102 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 



somewhat seriously the course of normal agricultural production. In 

 addition, there are the influences due to the disturbed state of the cur- 

 rencies of the world ; the political unrest, which is both a cause and an 

 effect ; and the economic disturbances in other than agricultural lines. 

 So far as the farmers of Illinois and the United States are concerned, 

 they were led to produce abnormally in some directions, relying on the 

 high prices of the war, artificially stimulated and held up by govern- 

 ment action. They were called on, for example, to supply wheat, and 

 they furnished it from areas which were naturally better suited to 

 corn ; for of course the dominating factor in the choice of a crop was 

 the price. I think there cannot be found in history a more illuminat- 

 ing illustration of the evil consequences of government interference in 

 economic life than has been furnished by the government activity in 

 industry and agriculture during the recent war. The foolish cur- 

 rency and credit policies of all the important governments during the 

 war, and the ultra-foolish policies of some of them since the war in 

 the great inflation of currency, have made the situation worse. 

 Thousands of people are starving in some parts of the world which are 

 accessible by ordinary means of transportation, because the currency 

 and credit conditions are such that they cannot buy the things needed 

 to keep them alive. 



Looking at the situation in a large way, the first thing necessary 

 to the restoration of normal conditions in agriculture and industry is 

 the cessation of currency and credit inflation by Germany and other 

 countries, the restoration of decent conditions in Russia, and the con- 

 sequent reestablishment of international trade. The debts of foreign 

 countries to this government should be funded at a reasonable rate of 

 interest for a long-time period to assist in the restoration of normal 

 rates of exchange. A good many other things are necessary, but 

 these measures would go a long way toward restoring confidence and 

 setting the world to work. 



SOME OUTSTANDING FACTS DETERMINING FUTURE 

 AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT 



With reference to agriculture in Illinois and its future develop- 

 ment, there are some apparently outstanding facts that we must con- 

 sider in trying to determine where we are going. 



While it is true that, taking the country as a whole, a dozen 

 years ago less than half of our total land area was in farms, yet less 

 than a fourth was improved and less than a sixth was tilled. Never- 

 theless, the available tillable land of the country is pretty well taken 

 up, and further great expansion in agriculture must come from some 



