Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-07-17
that is not backed by public opinion?
Not the room it takes on the book.
THE FARMER VS.. THE spECULAToR

Owing to the general interest taken in
the subject, and to it's Importance, the
Jamestown Alert reproduces the sub
stance of the circular sent to farmers
and alliances all over the United States,
urging every wheat grower to hold his
wheat this fall for a short time at least,
in order to advance prices. 1t is admit
ted that if the plan is but partially car
ried out success will follow and wheat
instead of being run down to go or 80
cents will be worth at least 81 a bushel.
The circular states what everybody
knows is approximately true, and comes
from a source that has the endorsement
of the alliances of the country. The cir
cular is doubly important in that it re-
lates to a practical and business like
proposition, and contains no boom for
any presidential candidate or aspiring
politician. The circular, in substance, is
as follows:
The farmers alliance demand unani-
mously that the speculation for future
delivery of cereals shall be prohibited.
The greatest competitor of the farmer is
the Spectator, and his competition is not
at all fair, because he sells what he has
not got and can sell unlimited quantities
while the farmer has no more to offer
than nature grants to him. The specu-
lator sells for delivery in any month in
the year, and therefore makes 1t unneces-
sary for the actual consumer, the miller
and the exporter to lay in such stocks as
he may consider reasonably sufficient for
his requirements. The farmer coming
in with actual grain finds most of his
customers supplied by the s~peculator
with promises to deliver. He has no
choice but to sell to the elevator man at
a lower price than the Chicago specula-
tor has offered his promises. It is a
competition between grain and wind, in
which the wind has the advantage, as the
wind crop is never short. The farmer is
told that it is best for him to sell as
quickly as possible; that there is a super
abundance of wheat; that Europe will
pay no more, and that if the United
States will not sell it, Europeans will
buy of other countries, which would be
glad to have the trade.
Now, there comes in the swindle. In
dia is the only country (America except
edl that has any wheat to sell to Europe
namely, about 100000 bushels per
year. ALI that they have to spare is
shipped or contracted for long before u
crop comes into the market and sup
plies only a small portion of the lA,OO0,-
600 bushels yearly imported by England
alone. People talking about Egypt,
Australia, Argentine Republic, ETC., as
competitors with American wheat are
either ignorant or lie, for all these coun-
tries together have not enough surplus
for export to Europe to feed it for three
days. You have probably heard that
we'll worn talk that now every month in
the year there is a wheat crop harvested
somewhere in the world. This is proba-
bly, true, but it. has not a particle of in
fuence in the worlds market, because it
is all needed at home, and probably more
too. But no matter how ridiculous his
assertions are, the %speculator succeeds in
depressing prices and makes a profit. If
finally at the end of a crop year the sup
ply gets notably scarce he still tries to
hold down the prices by talking about
the enormous crop that is going to come.
This manipulation has robbed the farm
or of this country of 100000, 900 in the
last three years.
Now this year seems especially de-
signed by providence to help our farm
ing interest. Our wheat crop promises
to be good, the European crops are worse
than they ever have been and the re-
serves are exhausted.
THE REMEDY.
There is a remedy, simple, effective
and entirely within your control. The
stocks of wheat and -four are hardly
large enough to supply the wants of this
country until the new crop comes in.
The temporary safety of the Spectator
depends on an early crop and a rush
into the market. If for some reason,
wet weather for instance, the rush of
new wheat should not come as early as
anticipated the market for this crop
would start in with double the prices
you have obtained during the last few
years.
But if wet weather should not prevent
an early harvest, is it necessary that you
should allow the Spectator to rob you
of half the value of your crop? Could
you not act as if rain had really prevent
ed an early harvest, and could you not
for once avoid undue haste in supplying
the speculator with the means of keep
ing down your price?. Resolve, for in