Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-07-18
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
The. wheat Prospect,

| ppCCuldbOFS dTC fcmOToClOooiy
mering away at the price of wheat,
urging the promised large crop as q
reason for making it cheaper. They
generally do this kind of work re-
morselessly, rs the remorse usually
comes later in the game, and this time
is reasonably sure. 1t is not certain
yet that the wheat crop this year will
be a large one. A score of contingen-
cies such as continued drought or its
opposite, wet harvest, insect one
mics and rust, are yet liable to dimin-
ish the present prospect of good
crop. If the yield should reach the
large total Of the wheat crop of 1884,
5l2, 900, 600 bushels, it must be remem-
bered that it will come after the very
deficient crop of 1888.
Both the visible and invisible supply
Of wheat are now much below what
they were five years ago, while then
other countries on which the world de-
ponds for wheat had much fuller crops
than now. The Australian, Indian
and South American wheat crops this
year are all much smaller than in 1884
The whole world will call on us for
more wheat than it has in any recent
year, and we can get better prices
than have been paid if we only ask for
them.
The decline in wheat prices few
years ago took thousands of farmers
by surprise, and has doubtless dis
Outraged many. The surprise was the
greater because the new factor of
cheap Indian wheat was not then fully
understood. Under this influence
wheat prices were forced down below
cost OF production, and for most of the
time have remained SO ever since.
This unnatural state of things could
not last. If there be anything sure in
economies it is that the production of
II great staple of human food like
wheat must, in the long run, be profit
able to those engaged in 1t, not that it
will be everywhere and every year a
source of profit Bad seasons or other
causes may make its production loss
at times, but where this fact exists it
is either temporary or in that place
the growing OF wheat must be abandon
ed. This was the condition few years
ago when India began growing and ex-
porting wheat extensively. 1t was a
contest in the industrial world to see
by whom and where could wheat be
grown most cheaply. The greatly
lesscned production of wheat this year
by our competitors, combined, as it
probably will be, with a good crop of
our own, virtually decides this blood
less industrial duel in our favor The
farmers OF this country are the victors,
and here, rather than elsewhere, will
the world, for a few years to come,
look for its wheat supply.
The victory has probably greater
significance for the prosperity of our
country than is probably generally ap-
preciated. This is still largely coun-
try OF agricultural industries and de-
ponds more upon the prosperity of
American farmers than upon anything
else.
Ii we can grow wheat moro cheaply
than other nations, it will incidentally
benefit all other industries. Though
wheat may be necessarily higher than
for several years past it will be cheap
er here at the place of its production
than it can be placed anywhere else
after cost of exporting has been added.
England has long made point in eco
nomic policy in furnishing cheap food
loi bIC WI MILE cldSSCSs ny Uut fSDtdl
of duties on grain it added enormously
to the advantage of its manufacturers
for cheap production. But the United
States is also becoming a great manu-
featuring nation and it is reasonably
sure to have cheaper foods OF all kinds
than the English artisan. We have
long had this pre-eminece in growing
corn, and also, pork, beef and all incl
dental products. Now the decision in
our favor of the industrial duel gives
us, for time, at least, the like suprem-
acy in the production of cheap wheat.
There is no apparent danger from
any quarter OF new and cheaper sup
plies of wheat cutting under our sup
ply and forcing it down to lower
level. The farmers of this country
will, after harvest, hold in their gran
aries the available wheat for supply
ing the old worlds markets. They
are entitled to good price for this
wheat, which If they have not been I'M
fortunate in having a bad crop should
pay them for the labor and time given
in producing it and some profit be-
sides. That is the natural position of
a farmer with good crop of any
thing. There is no reason this year
why farmers should not get paying
price for their wheat unless they are
frightened into selling by the talk of
spectators anxious to buy the crop
low and make the profit themselves.
1t is never wise to hold grain for
prices greatly above the cost Of pro-
duction. When the owner of crop
of any kind is offered a paying price
it is risky to refuse it. For several
years the growers of wheat have been
obliged to sell at less than cost, but if
they do so this year we think they will
make n mistake. American Cultiva-
tor.
| WsedKiliing.