Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-10-27
THE GRAIN CROP m FRANCE.

We are indebted to an esteemed friend in Paris,
for the following translation of an important article
in late number of the Moniteur, in relation to the
wheat crop. The Noniteur is the official organ. 1t
manfests alarm with reference the prospects
for food and the information contained in its ar
ticle is deeply interesting to our farmers There is
admission of deficit in France of seven millions
of hectores- near twenty millions of bushels of
wheat This is to be supplied by importations and
to invite this decree of the 9Th of this month allows
for year the entry of all articles of food free of
duty. Europe, it is thought, viii need all the sur
plus produce the farmers of this country may have.
"The government continues to occupy itself with
the question of the means of subsistence, always
grave one. For the third time within three years,
the elevated price of wheat imposes great sacrifices
on the country. At this difficult juncture, the gov
eminent will not fail in its duty.
Let us examine the state of the question.
France produces annually, eighty two millions of
hectolitres of wheat Let us suppose that the crop
of this year yielded seventy five millions only there
will still be deficit of millions. Now, just
long as these millions of hectolitres remain
unsuppled to France by foreign production, there
exists no human means of reducing the price.
The great object then, is to bring into market,
rapidly and economically as possible this amount of
wheat from abroad. Once arrived, it must be read-
ly distributed throughout all parts of the empire
and not permitted to go out of the country. That
DONE prices will fall according to the natural order
of things.
What is, then, the best means to procure these
seven millions of hecolitres? Is as has been pro-
posed, by lowering artifica:ly the price? Is it by
constraining the holders to sell in a certain manner,
in certain places at certain rate? Is it by giving
premiums on importation? We do not think SO.
If, by fictitious means, the government should i'm
prudenty have wheat sold at unfair price in
der to check COMPLAINTS; if it should linguistic
rial measures against the holders, these acts would
bring about result contrary to IFS wishes; fear
would seize upon all those who possess wheat; it
would disappear from the markets. would be hidden
rather than sold, and the fall purely artificial, could
not be maintained Foreign wheat, finding
vantage in our markets. would not enter France
and We should inevitable have famine for it is as
impossible to impose by force, price upon provis-
ions as to prevent water from finding its own level
The famous law of the "nlaxmum" of fatal MEM
DRY, affords e.ident proof of the evil produced by
ignorance in political economy. Confidence and
freedom in trade the invarable bases of prosper
ity in commerce, and consequently, the causes of
abundance
AS to premiums upon importation of wheat into
France, there some who imagine ithat grain has
fall equal to the amount of the premium The ex
pertinent was made in 1S1 and did not succeed. In
Decd if the government were to declare that it gave
premium upon the importation of grain, in short
time the producers and foreign merchants would
raise the price to the whole value of the premium,
and the measure would only end in enrching stran-
gers the detriment of French producers and con-
sumers
What then is to be done? 1t is, as thus pre-
scrbed by the decree of the 9Th of September last
to open for than another year frontiers, to
all amentary products, of foreign countries to for
bid their expectation from France to facilitate their
transport railways and canals, by rendering 1t
less COSTLY and thus equazing the price much as
possible all parts of the terrory it is to encour
age to urge to assist in purchases from abroad to
allow the most perfect freedom in trade while exer-
cisng the utmost rgor of the law against all culpa
BILE manoeuvers that tend by coalition, to create ar
tifcial rises it is to awaken public and private
charity at the moment that bread is dearest; to
stimulate by every method internal labor for If we
can once succeed in rendering manual labor more
valuable, and consequently dearer, the workman
will obtain remunerative price which will compen-
safe in certain degree, the rise in price of amen-
tary products. 1t is very sure that cheapness in
the price of provisions is not always sign OF pros
! perity. There countries, for example where
| wheat may be had for nothing, and where, never
theess, the people in the deepest misery, be-
cause, for the want of industrial and commercial ac
tivity they cannot buy in sufficient quantities the
most necessary articles of food, even at the feeble
rate at which they sell.
! Besides it is an incontestabe fact, that rise in
wheat can alone make up the deficit; for, without
| any doubt, foreign producers and merchants will
only bring it to our markets when they lind reason
able profit and perfect safety in trade.
This is so true that already the rise in wheat has
given in good time the alarm to commerce. 1t has
decided numerous and important orders for pur-
chases abroad and not only will the arrivals grow
ing out of this have, result, the effect of lower
ing the price but the simple knowledge of this fact
will cooperate to this end soon as it is known to
French producers.
Let the people, then, be encouraged The gov
eminent Watches and pre-emincntly occupied as it
stand both how to take the most prudent and etfi-
cacous measures, and how to resist all unreasonab BILE
requirements, with the power which a love of right
and a sense of duty gives"