Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-15
WHEAT PRICE GAIN
IS HELD UNLIKELY
Surplus Stocks Act as Bar
rier to Higher Range
of Values.
sssrfss -
BY c. M. HARGER.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
KAESAo NTrfXT

special DlSpatch to The Star.
KANSAS CITY, March 14.-With
the showing this week of a Larger por-
tion of the wheat in farmers hands
than year ago and indication that less
has been fed to live stock than was
much relief in the price level of that
product became exceedingly dim.
Along with this came further help to
the growing crop through snow and
rain over the entire wheat belt of the
Southwest and condition that promises
to make the coming crop fully up to
normal, in absence of any notable
damage during the next 80 days. What
it viii do to the buying power of the
farm country is being discussed seri-
ously by bankers, who see a small
chance for any marked expansion in
this area for some months.
Problem Complicated.
1t may be that through the lessened
labor cost and the economy which is
being generally practiced, with the de-
velopment of other factors of farm
production, the outcome may in the
end be fairly satisfactory but just now
the problem is considerably compli-
Gated.
AS Spring approaches the planting
season is well advanced and not in
years has the farmer been so fore
handed. the result Of an open Winter.
It is noticeable that he is going ahead
with his work as If he were sure of a
profit, and by cutting every expense
to the limit is hoping that he may play
even, at least. The producer who Is out
of debt is not worrying; the ones with
heavy obligations are having difficulty
IN liquidating and banks are carrying
them as far as possible.
At meeting of power machinery men
in the Southwest this week more COM
bineS were sold than last year and the
wheat enthusiasm seems to show no
diminution. The acreage is slightly less
than last year, but the harvesting plans
are as expensive as ever. Laws for
limiting farm corporations operating in
Kansas and Nebraska are pending in
the Legislatures and some seem likely to
be adopted, stopping all further expan-
sion of present companies and forbid
ding others. Some of the more radical
propositions propose to compel all eX-
isting concerns to liquidate within
seven years.
Radical Movements.
Perhaps rejecting the need of field
activity and less time for meditation,
bAkO 4d0AOt14 4AIONCA44CA4Oo PAOHOOCh. la VAC
farm country show signs of weakness
and organizers who in Winter were
gathering in members of a successor to
the Non-Partisan League are making
small Roadway. The Farm Board rep
reSentatiyeS, Farm Bureau workers and
the press generally have been open in
opposition to the starting of a political
farm organization, and indications are
that little will materialize for while.
It is possible that if the year does not
show an improved situation for agricul-
ture, and especially if there comes a
further slump in wheat, the interior
will see a movement of importance dur
ing the Autumn and Winter. in prep
aration for the 1882 campaign.
Earnest as have been Western Legis-
latures and Governors to accomplish
economy in administration and to en-
act legislation that will give lowered
expense to the farmer-who is just now
the chief concern of the business world
out here-the result has every probable
ity of making so little betterment as to
remain an irritant in the hands of poll
ticians. Western State constitutions
mostly have not been revised for go
years and their provisions hamper
modern tax systems and fitting tax
machinery to present conditions. So it
Is likely that agitation over the fixed
overhead of the producer will go on for
some time to come.
(copyright, 1919