The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-08-08
How to Beat MOnOpOlies.

HOW W DCbU uOuUpUllCSs
Some months ago, in discussing the
probable supply of wheat, it was sug.
gested that too little attention had been
paid to the variations in consumption
caused by difference in price. The crop
year has closed without the enormous
foreign demand which was predicted,
and those who attempt to reconcile their
calculations of deficiency in supplies
with the actual state OF the markets here
and abroad, find their task very difficult,
except on the supposition that:
First-American consumption was di.
minished by the unnaturally high price
of wheat and OF bread during part of the
year, about as much as the estimated
Joss in practical supply by deficiency in
weight of last years crop. For the re-
turns correspond closely with the usual
estimates, without any allowance on the
one hand for deficiency in weight, or on
the other hand for reduced consumption.
Second-Eithert the accepted European
estimates of last years yield were below
the truth, or the consumption in some
European countries fell below the usual
average. The latter supposition is ap-
parently the more reasonable, because it
is known that about 10000, 900 bushels
of corn were exported from this country,
of which a considerable part was proba-
bly, used instead of wheat.
There are symptoms of similar state
of things in the sugar business. Stats.
tical authorities have asserted that there
was going to be scarcity amounting to
famine. But all their reckonings we're
based upon the notion that the world
would buy and consume as much sugar
costing over cents here,as it consumed
a few years ago of sugar costing less than
cents here. There was no reason in
such calculation, and retail dealers
have complained of late, that the pur-
chases of consumers in this country have
diminished remarkably. West India re-
fining sugar, which sold in London at
los. Cd. per hundredweight two years
ago and l2s. Cd. one year ago, sold at
2Os. Cd. at the end of June, and it would
| be one of the most marvellous events of
the time if no decrease in consumption
should result from so great change in
cost.
But it is easy to see that all the calcu-
lations of the speculators and the trust
are likely to be defeated, if there has
been on both sides Of the ocean any
considerable decrease in the quantity of
sugar consumed. A decrease of only
one.tenth in the consumption in this
country, which is smaller shrinkage
than might have been expected with a
raise of 70 per cent. in price, would
almost balance the estimated deficiency
in the whole worlds supply, and like
decrease in Europe would leave the re-
duced supply more than 100000 tons in
excess OF the reduced consumption
Whether any such decrease in consump'
ton has appeared abroad may not be
accurately ascertained for some time tc
come, but there is much evidence thai
it has begun in this country.
The consumers have always this one
irresistible defence against trade monop'
olies and extortions. Forced to carry
great stocks in order to control the mar
ket, the monopoly can always be crushed
by a moderate economy on the part Of
consumers. The French copper syndi
cate had at command many millions o.
capital, but a shrinkage OF a quarter in
the worlds consumption OF copper broke
down the combination in year. Any
American can without serious depriva
ton cut down his purchases of sugar
more than tenth, but a shrinkage in
consumption to that extent, would soor
put the Sugar Trust into difficulties
Neav York Tribune.