The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-08-21
HENS AND DAIRY OFFSET
WHEAT FOR MINNESOTA
POLITICAL EXPLOITATION
OF GRAIN SLUMP SAID TO
HIDE PROSPERITY.
OUTLOOK FOR CORN PRODICIOUS

Def1ation of Labor Costs Reported az
farmers Second Best Clamor. Dis
Indignation of He'll Raisers Is Al
ready Appearing.
| FAIRBAULT, Mintn.-Two pro-
tuberents of the radical uprising which
impress the observer are, first, the ex-
tremely small part wheat itself actual
ly plays in the wheat revolt" and,
| second, the disintegrating elements
which are already appearing in the
farmer labor combination.
Minnesota's wheat crop is small
| fraction of the states farm output. In
1922 the gross income of the farms in
Minnesota was in round numbers
$450,000,000, and $20,000,000 of this
came from wheat, or less than per
cent The slump in wheat prices, while
bowling over the grain specialists, has
been much more than Offset in gen
eral agriculture by the rise in other
| farm prices.
$50O,OOOOOO This Year.
This year the gross income of Min
nesota farmers will range somewhere
around $500,000,000, if present prices
and crop prospects keep up. The farm
ers, it appears, will be better off than
last year by $50,000,000. For the 49,
500 farms it will mean an average
gain of between $3.50 and $500 over
last years income.
Corn prospects are rather prodig-
ious. The outlook is that l67, 0O0,OOO
bushels will be raised this year, which
is an increase of 36000,000 bushels
over last year, and this is the product
which has been climbing in price. All
the way up to the Canadian border
the corn is putting in its best ticks
for the growers, and the crop this year
at the present prices will bring to the
farms at least $50,000,000 more than
did the 1922 crop.
Dairying and Poultry Rise.
Dairying will fetch to the farms
100000 more than last year, and
poultry $5000,000 more than in 1922.
From these three products alone the
gain will be $64,000,000. Against this
the fail off in small grains is figured
at between $10000,000 and $15,000,-
900 by some experts.
Wheat Minnesota used to be a
wheat state. But now the Minnesota
hen brings in more than twice as
much revenue as does wheat. Dairy
ing produces nearly nine times as
much Of the states farm revenue. as
does wheat, while corn has got wheat
lashed to the mast This year dairy
ing is expected to roll up $l85, 100000
for the farmer. Last year 40 per cent
of the gross farm income of $780,
100000 came from dairying, and less
than S per cent from wheat.
Could Give Away Wheat.
General agriculture could give this
years wheat crop away for nothing
and still it would be at least $4O,-
100000 better off than last year. And
compared with pre-war days all indl-
cations are that the average farmer
is much better off, although this is
no consolation to the wheat special
list, who works his farEa three or four
months year instead of putting 1t on
a 12-month operating schedule, as do
the dairy farmers.
1t seems to be a strange foundation
for the agricultural crouch in which
Minnesota is stewing. But the wheat
slump has been exploited and distend-
ed by the. politicians until 1t Hills the
eye and hides increased prosperity,
greater general yield, more dough.
better credits and everything else.
Raises New Product.
wheat uprising? Bunkp said a
farmer at Sank Center. Minnesota
used to go in for wheat-raising, now
it goes in for heli-raising."
He was a dairyman. and it seemed
he said mouthful. As gathered from
talks with farmers and business men
everywhere along the trail, the real
point OF contact between farmer and
laborer in Minnesota's splurge of rad
icalism is the "hell-raising" desire.
The two groups are united at pres
ent, not by common interests, for
their interests are nearly diametrical-
| " opposed, but by common preju-
dices One spots it the moment he
taps them for information.
Urge Labor Deflation-
| Farmers on Main street, after blow
| ing off steam about wheat, have al
most invariably declared that the
great need of agriculture is dehation
of labor cost. They speak somewhat
incidentally OF farm labor, but dwell
loudly on transportation and wages
of railway employees. They are saying
that if increased labor costs are keep
ing freight rates up something ought
to be done to debate either by cutting
down wage schedules or by reducing
the number on the payroll and max
ing the others put in something clos
er to farm hours" of employment
Similarly in other occupations, they
| hold that advanced labor costs are
largely responsible for the dispropor-
tionate prices of manufactured COM
modities, which the farmer buys. AS
to the building trades in the last three
weeks, at nearly every stop we have
/ listened to a word or two about 20
cent wheat for the farmer and $l2