The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-18
The Price OF Corn In France.
THE HARvEsrs IN EUROPE.

From the Paris Steele, October 3l.]
Governments. consumers and spectators occupy
themselves seriously with the rise which has taken
place during the last six seven weeks in the price
Of corn Some time before the harvest prices had
declined, and it was generally hoped tina. they would
return 70 what they were in 1850, 1851, and 1852,
abundance promised to succsed to scarcity. The
season fulfilled all that it cansed to be hoped; tho
harvest was abundant 10 all parts OF E1rose, aad
yet it was NO sooner got in than rise took phase in
England rs well as in France, in Belgium as vel as
in Spain, ct New York, Hamburg, Dantsfc, Naples,
Lubbock and other places. In the first days vhich
this economic phenomenon by mum Der of reasons,
which were soon abandoned. The labor IN the
fields, the tbrashing Of the corn, the want OF water
In rivers, return in fact, every year at the SANE
from diminishing Immediately after the harvest, ii il
be abupc ant. is evidently elsewhere that we must
seek the causes OF this dsarness OF which
countries to be the result Of orestaing undertaken
TO raise prices. The price Of corn, like that Of any
other merchandise, is regulated in virtue OF I'M
change able PRINCIPLES, with respect to which laws
are nearly powerleg; abundance causes Q fall in
prices, as scarcity necessarily causes rise. But
this only takes place in normal and regular man-
ner in the event Of the demand maintaining itself in
the ordinary proportions: It may easily happen
that an abundant harvest Ia followed bY perms
nent that ndeei is the case every time hat she
consumption increases almost instautaneously and
more RAPIDLY than tire production. The present rise
It would be loca would be hesitation in prices
and all tho osher articles Of food-those OF luxury
as well as those Of first necessity would not rise
uniformly. Europe once before saw Q precisely
relation between the value Of the produce OF the
earth, Of capital, and manual labor From the year
l400 up to 1861, the price Of the hectolitre
OF wheat varied in France from 81. &c. to AZ.
&c.,, taking an average Of good and tolerable
years; but during that period the Old World arose
from its torpor; America was discovered, explored,
and pillagec. From 1900 to 1860 the gold which
ard Mexico began to spread throughout all Eurooe,
and caused general comfort, previously unknown.
The bulk Of the populations, whose condition was
most wlttched, ceased to tent themselves with
barley bread and cakes Of oats chestnuts, bu-k-
wheat; they began to eat wheaton bread, and the
deEsnd al ct onse exceeding the OFFER the prize of
wheat rose in the interval from 1861 TO 160f to 20f
43c. the hsctolftre. the consumption increased
more rapidly than the proMction. A Faction.
however, sooa came. The suneriugs Of the pcpular
tiops towards the end Of the reign Of Louis XIV,
the OF the regency and Of the resgo of
and from l772 TO 1888 the average ef prices was
not more than l4f etc. the hecoitre. But France
began her great revolution, and then there was What
was like the discovery Of new moral world and bold
Christopher Columbuses rgeHerated nations,
did honor TO labo and summoned all classes Of soce
ty to higher degree Of welfare. After some days OF
copfusion, wars and sters, peace established
extended, and the number Of consumers Increasing,
the price OF corn increased aso From 1882 to 1873
the average price was l9f. 76c The awakening Of
manufactures and the generalization OF labor pro
duced tho came effects % the discovery Of AmsrlA
wealth increased, and the condition OF toe most
wretched populations improved. But new csuse
Of progress was on the point Of becoming develope5
new Peruvian and Mexiosn treasures were about ~
inundate the world, and to change once sgaio tee
relations establis ed between the value OF tnngs.
Il was In 1S4S tost gold discovered Id the "a de-
Of the sacra nento. In ls4o and 1850 the little that
was obtained only served to reestablish the equi
librium destroyed by the events OF 1S4S but In
1851 gold was also discovered in Australia, aud
ever since two rivers Of gold have, as were poured
immense metallic wealth on Europe. More than any
other cause It IL possible to imagine, this iruption
OF gold caused re sumption Of commercial activity,
en- industrial movement, which exceeded every
thing previously seen. Everybody began work
ing, manufacturing, producing, conveying, aud
excnangmg; everywhere men found occupation,
saiari ca rose. and consumption increased A
new class OF consumers found themselves called on
nuts, barley buckwhsat and oats. and beusn "a eat
wheaton bread IL Ia easy to account for the causes
OF the exiting DEAFNESS, by reasoning on an hypo.
thesis which would represent things on . smaller
scale. Suppose q province in which there are
$4,000 inhabitants among whom only To- 600 na In n
the reserve formed by their savings, or Ia the pro
dUce of their daily LABOR the means OF purchasing
1900 hectotres Of wheat supplied by the country
II jon suddenly open source Of labor in such pro.
vince-if you produce abundance there--if out OF
the 5000 Paiahs who cannot pretend on account Of
their mbery to any part Of the 80 600 hectolitres
you give greater degree Of comfort to 600 or
more, ia IL NOT evident thst q greater mn nber of
purchasers will come into the MARKET that the re-
etion between the demands and the ofIers win be
Changed, and that rise win take place This ia
what has taken place, not only In France but
Throughout all Europe. Consumption has in
creased and agricultural production, which from
its nature always goes on more slowly, hiss not
r. , H--e