Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-12-04

utteriy la2l to give any lntlmatlOn or, l: ger stocks of wheat aioat on the ]. II seas for European ports and unex- I ted apathy on the part of importers l a Londcn and Liverpool naturally aid bears on wheat in the United States and the existing situation is ac- | counted for.
 What do the bulls rely on?
 ion anything, it must be on the re- peatedly affirmed (and denied) stoI.es of short supplies of wheat in Russia and on expectations that Germany. France and the United Kingdom will become literal purchasers in our markets per force fate next spring.
 And right here comes the last ques- ton. If, with only an average wheat crop here after year of unSSual deple- ton of reserves, with extra require l ments on the part of countries depend ing largely upon imported wheat and probable short supplies in one tor more) rural exporting countries-if I say, with these fayoring circumstances, wo find England, for instance, willing to buy sparingly, to let us carry our stocks. where is the encouraging fea- ture of our prospects as a wheat grower in excess of home wants?
 Without attempting to give final answer. 1t may be we'll to consider this: So far as Russia and India and Argen- tine Republic are concerned, the culti- vation of wheat is extending and con- dltions prevailing there, such as cheap labor, cheap land and fertile soils, that enable them to compete. in the aggre- gate, to large extent with the United states. Australia, too, has done con sldorah hle in this direction and promises | to do more. Here we have cheap trans portatlon, the most improved means of sowing. cultivating and harvesting, and a restless, energetic population. Until quite recently we have had an easy advantage over would-be rival heat exporting countries, and the question plainly presents itself: are we to be permitted to retain this supremacy, or is the Russian peasant, tine Indian ryot the emigrant to South America to shut out the intelli- gent, well-eQ uipped farmer in the great l western grain States of North America? l A few days ago 1 learned that there ! are others giving their attention to this problem. gentleman of perhaps | thirty years, with a rotund, ruddy face, 1 German cast of countenance, dark hair i brushed back. but which, cut short, stood straight up over over his head, a 1 few slight but well healed scars about his cheeks and forehead, relics, possi- i hly. of his days at a German | niversity, ;.n erect, soldierly bearing and man ner 1t once easy and retined-such a visitor handed me a letter of introduce tion. II read as follows:
 IMPERIAL GERMAN CONSULATE GENERAL,
 No. , Bowling Green;
 DEAR SlR:-Dr. George Rutland, tho bearer of this letter. has been recommended to me by the Ger man Government. His object in travel- 1 ing is to study the production of grain i'll different countries, the freight tariffs and other matters connected herewith l must be greatly indebted to you for any information or assistance you would kindly give him." etc.
 Dr. George EuShland proved to be charming talker and an enthusiast on the bject which Prince Bismarck com | missioned him to investigate. He has | visited Russia. India and Australia, 1 think he said California and thence to | New York on his way home.
 He wished for data as to the growth | or railway mileage, the telegraph. the | gradual decline in interest rates since | 1858. the farm mortgage business and l kindred topics, and was soon supplied to the extent of my resources. Aside from official publications and copies of one or two leading economic publica- tions, Dr. Ruhland took an interest in | some papers by Edward Atkinson and 1 David \. Wells.
 Tho German Commissioner frankly stated that the former prominence of the nlted State as a wheat producer and seller in the worlds markets, was not. in his opinion, due, as commonly ex- piained, to fertile and cheap lands lacked hy pushing individuals. Those vharac acterisrics might have little to do with it, but. if so, the United States is doomed as a competitor with Russian and Indian wheat, for the latter countries have vast reglons of practi- ally virgin soil more fertile than our own wheat lands, and to be had for little or nc eNFenSe. Our cheap freight rates aGd elevated systems are important factors, but India is pushing it's rail- ways and Russia and Argentine their interior strange elevators. The doctor | is of the opinion that the rapid eXten- sion of wheat production in the United States, and the ability to maintain it in the face of low prices, is due primarily to the rapid flow of capital to the soil in the form of loans. The ease and facility with which the American agricultural lst can borrow money to tide him over poor seasons and to procure machinery or other supplies. and the relatively low rate of interest at which he can accomplish this, compared with farmers in other lands, are regarded as the key note to the persistent ight which Ameri- can wheat growers have made against rivals favored in the race by lower civilization, and therefore few and in- ! expensive wants.
 Just how the heavily mortgaged American farmer inter1s to escape his yoke, Dr. Ruhland id not have time to explain; but his report to hls government, when published,
 will prove of special interest here.
 The action of the German Government in sending Dr. Ruhland on this mission
 is in direct line with the enterprise shown in its reorganized and enlarged navy and it's well-formed and, even to
 English minds, quite imposing schemes for colonization. The German first measures all his material, counts the cost. plans his work down to the last coat of polish. and then goes to work.
 He is notting if not thorough.
 Taking the suggestion of tho travel
 ing commissioner of the German Gov ernment, who has investigated causes of
 excessive wheat production and the
 ability to sell it in competition with semi civilized peoples, for what 1t is
 worth, how does it weigh upon the
 wheat producing and exporting condi-
 tions prevailing here, outlined above ?
 Within a few years no radical changes
 are promised. But the conclusion Is | forced homo irriSiStibly that loans will