Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-12
INFLATED PRICES.
The Cost Of F0Od-Better Prospects Not
Far Ahead.


Far Ahead.
The general trade of the country during
week past has presented several conditions
somewhat anomalous. The distribution of
goods continues large, and domestic buyers of
raw materials of nearly all kinds proceed in
the careful, conservative manner which has
characterized their buying ever since the
great boom two years ago. Manufactured
goods of all kinds are sold to-day at about the
same figures as year ago, minus, in some few
instances, slight declines brought about by
fierce competition among manufacturers. But,
IN several of the principal staples there has
been an accretiOn to prices. or, at least, former
firm figures have been maintained. This is
especially true in the food staples, nearly all Of
them. Flour, already high enough before, has
increased in price or some grades 25 cents per
BARREL Corn has gone upward or 5 cents per
bushel. Oats are higher. and potatoes are firm
at prices which in former years would have been
considered almost fabulous. Fresh beef is
higher by 80 per 100 than week ago; in fact,
the prices are such as to make dealers them.
selves surprised. Dairy products have been
maintained at the very high figures which have
characterized the market for more than amonth.
Pork Is unusually high. Sugar and molasses
are above the figures of former seasons; rice is
Is per cent above the figures of last season, and
the whole grocery line is firm. Fruits, as a
rule, both green and dried, are high. 1t is cost
ing from IL to Is per cent more to furnish our
tables than 1t did year ago. and yet to the
labOring man comes the unwelcome sound Of q
general reduction in wages. Manufacturers are
complaining that they can no longer produce
goods without some show Of profit to them
selves, and, looking over their expense accounts,
they naturally fall upon the cost Of labor as the
first item where
REDUCTION CAN BE MADE.
Money is easier than usual in early Apria. and
capital seems ready to flow in any direction
where there is a reasonable show Of profits.
This feeling may be at the bottom of the recent
rise in staple products. The farmers of the grain
producing sections have not been able to get to
market, owing to the prevalence Of mud, and
hence the receipts of grain. and other food pro-
ducts have been light. Grain spectators have
seen the condition of affairs and have not been
slow to take advantage of it, either to squeeze
out the shorts, or to obtain control of as much
grain as possible. Hence the boom in the grain
position, and the general rise in food staples.
Our export trade is not to blame for it. On the
contrary, the balance of trade comes very near
being the other way. We have actually been
importing some of the food staple, and until
very recently little OF no wheat or corn has been
going abroad, by reason of higher prices in the
American markets than in the other grain pro-
ducing countries.
A change is probably not far off, Even the
most saneuine grain spectators have little or
no confidence in the market two months hence.
Some OF them admit that that even month may
work great change. They are well aware that
there is still grain enough in the west. Better
roads will bring it forward; the increase in prices
will act as stimulus to the producers and
holders of grain. Then the crop reports will
soon be coming in. Good news is already re-
ceived from the Pacific coast. From California,
oregon and Washington comes reports Of
ENCOURAGING CROP PROSPECTS.
From the entire west and south, thus far in
dications point to an abundant harvest. The
New York Journal Of Commerce has the follow
ing special crop report from Missouri: There
has been but little cold weather during the win
ter, great deal Of the time the wheat growing
right along as it ordinarily does in March, The
consequence is that much of it is in an unusu-
ally advanced state for the season. Manv farm
ers have been compelled to Craze their wheat
fields to keep back the too luxuriant growth,
and upon some extraordinarily rich spots it is
now 80 forward as to be in the boot. There
never has been better stand of wheat In Lafay-
cite county than the one which now covers the
ground with it's beautiful carpet of waving
green" few weeks longer of such news and
the grain markets will be deserted of specula-
tors for more hOspitable fields.
The firm market for dairy products is also
drawing near to season when production will
be abundant. The butter market is likely to
decline within few weeks, provided the general
Cheese may follow a little more slowly, but the
summer decline is sure to come sooner or later.
In the fresh beef market if we were to give credit
to what western cattle men have tOsay the posi-
ton sstrongerfrom an actI al cattle
No grass beef, they say, will be received before
July. But, even here, it is we'll known that it
has taken some exertion on the part of the
Chicago cattle trade to bring the supply down
to figures where the market would begin to
boom. Such very high prices will check the
demand. and not many weeks hence it may ap-
pear that there are cattle enough The export
demand for refrigerator beef will especially be
checked by the figures now demanded and this
will work great change in the beef market
In short, but for this export demand. the mar
ket would be flooded with cheap beef to-day
Last week there were actually no shipments of
refrigerator beef from this port. Although the
Liverpool market has advanced slightly. the
figures show no comparison with the advance
here. There is little doubt but what the boom
In beef will be of short duration.
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