The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1929-05-03
Is There 'FarmPrOsperity Ahead?'

and where did farming EVER pay the
average farmer, through a series of
years?
l pause for a reply.
During the administration Of
Andrew Jackson, period of COM
parativa peace IN the world, and
great emigration of people from
Europe to the United States:
land values rose rapidly in the
United States. The sale of public
lands in the west paid off the
public debt"
Now just what was it that caused
the land values to rise during the
period of time above mentioned? Ac-
cording to the very face of the above
statement, because of the demand, |
created by an emigration OF people
from Europe into the Unitei States,
and not by any reason of the earning
power of the land in question. This
condition does not exist today, and
can not exist First: for the reason
that the inducements for emigration
as it once was, have been exhausted.
They only way to give a stabilized in
creased valuation to land, is to in
crease its earning power which can
not be measured by a temporary de-
mand. Second: The sale of public
lands may have once paid the public
debt, but we have no more public
lands in the west with which to pay
the public debt, and therefore can
| nh c
5 with those of hundred years ago.
, Our forefathers than said to the
young man, go west, young man, and
grow up with the country" But today
4 we have no WEST to send the young
man to. The west has met tnc east
: and our government has no more free
1 lands to offer, and question whether
e it would be of ANY material benefit
in the long run If it dio, for at some
d time or othe" every foot Of land ly
f ing between the Atlantic and z Acifi
e has been a gift.
" Men begin its cultivation in it
S richest state of fertility with no en-
/ cumbrance upon it, and besides tn
: real estate mortgages existing today
/ the year of 1927 saw 1000 farm
IS foreclosed under mortgage. Or a
e average of 401 farms for every wor
ID day of the year because of a lack @
r earning power of the soil. Or
II other words, because the average ag
t, ricultural producer, insteal of sellin
W his products at a price equal to tn
E. cost of production as all other pros
at porous industries do, sold his produt
E. at a price below what it cost him
to produce it, thus reducing the earnin
to power of the soil to a nonentity.
to Again the writer said>'After 49,
IS. agriculture commenced to revive ar
We conditions improved until the panic (
Tn 1892, Cleveland's second administer
a ton"
DIS ACCORDING m the hest statisti
ne available, there was but little improv
n ment in the agricultural condition
IL throughout the years mentioned al
for several years after. If our co
'es ditions improve in agriculture, it
en- because we are receiving a price f
rs our products nearer equal with t
'es cost of production, than we were fo
er' merly receiving. here submit a fe
III, statistics taken from the year boz
no as compiled by the United States i
"a partment of agriculture for your co
III sideration and then ask that you drs
De YOUR own conclusions. I am using
M ten year period as law of average
~ Taking the price of wheat, as paid
the average farmer all over the I'm
lat ed States during that terms of year
JIG TKTIIEAT