The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-07-04
FARM PRICES AND FARM PRO
DUCTS DO NOT Go HAND IN
HAND, AS ALLEGED

Secretary Wallace exposes the fall
lacy of the argument that farm prices
and farmers prosperity depends upon
foreign markets, in a statement just
issued upon the subject. In the course
of the statement he refers to those
who, laboring under the m~isconcep-
ton that farm exports and farm
prices go hand in hand shave urged
the adoption of various political and
economic devices which they thought
might increase agricultural exports"
The statement of Secretary Wallace
in full is as follows:
ga great many people seem to have
had the notion that the low prices
for farm products during the past
three years have been due to a reduc-
ton in our exports. Under this mis-
conception they have urged the adop-
tfon of various political and econom-
ic devices which they thought might
increase agricultural exports. The
fact of the matter is that our ex-
ports Of farm products during the
past three years have been fan great
er than before the war and greater
even than during the war years,
"Take our eight principal food
crops, corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye,
buckwheat, rice and potatoes. The
average annual exports of these eight
crops for the years 1920 to 1922 in
elusive were 152 per cent greater
than the average annual exports of
these same crops for the years 1905
to 1914 inclusive. During the past
three years our corn exports were 80
per cent greater than in the pre-war
years named; our wheat exports 140
per cent greater; our oats exports
81 per cent greater; barley 116 per
cent greater; rye $500 per cent
greater; buckwheat ia per cent
greater; rice 2,212 per cent greater;
potatoes 125 per cent greater.
"The total volume of exports of
these crops, measured in bushels, was
ever greater by 18 per cent during
the postwar years 1920 to 1922 in
elusive than during what we may call
the war years, 1915 to 1919 inclusive.
"In the case of animal food pro-
ducts u average annual exports
during the pre-war years 1905 to
1914, inclusive, amounted to Cpl 900
tons. During the war years 1915 to
1919 inclusive, our exports more than
doubled, being an average of 2,023,0 00
tons. During the post war years
1920 to 1922 inclusive our exports
amounted to 100000 tons, an in
!, crease of 81 per cent over the pre-
war period.
2 From these statistics it ought tc
: be perfectly clear that low prices. fOl
farm products were not caused by
lack of export demand.
: "We have been producing more thar
in the pre-war years. In the case o.
i the eight crops named the average an
nual production In bushels was II
n per cent. greater during the post-wa
: years 1920 to 1922 inclusive than dur
e ing the pre-war years. The produc
ton of corn was Ia per cent greater
of wheat II per cent, oats 19 pc
cent, rye 90 per cent, rice 104 pc
5 cent, potatoes Is per cent; there wa
a decreased production of barley of
per cent, and Of buckwheat of Is pc
: cent.
"Not only was the. production {
these crops greater during the pos
war years than during the pre-ws
years, but it was more than 2 p'
cent greater during the post-w;
years than during the war years
1915 to 1919.
"Unless production is fairly We
adjusted to demand, prices, will
disappointing. We are far more d
pendent upon Europe for markets f
our cotton than for our food pr
ducts, and the price for cotton is n
depressed. The average annual pl
duction Of cotton for the three yea
1920 to 1922 inclusive was 10,385,O
bales, whereas the annual product
from 1905 to 1914 inclusive was l
$4,000 bales.
"In considering the matter of
ture exports of u agricultural p
ducts it must be remembered that
probable tendency will be downwa
European agriculture is becom.
more productive and no doubt econC
ic conditions are becoming more S
bic. AS normal conditions in Eur
are re-established their purchases
u surplus will become more I
NAL"