Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-09-17
The English Breadstufs' Market.


The English Breadstuffs' Market.
The producers of breadstuffs in Great
Britain have long maintained that the in
fuences of the Government and the i'm
mense capital of the commercial interests
were exercised much more on the lines of
favoritism to the consumers than to the
producers. The interference in the natural
course Of trade some years ago, particularly
as it affected the early and regular flow of
the surplus of breadstuffs from the United
States to the English markets, brought
about with stronger purposes than ever be-
fore, manifested the unity between British
craftsmanship and commerce to prevent
the possibility at any time of a scarcity
which might lead to trouble with the poorer
classes of consumers in the United King
dom. The notable instances that &C.
mented British craftsmanship and capital
in that direction, occurred in the United
States, arising from that class of speeula-
ton known as "Cornering" the surplus to
the extent of interfering with the natural
laws Of supply and demand. Then it was
that the elements of power referred to, de-
termined to make British India wheat
exporting country with the purpose
that the surplus should become subject to
home interests, the chief of which was to
see that the small class of buyers of bread
stuffs, but at the same time the largest in
the aggregate of consumers, were kept in
good humor on that vital point. The
craftsmanship and the capital united as
they were, and are, had a heavy job on
their hands; but it was the folly of I'M
warranted speculation in cur own country
as much as anything else that enabled them
to steer ahead in their designs. To in
crease agricultural development in India,
as in any other country, required greater
transportation facilities to the interior, and
to construct that, capital was required. 1t
could be furnished, but a sufficient divi-
dend was not assured in the amount of
traffic the railroad to be constructed would
create, though wheat culture should De
pushed to its extreme-especially as the
wheat must be put in the English markets
at disadvantage to the American wheat,
and in like manner, the product of the
United Kingdom and all other countries
seeking to supply the excess Of demand
over home production. To secure divi-
dends on the railroad investments, and at
the same time keep down prices under a
profit to the United States, the home
producer had necessarily to yield to the
combination whose supreme object was
cheap breadstuffs.
India, producing annually a growing
surplus, made the greater by feeding the
field-laborers on rice-denying them the
stronger food their own toll produced-has
placed at the disposal-as the powerful
means of capital controlling commerce for
special purposes can WELD it-from twenty
five to forty. five million bushels CT wheat
annually. To say that such management
as THE has no effect in the manipulations
of the prices Of breadstuffs, and that a
powerful controlling influence does not go
abroad over the world in consequence of it,
is to deny what the English agricultursts
have long maintained and successfully de-
monstrated to be true, and in conflict with
their interests. They are made to sell at
less than the normal value, because of two
important considerations; the one that Of
dividends for investments in the transporta-
tion lines in India, and the other-of even
greater moment-cheap breadstuffs for the
millions OF consumers.
The situation is now somewhat changed.
"Cornering'' in Chicago and New York to
any great extent is failing. Combinations
of that character cannot be carried on now
as they once were, and other and legitimate
influences in commercial intercourse pre-
vail, more exempt from hazardous and
irregular speculation. Whilst the situation
is thus improving in our country, India,
the reliance to thwart an annual tribute to
us from the Old World, is failing to fulfill
her share of the scheme for the depression
of our interests. The truth has now to be
confessed, that the Asiatic dependency Of
the British power failed from the first to
produce wheat that would make coed
bread, and that the hard grain of American
product was necessary to be mixed with it
to make q passable substitute. The real
trouble now about the India contingent is
the decreased production. For three years
the yield has been falling off, and in conge-
quence the quantity for export will be but
little over half Of what it was before the
decrease became subject Of serious con-
Germ.
The interest Of the English producer in
one respect is identical with that Of the
American wheat-grower, and to a certain
extent his advantages are superior. His
product goes upon home market of de-
maud whilst the American finds it's first op.
portunity in country of supply. The
English producer claims that he should
have the benefit of the cost of transporta-
ton as the exporting countries have to bear
it in reaching the English demand, but in
the case Of Indian production, it is made to
meet that in anticipation, and the manner
in which the united interests for cheap
bread, and the behests of government can
WELD the export of that country, set al
most at defiance any movements which the
home producers can bring to bear that will
relieve them from the effects of the com
bined Influences.
If it were possible to bring about the
operation Of influences in the United States
in which craftsmanship and commercial
interests should be united in promoting
our producing interests-not on the princi
Pile they are united in England, for they
are opposite to some extent, but upon
proper estimate of our produced values as
they are shipped from our shores-the
surplus of Indian wheat would soon be of