The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-02-05
VOL. H..
Peace, and Wheat.

Peace, and Wheat.
Although the cessation of hostillities be-
tween the Illusions aad Turks has not cul-
minated in formal declaration OF peace,
and disbanding of troops upon either side,
it is supposed that the war is ended, what
ever terms or conditions may follow, with
the exception of some small engagcme Mt
that will occur at remote points from the
main armies. That Turkey wants peace
and has had enough OF Russian lead and
steel for the present, is fact. The forlorn
hope that England would interfere
has proved groundless' notwithstanding,
the bluster, movements Of iron clads, Johu.
ny's threats, and the convenlng of Parlia.
ment and threatened appropriations of
thirty millions for war expenditure.
Whether the empire is to be wiped out,
and its States divided among sundry other
European powers, or only to be circum-
scribed, and made in 4 measure subordi-
nate to Russia and its evident colleagues
Austria and Germany, is at present only
= matter of speculation.
Some of our American journals who
are evidently sympathizers with the Turks
predict that the Sultan is still to retain his
place as the head of one of the powers of
the world, and that after all Turkey will
concede No more nor less than Austria and
Germany with the endorsement Of Eng
gland sees fit to dictate, and claim In sup
port of this theory that if it were not so
Turkey would not have consented to any
armistiee or to any proposition that would
lead to suspension Of hostility Oh her
part, and that it she had desired could
have prolonged the war or her defense to
indefnatc period.
It is imnaterial whether this theory is
based upon actual belief ofits advocates,
or framed for the purpose Of afording
source OF retreat or submitting
to necessity, the facts Us We receive
them through the reports duly anthcnti-
Gated clearly show to the contrary.
The flower Of the Sultan's great army
was crushed beyond resuscitation. Its
famous and bonded strongholds deemed by
their occupants impregnablc, have yield
ed to Russian cannon and sabre, and are
now grave yarls whose soil bears the re-
mains of thousands of their former sup
por;crs.
The famous Balkans where nature seem.
ed TO hayc purpously interposcd unsur-
mountable obstacles to the passage OF an
enemies force, have been spanned, and the
Turks have fled panic stricken leaving the
masses uaincumbered, save by the dead
bodies of their own ranks.
The Car in truth. was advancing at his
own will, the desperate Turks massed Tor
defense and to check his march only stood
their ground to be slaughtered and then
surrender or flee.
The Russians grand force was slowly
but surely coiling itself around the OTTO
mans subjects with tirmncss and persist
auce, that if continued would have anuihi.
lated and demoralized their energy, to the
extent that their fecblcness would scarcely
warrant the intolerance Of any of the Eu-
ropoan powers to stay the hand of punish
ment. And, when shocked and almost
parslyzed at their helpless condition, their
exp ectcd ally England kept aloof and on
" clustered, but sent no relief, then the
Porte begs for an armis,ice, and the un
heard of from precedent is made ofaccep
ting auy terms to secure response to his
demands.
Now with this condition of affairs il
certainly does not look as if, whatever
terms may finally be agreed upon, thai
Turkey IS the dictator and will remain as
before the war; the same great power Il
has been too big Il fight for the vanquish'
cd bird to come out Of unruftied, and with
out n loss Of some of it gay plumages.
Bu. whatever the result, the farmer OF this
community is anxious to learn how ht
will be effected by this rather unexpected
suddcn termination Of the war. --.-l
Those of our farmers who have kept
their grain IN store, anticipating that the
war would be prolonged and thus increase
demand for our surplus wheat, and tht
longer kept the moro they would resllz
in the advancement of price, We thlni
have been hugging the "delusive phantom
Of hope" and .hs. peace in Europe, mean
less pay for wheat to the Dakota farmer.
The wheat quotation Of theaMilwauke
market for March delivery, are only on
cent in advance of the present month, ant
the Liverpool and New York market re
norts indicate "weak markets and lowe
prices"
If we had wheat to sell we would MAJ
ket it as soon as possible, believing lha
the price will be still lower when spEln
opens, for there is far from scarcity Q
prain in the country. Thousands OF pee
nla have been holding on for high prices
ho.od unon the theory that the war woul'
he continued, and even their holding bac'
s,;l, longer will not effect the marke
scarcely s 1T all, and when the ice break !,
up in tie spring the Russian ports ;n, WI
move their large stores OF gram Wnic' c
will necessarily tend to decrease the prlc'
n nroportion as their supply will go 10
~. r3aroond