FARMERS TO THE FRONT 93 



country will, however, consume as much at a fair 

 price as at a low price. A fair price appears to add 

 dignity to a commodity, and make it more desired. 

 Besides, if we can keep the farmers prosperous by 

 giving them good prices, we can keep the world pros- 

 perous, thus stimulating consumption. 



The present average yield of wheat is in the 

 neighborhood of thirteen bushels an acre, and at that 

 average the country can produce about 650,000,000 

 bushels. That is enough at the present time to sup- 

 ply the needs of our own people, and to furnish a 

 quantity for export. Whether it would pay the 

 farmer to raise more under the old conditions, de- 

 pends entirely on the price he could get for it. A 

 short crop at a high price might bring him more 

 money than a large crop at low prices. This condi- 

 tion has frequently prevailed. In fact it is the rule 

 that the smallest crops sell for more money than the 

 largest ones. 



So the question is whether the price of the large 

 crop, though lower than that received for the small 

 crop, is still high enough to enable the farmer to 

 make at least as much money net on his investment. 

 If it is not, he loses. This question of the ratio be- 

 tween quantity and price is of vital importance, and 

 the ratio is one that is easily disturbed and thrown 

 out of joint. He would be a bold man who, under- 

 standing the matter, tells the farmer that he ought 

 to raise more than he is now raising, and the farmer 

 who will listen to such teaching without a protest 



