Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-04-01

might as well ascfIbe the potato rot 10 MIR.
WALKEs's tariff sysiern as to ascribe The for
eign demand for ous provisions TO i.
We have already seen thai there has been .
falling of Of the crops in England. which
would Of itself increase her demand from
abroad. But this is not all 10 all parts OF
Europe and Asia, whence England usually
derives her supply, there has been sui
greater failure. Ireland has justly been de-
nominated the ''granary OF England, I'll here
were imported INTO Great Britain from. Ireland,
Of Wheat, oats, and tarley. in 1912, 1909.
ol2 bushels in 1874, 2f ,423 ,693 bushels in
is44, 81 ,25s. 04S bushels, and in 1915, q,
Is7 ,24S bushels. Here we have an average
for four years Of 20, asa 600 bushels OF the DIFF
ferent kinds Of grain brought from Ireland in
TO Great Brilain.--This immense supply by
the failure Of their crops. and particularly BY
the potato rot, has been greatly reduced; and
Ireland at this moment is receiving supplies
from England TO sustain her fafnshing popu-
ation. There was sent TO iceland BY the Brit
Z ish Government. N the month Of December
alone. 32,i6S bushels of Indian corn. and
larger supplies have since been forwarded
The numerous contributions which have been
taken in all our principal towns and village,
1 TO relieve the starving population OF Ireland,
prove beyond controversy, the existence Of a
famine in the very country where England
usually draws large supply. The fact that
Congress has ordered Government ships to
carry out supplies to the Irish free OF charge,
and that the Senate passed bill appropria-
ting $500. 900 for the relief Of that people.
leaves no doubt of the almost utter failure OF
their crops.
But Ireland is not the only country which
has formerly supplied the English market,
which is now importing grain for the support
OF their own population. France, in the year
I 1871. ~ and '43, sen, to England an average
of 1853 900 bushels OF wheat annually but
now provisions are so scarce IN France that II
is difficult in maRy places in that kingdom to
prevent popular outbreaks, and the Govern
men, has found il necessary to suspend their
navigation laws and permit grain 10 come in
in foreign bottoms from any country. BY the
last accounts we learn that large shipments OF
grain have been made TO France from Great
Britain. Nor is this dcarth confined to the
west Of Europe. The great marts OF grain on
the Baltic share the failure OF the crops in the
north Of Europe, from which England has
usually obtained nine tenths of her foreign sup
ply. The London Magazine for December
and January, informs US that on the Upper
Baltic the quantity of grain is exceedingly
small; that the wheat expected down the Wis
tula has failed, 10 consequence Of the low wa
ter in autumn and the early fro.ts which clo-
sed up the river; that in Upper and Lower
Poland there has been great falling off in the
crops that at the Lower Baltic ports there
was scarcely any thing doing in shipments. in
consequence Of the exhaustion ofthe old stock
and the insignificance of the new supplies
| Letters from Steltn as late as December state
that the arrivals OF wheat from the growers
have hardly sufficed for The local consumption,
and that what comes TO hand meets ready
sale for city use. A, Hamburg the great mart
Of the corn trade, we learn, on the best author
ity, that the stock is unlmportant, hardly suf.
ficient for the local wants.
! The prices at these northern ports, as COM
pared with former years show the great falling
off in the supplies in that grea, granary of the
world. The average price Of wheat at Dant-
zic, from 1880 TO 1874, inclusive, was ninety
cents per bushel but in November last il sold
as high as $l.50 per bushel. Al Hamburg
the average price for fourteen years ending
with 1914 was 81 GEMS per bushel, but in De
ccmber last ii had risen 10 81 so. AT Stettn,
where the price has usually been about 81 free
on board. whea, has recently commanded ST.
So, free on board. The price at Warsaw has
formerly been abou, o5 cents free on board. but
the December price has been as high as &l.52.
These prices, as compared with the former
ones, leave no doubt of scarcity Of grain IN the
grain growing sections Of Europe. Nor has
this falling off been confined to wheat; the
crops Of barley. oats, rye. peas, and beans
have partially failed, and the potato crop has
been still worse.
know Of no period when there has been
such general failure Of crops in all parts Of
4 I,rt tka
! the general apprehension Of famine not only
in Ireland but on the continent. Let any man
examine these facts, and he will be at no loss
10 account for the increase Of prices and the
extraordinary demand for our grain and meat.
To ascribe these changes to the modification Of
English corn laws is loo ridiculous to be serl-
ously considered. But as an effort has been
made to deude grain growers in this country
by ascribing this change to commercial regu
a,ons, will state few facts which go di.
rectly 10 show that the effects, If we must as
crihe them 10 commercial regulations, are d.
rectly the opposite Of those predicted BY the
friends Of free trade both in Europe and Amer
lea. The grea, argument Of Mr.. Secretary
WALKER was, that reduction Of our duties
would induce Great Britain 10 repeal her corn
laws, and that this would so cheaper grain in
England as 10 increase the consumption to
that extent that large quantities of our grain
would be required for the English market
Now, the fact is, that the prices in Great Bri-
tain, instead Of being reduced, have advanced
at least rs cents; and il the present prices are
the result of her legislation, the effect has been
directly the reverse of what was predicted
And the same is true Of prices in this country
In November, 1915. one year before the mod
iicaton of our tariff, -four sold for from So
rs to $6S7i; while in January last one
month after the tariff had taken effect, il could
be purchased for from $3.50 TO 1862, being a
decline of 81 25 per barrel. And at the pre-
sent time the prices are no higher than they
| were in November and December, 1876. one
year before Mr.. WALKER's famous tariff took
effect.
But the fact is we must look TO other
causes than to commercial regulations for the
present demand for -four, and the causes are
amply sufficient TO account for the change
No human foresight could have calculated
upon the almost universal failure ofthe crops;
aud for the friends oil the present Executive TO
seize upon this calamity. which is spreading
suffering and death through many foreign
countries, 10 sustain weak Administration,
argues a ,emeriiy rarely TO be met with. II 10
placing the demands of party above those OF
humanity, and rioting on the mi,fortunes Of
o,,r hratharn I could easily oxtend fheSo