Evening star., 1927-05-20
NORTHWEST FACING
BRIGHT PROSPECT.
Causes of Bad Floods in
South Have Proved Big Aid
to Other Section.
BY j. G.. R0YLE.
special Dispatch to The Star.


NEW YORK. May 20.-~The North
west is facing the brightest prospect
in years from exactly the same con-
ditions which have resulted in disaster
and loss in the South. Agricultural
conditions are better in Minnesota,
South Dakota. North Dakota, Mon
tana and northern Idaho than for a
long period. This is because con-
tinued rain and snow, which produced
the floods in the lower Mississippi
Valley have left more sub.soiI mcis-
ture than any Spring in a decade.
With warm dry weather later the
prospects for a heavy yield of grain
are excellent,
Seeding has been unusually late, but
Ralph Budd, president of the Great
Northern, said after a personal in
spection of much of the territory that
Is per cent of the crop along the lines
of the Great Northern is now seeded
and there is plenty of time to com
plete the seeding.
Drought has usually caused con-
siderable damage in the grain sections
of the Northwest. This year agricul-
tural experts aver there is sufficient
moisture in the soil TO carry the crops
through to maturity. barring con-
tinued hot, dry winds. The lateness
Of the season is expected to aid the
territory rather than hurt it as less
wheat is being planted and a great
dlVerslflcation of crops cultivated.
Rushing Expansion Program.
Mr. Budd says his road is rushing
It's program of expansion and develop
ment in anticipation of exceptionally
heavy business this Fall after harvest
time. In South Dakota seeding is
practically complete and, although
the State suffered more than any
other in 1926, there is more optimism
In evidence among business men and
farmers than for years.
The crop reports just issued by one
of the conservative Minneapolis grain
firms, which is in touch with elevators
and buyers in hundreds of towns
throughout the Northwest, declare
crop conditions are excellent. While
the unseasonably cold weather has
not resulted in much growth above
ground, the grain has had a good root
growth and strengthened the plants
to withstand hot weather.
The Government forecast Of 593,.
100000 bushels of Winter wheat en-.
couraged the Northwestern farmers.
for this amount is more than 80 TOO
bushels less than was grown in the
Middle West and South in 1926 In
that year the Winter wheat glutted
the market before the Spring wheat
grown in the Northwest grew to ma
turity. This produced drop in prices
in Spring wheat markets
The heavy precipitation has done
wonders for the dry farming areas of
the Intermountain West. The general
run of rural retail trade. however, has
been slightly hampered for some
weeks owing to the terrific condition
of some of the country roads, which
have been almost impossible. An in
crease in trade. however, is antici-
pated soon.
No Immediate Effect.
The rejection of the Loree plans for
the merger of the Kansas City South
ern. the Missouri Kansas Texas and
the st. Louis Southwestern will have
no immediate effect on the physical
operation of those roads, but many
railroad men feel that it will have Il
drastic effect on rail mergers in gen
eral They declare that If these mer-
gers cannot be put through, efforts
to merge are waste of time.
In the other hand, the /. G. c. itself
sponsored the merger idea. and over
six years ago laid out tentative sys-
tenn of consultations. Also some OF
the members OF the commission made
it plain that they felt the Loree case
should be reopened in order to allow
changes in the plans.
The Van Sweringen merger also is
before the commission. So is that in
volving the Great Northern, the
Northern Pacific and the Chicago.
Burlington & Quincy. IT these mer-
ger plans are disapproved. the roads
ton than at present. In fact. they
may be better off, since improvements
have been made. But they undoubt-
edly will suffer from the psychological
standpoint Of consolidation oppor-
tunities and probable future earnings