The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-02-19
FOREIGN PRODUCE
Is DEPRIWNG U. s.
, GROWEROF MARKET
At Same Time American Agri-
culture Is PiIing Up Sur
plus in Grain Crops
A 20,0 600, 900 ACRE MARGIN
Dakota Expert Tells Ways and
Means Committee How to
Readjust Farming

Fargo, N. D., Feb. 19-Tlle service
the Northwest Agricultural Founda-
ton is rendering to Minnesota. North
and South Dakota and Montana in
bringing to congress the viewpoint
OF the spring wheat area on desired
adjustments OF agricultural tariff
schedules and an Interpretation of
tariff revision as an aid to agricul-
ture were outlined to q forum meet
ing Of the Fargo Chamber of Com
merce last night by DR.. John Lee
Coulter, president Of the North Da-
kota Agricultural college. AS presi-
dent Of the Foundation he returned
last week from Washington, where
he appeared before ways and means
committee Of the house, now holding
hearings on the tariff preparatory to
the special session OF congress.
THE first preliminary survey" said
DR.. Coulter. showed two things: "a
that science had been the greatest
single factor in bringing about the
present distress. and (2) that the
second greatest factor is the surplus
farm crops and products from
countries Of low labor costs, low land
values, and low transportation costs,
which. dumped into this country over
low or no tariff duties. enters into
competition here and displaccs our
own farm products.
Buying What Could Raise
1.-The tariff committee found that
II those farm crops and products
which are now imported were grown
on our own farms they would dis.
place not far from 100000 acres
Of our surplus crops. Furthermore,
1t appeared that on account of high
rail freight :'ates to seaboard our corn
from the center of the corn belt could
not compete with imported corn; mo-
lasses was imported for purposes of
industrial alcohol: tapioca, cassava
flour. sage. and other StarcheS were
coming In to displace home grown
products: poultry and dairy products
displaced poultry and dairy cattle,
thus displacing market for corn.
Il these and other forms Of compe-
tition were controlled 1t seemed that
. domestic market would be created
for the corn from some two or three
million acres, thus putting that great
branch of agriculture essentially on
. domestic basis. With dairy prod
uctss poultry products and meats Eek
cept pork already on a domestic
basis it appeared that not only all
grains and seeds but also all livestock
products could be put on q domestic
basis and damaging surplus materials
removed from our markets II q prop
crly adjusted tariff were secured"
Farm Animals Displaced
In 1910 before the advent Of the
automobile, the delivery truck and
the gasoline engine (three recent
products Of science) there were 3.470.-
600 horses and mules in the cities,
towns and villages Of the United
States, according to the official gov
crnMent census. The number Of
horses and mules on American farms
had reached q total of 26, 436, 900 at
the time Of the World war before
these mechanical substitutions be-
came actively available to displace
them on the farm. Thus the total
for the United States was approx
Inately 100000 horses and mules
BY lSl7-18. The latest estimates
placed the present total at slightly
more than 10000, 900. This is de-
crease Of approximately 10000 900
animals. On an average it takes two
acres Of land to produce the corn,
oats and hay for each horse. Thus
= market for the feed from approx
lmately 20,0O0.0O0 acres of land dis
appeared with the advent of oil wells |
and internal combustion engines.
The increase in acreage Of wheat,
rye, corn, oats and barley. the five
great grain crops, each Of which is
on an export basis, showed an in
crease during the period in question
amounting to l550O.O0O acres. Fur
thermore this 1S,500.O00 acres now
produces the entire exportable SUR
pluses Of these five great crops, and
the acreage displaced by
the introduction Of automobiles and
Oh wells, which as noted above must
have amounted to l8,O00O 900 or TO-
100000 acres, is greater than the
acreage now devoted to exportable
surplus grains.
Oils impaired Offset Lard
The imports Of vegetable oils dur
lar the last full year for which re-
part i available amounted to consid-
e9obly more than 4O0, 900 900 pounds
valued 1t nearly 10000 900, or 10
RENTS per pound. In addition there