The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-12-15

VI uepenulnS on one crop ike wheat.
Which Is always speculative and
nazal dous. IL enables him to practice
! diversified farming with a systemat-
ic rotation of several crops which
is the only safe and efficient form OF
agriculture in the. long run, and
under the present economic condi
tions OF the entire nation playing
safe" is the best method.
II is well known that the contin-
ued growing OF a grain crop takes
from the soil its native fertility and
puts nothing back in return. Every
bushel of wheat that leaves the farm
not only is met with speculative and
uncertain market from cash stand
point but it carries with II some of
the plant food from the soil just as
surely as If the earth were shoveled
into the sea, thus reducing the re-
sources OF the county from which il
is shipped. Blue Earth county while
producing some wheat is not ma
terially. affected by this. On the
other hand, diversified farming re-
stores these elements and maintains
soil fertility.
Ready Cash Available
Again the financial status of the
county is kept on an even KEEP
because the Blue Earth county dairy
farmer, does not have TO wait until
fall for his money. His milk is a
cash crop for which he receives a
settlement from the cream station
or the creamery at least once a
month or oftener. Other sections
OF the agricultural sections OF the
wG-. where the wheat crop is de-
penued on in the main the farmer
sells the bulk OF his crop during
; three or four months and has little
income during the rest of the year.
1 his causes merchants to carry long
time accounts, and the banks to
loan more money, thus curtailing
credits while in Blue Earth county
the money which is available Tor
| speculation is Used in the main in
/ extension OF the industry and not in
| financing the crop from year to
year The dairy cow begins produc-
I ton the very day she is bought, anu
| her owner has something to sell at
once. This enables him to buy goods
for cash or to pay his bills promptly
every month. He does not have to
! DO carried by merchants or the
! banks Tor long peliods of time. This
/ enriches the whole community by
keeping It's working capital fluid
and preventing frozen" credits.
Generany over the west, which in
the past has been generally con-
sidered haId~ hit, the only places
where credits have been extended
I; liberal way has been in the towns
and counties which are classed as
dairy districts. Here the capitalist
knows that the farmer has regu-
lar and steady income in cash, re-
CARELESS whether crops fail or sue
coed, or cattle prices rise or fall.
His check from the creamery comes
in regularly and he can meet his OBJ
legations every month like a bust
ness man. He does not have to
wait for a oney harvest. Blue
Earth county is classed with these
districts where money is compare
4 lively easy and where the mer-
chants and farmers alike have sub
stantial balances to their credit.
An Improved Sentiment
/ In Southern Minnesota an i'm
! proved sentiment has appeared, not
I only because of the rise in prices
which was experienced early in the
year, but also because many farm
ers are just beginning TO realize
the extent to which other lines of
industry suffered during 1921. FL
nancial statements of large bust
ness concerns are showing large
money losses running into the mil
lions of dollars for the firms in the
commercial centers of the United
States. These losses are not con.
fined to those directly connected
with the prosperity OF the agTicul-
tural sections, such as packers and
manufacturers OF farm i'm - 'ments
and equipment, but extend large
business firms in every line OIL
manufacture and distribution. Some
of these suffering the heaviest
losses have in years past been the
most prosperous.
Agricultural conditions, have been
vastly improved generally in south
ern Minnesota by the increase III
prices OF corn and livestock. Farm
Crs have been encouraged to expect
restoration of a normal relation be-
tween the prices of their products
and the prices of the things they
have TO buy. They are feeling op-
timistic over the outlook and their
changed attitude is being communi-
Gated to business and industry. 1t
is the general concensus OF opinion
that with hogs over the low point OF
last fall and corn selling much
higher an entirely new face has been
i The significant feature of the rise
in farm products prices is the fact
that it is the first substantial and
sustained advance since the upward
movement that proceeded the col
lapse in 1920. 1t thus appears as a
belated recognition by the world :
markets that agriculture was de-
fiated too far and too fast in tine
slump and is entitled to redress.
There is a movement at the same
\ time in the prices of many Industrial
lproducts, the effect OF which is OF
course to hasten the elimination OF
the disparity, between farm and city
values. There is a noticeable i'm
provement in the very expression OH
peoples faces. These conditions
have brought renewed hope and a
feeling of optimism to the average
farmer and merchant. The majority
now feel that the worst of the pull
is past and with better prices will
eventually come stability and pros
Iperity. .-s
i An Independent Region
Blue Earth county is one of the
most progressive independent coun
ties in the state OF Minnesota,
There have been no business 1ail-
ures of any consequence in dts his
tory which have affected business
generally. There are very few poor
or dependent families and these are
we'll cared for and the present eco
nomic conditions have not caused
their adVerseS. In the main every =