The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-04-28
ECONOMY IN SUPPLYING WHEAT.

Against india In the Worlds wheat
supply.
Last September Mr.. Edward Atkin-
son addressed section OF the Brit
ish Associat on for the advance
ment of Science on the silver quest on.
In the course of his address he made q
guarded statement 10 the effect that
since the years Immediately preceding
the SO called decentralization of silver
by Germany in 1883, when the price of
wheat in Mark lane was about 50 shill-
ings per quarter, there had beeR such
economies in The production and tlislri-
button OF wheat in the United States as
to make it practically certain that at
the present time "a shillings per quar-
ter would yield as good results to the
American farmer l. 500 miles from the
seaboard as so shillings did then. Mr.
Atkinson did not profess to be exact, hs
he had no books at hand for reference;
but he aimed to keep we'll within
bounds.
The statement, which must have
been startling to an English audience.
as we'll as dIsquieting TO English land
lords and farmers. was challenged at
all points, especially by number of
correspondents of The London TIMES.
1t was contested as 10 nil its details, and
some writers rather broadly itsinuated
that Mr. Atkinson was in alleged Amer.
lean propensity to spread the eagle.
Mn Atkinson did not care I'd rest
under the suspicion Of having made an
unfounded and exlravagant assertion
in the presence of grave scientific
association. Accordingly on his return
10 this country he made thorough in
vestigation of the subject, and the re-
suits are given the public III two letters
addressed 10 Bradstreet's and TIE
London Times. Interesting as they
are to all Americans engaged in farm
ing milling. and the grain trade. they
are too long for reproduction entire in
the columns OF The Times. Their
substance may, however, be stated
| with n moderate bounds
Taking up first the assertion of some
OF his critics that western farmers
were, as body tending. towards
bankruptcy or being eaten up by
mortgages. Mr.. Atkinson summarizes
the returns he has received from the
books Of fifteen companies and firms
which have loaned eastern money upon
western lands for periods ranging from
two and half TO thirty-e.ght years.
These returns cover in round figures
$50. 900 mortgages. amounting 10 1884,
0O0.0 600, averaging about 5000 loaned
on each mortgage. OF these 1873,
amounting to siio. 100000, have been
paid. and 1l6, 500. amounting 10 $l23.
500. 600. are still outstanding. Not one
per cent. in number of the mortgages
have been foreclosed, and as the net
result of foreclosure sales there has
been no loss. At present interest is
be ng promptly met Tho average
rate of interest has fallen in twenty
years from 10 TO II per cent, or even
Is per cent. to 81 or per cent.
Replies to questions addressed to
manufacturers and merchants point to
the same conclusion-that farmers, rs
body, are prosperous rather than the
reverse.
Mr.. Atkison next takes up the cost
Of transportation. and shows from
sufficient data that the reduction by
rail east of Chicago since 1870. 1871,
and 1872 has been seven-tentbs OF a .
cent per ton per mile. West of Chica-
60 he says, it has been in greater pro.
portion, though he has not the means
of showing how mnch greater AS
Stunning that it has been no greater.
there would still be a reduction of /
cent per ton per mile for 1900 miles.
instead of three-fourths of cent as
he stated in his Manchester address.
He finds. therefore. that the reduction
on quarter of wheat for 1000 miles
has been over II shilings He finds
also that the reduction in ocean traffic
charges has been 5s. per quarter. in
stead Of 2 as lie stated ut Manchester.
He also finds that the charges for ele-
waiting. handling. and the like. have
been reduced Is, and the cost Of mill.
ing, includ ng the substitution of bags
for sacks. at least IS. per quarter.
These figures are more than supported
by seperate estimate by Brads.reefs
from Chicago to New York. averaging
water rates with rail rates In addition
to this there has been saving Of 2s.
or more in the cost of planting and
reaping The reductions per quarter
are summarized as follows:
In railway charges. Ia or more
In ocean charges. ...............5 s.
10 planting and reaping. ......... Is. or more.
10 milling and sacking. .....s.... Ss. or more.
In elevating, handing. ete........ Is
Minimum reduction per quarter. .22s.
1t would only be necessary to show a
reduction Of los. to make good the
Manchester statement that 34s. was as
good for the American farmer 1850 |
miles from the seaboard now as Sos.
was in 1909. 1t would seem. there
fore, that Mr.. Atkinson had IS. to spare.
at the least. and that 28s will bring as
much TO the western farmer now as sos
did in the earlier period.
1t may be said that the saving in |
planting and reap;ng has been effected
by machines that the average western
farmer can afford to buy. and therefore
that it can not be said to reduce the
price at which the average farmer can
afford to sell. But granting this. which
can not be wholly true, and granting
that the cost of maintaining the pro-
ductiveness Of the soil is increasing. it
must still be admitted that Mr.. Akin
son has made good his position with a
margin of at least IS per quarter to
spare. chicago Times.
A Lady Killer of the Hoosier