The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-08-06
than reported, but probably much

The following Associated Press dis
patches would indicate that the official
report does not tell the whole truth:
ST. PETERSBURG, July 1.-THE suf-
fering Of the people in the volRa coun-
try through famine is increasing
steadily"
.'ST. PETERSBURG, July 1.-THE crop
reports exclude all hope that there will
be surplus of cereals for export. The
importations Of foreign breadstuffs is
unavoidable.
Austria Is the only country which
until recently had crop prospects not
much below an average, but an Asso-
ciatcd Press dispatch Of June 10 states
that even that government is now
alarmed about the food question on ac-
count Of the destructive frosts in the
second week OF june.
In Italy and Spain measures are under
debate tending to protect the people
against famine.
In Germany the advisability Of call
ing together their congress on account
| of failure Of the crops has been dis
cussed in q long meeting OF the cabinet.
III sotSS "OIC uiSluNus hC
whole press now unanimously demands
| this measure and the council Of Berlin
has petitioned for it, and on account Of
the last disastrous June frosts this ex-
| traordinary step is considered unavoid-
able.
In France grain duties have been re-
duced and taxes RENTED to farmers on
| account of crop failure
In Belgium the most sanguinc esti-
| mate is no more than one-third Of q
crop, and the English crop is very late
and therefore uncertain.
All this does not mean small dam
age, which, in fact. no one would notice
until after harvest, but an alarming
failure, giving rise to the most serious
apprehensions.
Europe never raises as much wheat
as it needs. and with fair crops during
the last three years it has used up its
reserves and ali that America and India
could supply.
Now it cannot draw upon.its reserves,
and consequently this year it would be
short even II its crops were fair aver
age and ours as good as we have reason
to believe.
Our exporting capacity has greatly
decreased BY the increase in population,
and we would mot be able to spare for
Europe from four good crop years what
it will be short this year alone.
Under such circumstances ii IL certain
that the true rnlue IF mheat Is greater than
ecsr before, and 1t Is astonishing that specu-
ldtors should dare to bet on lo,c prices.
This, however, explains itself for the
following reasons:
During the four years, from 1884 to
1857. the speculation on low prices was
, successful on account OF the worlds
crops being in excess of the demand.
and during the last three years this
same speculation has been carried on
by cheek and did not result in disaster
only because there were resources to
draw upon.
This success for seven years has
made the spectators think that they
have discovered the philosophers stone
and that betting on low prices can al
ways be made to earn them money.
There is no doubt that they would
ruin themselves by pcrsisting in that
policy during this year, as the condi-
tons are entirely reversed, but il our
| crop rushes into the market right after
harvest there is the danger that most
of it will have been sacrificed before
| the speculation on low prices is broken.
| It would be. of course, an enormous
loss to the farming interest, il only the
| remnants Of the crop should bring the
| prices which are due to every bushel
| of it
The way of legislation is too slow to
save this crop from being wasted at
ridicnlously low prices, and it is not
likely that another such chance for the
farmer will present itself again In q
lifetime
There is, however. another 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 specu,ator
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 which you have
obtained during the last few years.
But il wet weather should not pre-
vent 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 real.
~ prevented an early harvest, and
| could You not for once avoid undue
haste in supplying the speculator with
the means of keeping down your
prices?
Resolve for instance that in view of
the condition of the worlds crops q
minimum price of S1.35 for wheat in
| New York is moderate and conserva-
tive. and that members Of your organ
ization pledge themselves not to market
their wheat at lower prices unless they
are under contract. and that they will
use their best efforts with friends and
! neighbors outside of the organization
! also to act on your resolutions.
Resolve also that the state alliances
form committee, which shall keep
4 lISNll pOSlCu dUOuC Vic oCAVC VA lHG
worlds markets and from time to time
notify the farmers of changes taking
place and advise them upon the mini
mum prices that they may reasonably
insist upon.
We will give you our reason for ar
irving at this figure. The prices of
wheat are really to be measured by the
English market. for that country is
the largest buyer, namely, to the ex-
tent of 144,OOO,0O0 yearly average.
| The prices for the last seven years
were entirely abnormal, as 1884 created
an unwieldy surplus which was kept
up and increased by several extra good
cropA
This surplus being entirely used up,
it is perfectly natural that wheat should
return to the usual prices
The average price OF wheat in Eng
land during the twenty years preceding
was 81. As per bushel.
Several years it rose over $500
bushel.
In this year of crop failure, far worse
than any that occurred during these
twenty wears il cannot be extrayav ant