Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-11-04


bEuropean Producers Driven from
Their own M,rkets-Aa Interesting
Problem.
From the st. Petersburg Ia ,ranichny Vest
nick.
The competition of the United States
in the grain trade and in other agricul-
tural products is now rightfully regard
ed as a general European question OF
the greatest Importance. Learned men
have always wondered at the rapid and
unprecedented development of that
country; but lately even practical men,
European farmers, have begun to study
1t, for American grain, meat, and cattle
fill the European markets, and threaten
the farmers with ruin, or at least i'm
pOverishment.
Russia, Austria, and the countries on
the Danube. which used to supply west
ern Europe with grain, now find them
selves in very serious position. For
merly these countries paid for the goods
they imported with their grain, cattle,
and raw materials. But what Will they
do now in view of the American c0mpe-
.titiOn in these articles? How will Russ
t'sia, for instance, now pay the percent,
age on her immense foreign loans? And
what will become of her 10000 900 farm
ers in case the European markets are
closed to their products by American
competition? We Russians, too, must
study the agriculture of our transatlan-
tic friends.
Since 1850 the population Of the
United States has doubled, but its pro-
ductiOn of wheat and corn has increased
five times. Their surplus Of grain they
have sent to Europe. The grain market
of England is now in the hands OF the
Americans. They send their grain also
to France and Germany. Even at
Flume, the Austrian grain exporting
port, American grain has appeared. Our
own alcohol distillers are beginning to
import American corn. 1t is evident
that the Americans are step by step driv-
ing their competitors from the Euro
pean grain market. The Americans
have perfect system of transportation.
To their lakes and rivers they added
numerous canals and numberless. rail-
roads. The grain freight from Chicago
to Hamburg is lower than from Pesth
(Austria) to Hamburg! The grain mar
ket of our neighbor, Germany, is more
iand more occupied by our TRANSATLANTIC
friends. In 1880 we furnished to Ger
many "a per cent. Of wheat, and the
Americans 81 per cent; of barley, we
furnished 10 per cent, and the Amerl-
cans % per cent; of corn we furnished
2 per cent, and the Americans ~ per
cent.
Now, what are the particular circum-
stances which enable the Americans to
drive away European grain producers
from European grain markets.! II
would be quite wrong to attribute theil
success chiefly to the natural qualities
of the country of the Yankees. In 0ul
opinion the free American of u free
country has done more for his own wei
fare than nature has done for him. Int
Americans hold their destinies in thell
own hands. Their government costs
them very little. The soil tillers cal
get plenty of good land. They are edu
Gated, all of them. They have no hug
standing army to consume their sup
stance. They have mans labor to SUB
stitute for it the forces Of nature ma
chinery, thus preserving him for TIT
field of labor in which there can be m
substitute-mental work. This Is th'
picture that the country of the Yankees
presents, and the European cOuntrle
are on the other side of the medal
Young America Is good earnest, to thrasl
old Europe.