The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-04-15
A Wheat Report From Authoritative
Sources.


On Feb. 9 the senate passed a resolution
asking the secretary OF state to report to
the senate the information at his COM
mand in relation to commerce between the
United State and foreign countries in
cereals. Mr.. Bayard, in replying, says
The conclusions to be drawn from the
statistics collected by our consuls are:
First-The area under wheat culture in
European countries Russia excepted, is
stationary, and while low prices prevail,
will probably retain it's present limits, and
may even decline.
Second-Europe, Russia excepted, re-
quires on an average about 174, 900, 600
bushels OF foreign wheat for the needs ofits
population, and these needs become great
er each year.
Third-Russia and India are active COM
pc etitors of the United States only under
favorable onditions, and even supposing
them to be capable OF greatly increasing
their exports, the situation is not calcu-
lated TO develope further capacities.
Fourth-The South American countries
promise to become the most dangerous
competitors that the United States will
meet in the wheat markets of the world,
but in their present undeveloped condition
they assert only Il moderate influence on
those markets.
Fifth-While these new countries possess
great extent of territory now unoccupied
but capable of being devoted to wheat cul-
ture at q cost that is little more tina n nom
inal there will be an abundant supply OF
wheat for the worlds needs, and with fav-
orable harvests prices will remain low.
Sixth-Hostilet tariffs OF fwheat-consuming
countries have practically made Great
Britain the one market for wheat and have
resulted in prices lower than have ruled for
more than century in u market which
| controls the world.
Seventh-The influences tending to main
tain low prices are more active than those
which would, If acting alone, result in high
er prices.
The population OF European countries is
constantly increasing, while last year the
wheat in Europe is becoming less able to
meet home demands, and a continually in
| creasing quantity OF foreign wheat will be
needed to feed its population. The statis-
! tics show that taking the last ten years as
| the basis for an average, Europe, except
| Russia and the Balkan provinces, con-
sumes all the wheat grown, and about
| ia, 100000 OF foreign wheat. This de-
| ficiency in the supply is made good from
| the crops OF Russia, India, Australia and
| North and South America, and with SO
| many competing markets to draw from,
each has varied from year to year under
the national laws OF trade as well as under
artificial influences imposed by the govern
ments as well as by individuals. The Rus
sian crop is likely to decline in volume.
The large exports in the past few years have
drawn severely on the resources OF the
country, while the methods OF agriculture
are such as to make it certain that the
competition with other wheat countries
can not be maintained, nor are the con-
ditions OF India to be regarded as favorable
to the maintenance OF a sharp co mpetition
| with the United States.
Advices from the Philippine islands
state that on Feb. Is n party OF Moham-
medan fanatics attacked n mission house
! at Zamoutacs, on the island Mindano,
burned the mission house as well as the
dwelling house Of the priests, the old church.
| a new church in process OF erection, and
| the storehouses. The loss is $4,000. A
Spanish force was sent to chastise them,
when twelve were killed and several wound
| ed, the loss an the Spanish side being one
captain OF infantry and four men wounded,
| and one man killed. Three days previous
the same band burned the village Of Arma
Il and naval coal depot. The losses
were very great.