Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-05-12
The Coming Wheat-Crop.

The present indications look to an abun-
dant wheat-crop throughout the country,
with less foreign demand than usual. The
commercial journals, and those who assume
to teach us what to do under such circum-
stances, are industriously warning all in
terested to prepare for the situation by
looking it squarely in the face. With that
enunciation, and just as the reader is ad-
justing his mind to take in words of wis
dom, he is left stranded without ray of
light to guide in the dreary future. There
we are left, and the situation comes home
to the views of our local wheat-producers
just as it does to the larger growers in the
West. India looms up in the sketch, as do
other countries embarking in increased pro-
duction, and wall comes across the wa
tsrs from old England, whose farmers are
repining at the success of their Asiatic de-
tendency and will not be comforted. The
competition carries down prices for the
English product, as well as the American.
The wheat-growers in Yorkshire have pro-
posed a plan to restore profits by curtail-
ing expense Drop the middle-man is their
remedy. Verify our English cousins should
have read American agricultural journals
some years since. A few of us remember
the dropping of the middle-man for while.
but it was not long, nor did it mend mat
ters much The sooner they come down to
the common-sense view of things, and re-
alize that demand and supply have some
thing to do with the question, the wiser
they will be. And another possible reali-
cation may come to the English farmer
that burdens have to be borne, and, as in
America, more than due proportion may
be his lot. Scotland, also, has awakened
to the unremunerative reward in producing
the cereal, since India is annually sending
in her increasing quotas. She forgets, pos
sibly, that it is English capital invested
there in railroads for the purpose of stimu-
lating production, and through it realizing
from the yield large dividends Control of
the markets and large returns for the in
vestments are foremost objects, and the
lands and labor of India for their service
and toll must be made subservient to these
purposes, let the result be what it may.
Our own country is realizing the bitter
fruits of gambling in wheat. Such specula-
tions tortured the markets and was main
cause in arousing purpose in England to
see if it was possible to break the supreme
cy of our control in bread-supplies, by hav-
ing more grain produced in the countries
subject to the Crown. That and other con-
siderations in finding outlets for machinery
of English manufacture and investments of
capital in railroads, all advancing the main
object and securing rich dividends, were
gigantic schemes which have proven sue
cessful. If the management of India af-
fairs is not gambling, it is equally as bad
and fixed in its oppressive monopolies. No
competition from the interior to the coast
in transportation lines exists there. How
ever willing the wheat-growers in England
might be to make common cause with In
dia and other producing countries in break
ing the letters which bind them, the effort
would avail nothing, for it is settled that
the wheat of India shall now be the chief
power in controlling the market and from
it, though the labor of the country and the
soil gain nothing in return, they are to play
their parts in securing that AID large div
idends. The Eng lish farmer would be glad
to have our sympathy, but he should re-
member that it pleased him we'll to think
our chief market would be taken from US,
not dreaming at the time that he was
to be cut down several notches. He did
not study his relations to trade monopoles.
else in seeking protection from threatened
danger to himself he might have given us
q helping hand in the impending crisis, and
been content to allow us a greater share in
feeding the millions of bread consumers in
the United Kingdom. If London and Liv-
erpool then fixed the prices of flour and
wheat for the world, they certainly do not
less exert that power now, and the powers
which set up the standards are as unheed-
full to the interests of the English wheat
grower as they are to all others.
Recurring to the admonition of the econ
omists, we have looked squarely at the sit
uation, but have not passed beyond the
point they left us. Neither an oblique nor
rear view will mend the matter, and we
hope they will soon appear again and tell
us what the future is, for which we have
been so earnestly entreated to prepare.
Looking at the matter as it concerns US
right here at home, we rejoice in the pros
pect of abundance, aud under all circum-
stances are for good layout in wheat cul-
ture. The high grade of farming it incul-
Gates, the Improvements of the soil it brings
about, cleaning the surface of stone and
disfgurements preparatory to the succeed
ing hay crops, all of which no other than a
reckless student of husbandry will fail to
consider, are some of its associated advan-
tages, which should outweigh all disap-
pointments when less than one dollar per
tushel is realized.