The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-08-05
);fICIAL PAPER FOR BENTON COUNTY
THE. FARMER AND THE spEeuLAToR.

The quantity, quality ard price of
wheat is of such vital importance
that it materially effects every bust
ness interest of tie whole country
The supply this year bids fair to be
abundant and the quality good, yet
It rs by no means certain that the
price will be as much as it should be.
In fact the same causes which ruled
the price of wheat below living rates
last year are no doubt actively at
work to accomplish the same pur-
pose again.
The unusual scarcity of tonnage on
this coast last year, together with the
fact that Spectators could safely
charter all vessels at high figure on
account Of sueh scarcity, and then
hold them to be re chartered by
others at figures one-third higher
than they gave, had strong tendency
to reduce the price of wheat. Specu-
lators could rot safely have done
this in advance of their loads being
purchased, had not other matters have
conduced to render it safe for them
to do so.
After vessels had been chartered,
as above stated, if the situation OF
farmers and warehousemen had been
such as to prevent them from selling
at any price offered them, no matter
how low, spectators could not have
re-ehartered for the high rate; and in
that event the farner woald have re-
ceivcd the difference in the price of
the two different charters added to
tl,e.price of his wheat.
A few farmers early IN the fall sold
their crop and nearly all the rest of
them were owing the warehousemen
for the years sacks, and they in tnrn
were owing parties below for the
same, which came. due before most
farmers were willing to sell their
grain. The warehousemen, in order
TO save themselves from pressure by
parties to whom they owed fer sacks,
shipped quantity of wheat TO Sc
cure payment of the amount, and
these parties to whom the wheat was
shipped loaned it to exporters with
which to load the highly chartered
vessels. We do not pretend to say
that all warehousemen done this,
nor do we pretend to intimate that
anv particular ones did so, because
we have not taken the trouble to
learn who did it, but we are informed
upon good authority that sufficient
amount of wheat was thus shipped
and loaned so as to keep the supply
in excess of the demand and thus
prevent it from advancing in price.
This same state of affairs will no
doubt be brought about again during
the present year if the circumstances
are such as to permit it to be done.
In order to prevent this improbable
and ruinous cordition it no doubt
would be better for farmers to buy
their sacks and pay for them prompt
ly or Immediately after the wheat is
stored if they purchase from ware
lousemen. BY doing this it will
relieve the warehousemen from the
pressure of having to ship wheat
below where it can be loaned in
order to- comply with demands of
parties there, and thus ruin the con-
dition of the market and render the
labors of the farmer for the year
almost fruitless.
This is a ma tier which is liable at
any time to seriously effect all bust
ness interests. We therefore invite
farmers to carefully consider the
same TO the. end that they may be
able to all work together in avoiding
the sack pressure