consumption beef the
report says:
Consumption of beef bears very close to urban
or unemployment and declines rapidly in periods
of industrial depression
The report also shows the cotton bears very direct
relation to the relative consumption per 1000 inhabitants
The report does not attempt in any way draw any part
san conclusions 1t simply presents the tables summar
ICES what the tables indicate But opportune that
report of such official and unmpeachab character should
be issued at time when there tremendously financed and
well organized campaign to persuade the farmer his
terests dependent European markets. when in point
of fact the shows his and prosperity de-
pend directly upon American markets and the prices of his
products vary according to the decree of prosperity which
Americas industrial interests with their millions of wormen
enojy