The Benton democrat. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1871-18??, 1873-04-12
ADDRESS OF HON. C. Z. MOORE
Delivered before the Corvallis Farnaers
Club, April D. 1873.

In all of our operations we should
move with prudence and care, and all
of our discussions should be marked
with candor. It is not only unproffta-
BILE, but very disastrous, that we should
deceive ourselves We must not expect
too much from the attempt which we
are now making to regulate the storing
and shipping of our products. This
business is of vast magnitude, in the
aggregate, but of small moment to each
individual farmer, or as applied to one
bushel of grain. 1t has been stated that
it is better to depend upon the law of
supply and demand, that 1t, will regulate
prices. If such large sums have been
made as in some cases are reported, other
buyers and shippers will come, and, by
competition, bring the price of surplus
products to the highest possible figure
that can be afforded. Now let us see if
there is not really something in this
matter, and if we had not better stop
where we are, and depend upon compe-
tition to regulate this whole matter. 1t
is natural for man who is a trader Tor
speculator if you please to call hirnl. and
has capital, to be looking around for the
best place to invest his money. He will
not lose sight of Oregon, and if he can
come here and make one or two hundred
JuOtlSttl1u III u pSsSSSii9
with small capital, will he not be
likely to come
Now, let us see if there is not really
something in the shipping business: I
take the following figures from the Ore
gon Bulletin, of March 1, 1873:
Cost of l bush. wheat on shipb'd$ so
Int. months, at per cent to-. 04.5
Insurance per cent :. ...... 02.7
Freight, $25 per ton of 2, ,250 Tbs. 66.6
Com. at Liverpool ~ per cent. 03.75
Total cost of wheat to shipper. 81 81 .55
On examining these figures find them
correct, except the amount for commits
sion on the selling price of the wheat in
Liverpool. make it trifie more. The
present price in Liverpool is from lis
Cd to lbs. Say 12s, as the price per CEN
tai the shipper IS likely to receive in
Liverpool for his wheat. This. reduced
to Federal money, is .029 per pound and
81 "a per bushel. This will be to the
shipper 81 or cents per bushel profit,
say seven cents, and total OF $2l0,000
on our estimated surplus of 3,000,0 600
bushels-quite large sum. Divide $2l0,-
600 by three and it will give $7O,o0o to
each of three shippers for very little
trouble and in the Short space of time of
five OF six months. But, says one, it
!. will take large amount of money to
buy so large an amount Of wheat as
8. 100000 bushels. On this point my url-
standing is that when the wheat is ready
for sea, that three fourths or more of the
Liverpool value can be drawn here in
Portland, and this used to buy another
cargo. So that the capital will not be
so very large. Now let us apply this
cents blshel to the farmer and see
how it will affect him, if he ships it him
I I,o11
will get the chance of $40 for the trouble
800 bushels will get the chance of $35 for
the same trouble and risk. Will ship
ping pay you, fellow farmers, at eflese
figures
Besides, you will have to pay an agent
to do your business for you, and there
will be some delay in getting your
money. The pay of the agent. and the
interest on the money while getting ready
to ship, will use up the greater portion of
the profits, admitting that we, as farm
ers changed into shippers, are as, success
full as these other men, who make COM
merce the business of their lives, and
admitting also that the figures above are
correct, and that we would have to sell
as low next year as we have sold this, |
and that the market abroad is as good. |
The average cost of a blishel of wheat, |
sacked and on board the ship at Portland, |
is put at 80 cents, and the expenses of
freight, storing, sacks, and handling
here IN the valley, at % cents, leaving to |
to the producer 65 cents per bushel for
his wheat. This is thought to be about
the average price the farmer has reeeiv- |
ed, and the shippers paid this season. |
put the average price at Corvallis at 81 |
cents. and the cost of putting lion board
ship from here at 20 cents; % plus 81 |
equals 80 cents per bushel, sacked and
delivered on board ship, the same as
mentioned before.