26 THE FARMER IN THE COMING CHANGE. 



now theyarw affected by his necessities, which impel him to market hisproducta just when 

 every one else is doing so, the result being seasons of glutted markets and low prices, 

 which once down are bard to elevate, while the overmarketing in tlie earlier part of the 

 harvest year places a wonderful power in the hands of the gambler, who unliesitatingly 

 uses it to further wreck prices. Once the farmer is in a position to hold his products, 

 until they are required for immediate consumption, the market wiocker will be divested 

 of much of his pernicious power over prices as then it will be tlie amount of real stuff 

 offiering — not the fictions as now — which will determine prices. 



The coming of this advance in the returns of the farmer means a most profound 

 change in all political, industrial and financial relations, as the farmer will cease to be a 

 borrower and this will necessarily cause a lowering of interest rates and the West pro- 

 ducing, as now, an immense surplus of food staples which the East must have, great 

 sums will yearly move permanently from the East to the West in payment for high 

 priced farm products and this will result in converting the west from the debtor to the 

 creditor section. 



Results so desirable to farmers, east as well as west, and to all interested, directly 

 or indirectly, in western property or securities will come because the consuming element 

 of the bread eating world has more than caught up with that enormous development of 

 agricultural lands that to the thoughtless seemed to make good the boast that we could 

 feed the world. 



SOME SURPLUS PRODCTOlNG STATES. 



Only the twelve States named in the following tables produee a surplus of the 

 great food staples, while such States as Ohio, Michigan and Washington produce a 

 surplus of wheat alone. Their entire acreage in food and forage staples being found to be 

 less than the normal per capita quota of 2.85 acres, they are, notwithstanding the fact 

 that their lauds are above the average of the whole country in fertility, not clearly surplus 

 producing States, hence are not included with those that are, although it is questionable 

 upon which side of the line they belong. 



From the data to be found in the accompanying pages, and in the broad sheet fol- 

 lowing; page 24, it is clear that hereafter such States, dlstrietsaud individuals as produce 

 the staple products largely in excess of domestic needs will enjoy an unexampled pros- 

 perity, as they will be able to command very high prices for their surplus — prices so much 

 greater than the average cost of production as to leave a very large profit, hence the most 

 fertile districts will be the most prosperous and the surplus food producing States of the 

 Mississippi basin, large areas upon the Pacific slope and limited districts in the mountain 

 regions being exceptionally productive, it follows that the prosperity which they will 

 enjoy will be equally exceptional. 



If the conditions as to climate and fertility are equally favorable it would appear 

 that such States as produce— relatively to domestic requirements— the greatest surplus of 

 food would enjoy the greatest prosperity; the accumulation of wealth be greatest, and the 

 advance of land values, such as to soon place them upon a par with those of the best of the 

 older districts. 



That we may get a definite idea of the present relative importance — agriculturally 

 —of the sever.al States that produce, and are likely to continue to produce, a surplus of 

 the staple food crops it is best to resort to a tabular exhibit showing the areas in corn, 

 wheat, oats, other cereals and potatoes, separately, the several States being placed in the 

 order indicated by the total area of each under such crops. 



