The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-16
UNCLE JKRRY's GREAT DIpLoMAIIC
ENTERPRISE
Some Queer Points Assut Reeest Neretis
tlons Win Erasea anA aeruuanr.

CsvCLG bShhIYS GREAT DIPLOMAIJ(
ENTERPRISE
Some Queer Points Aseut Reee.t Nerotis.
lions with rrasee and 9errsany.
To THE EDITOR OF TEE Sus-.S6. Tho presen,
complicated and choked-up condition OF ne
gotlatlons between our Government and the
representatives Of certain European nations,
especially Germany and France. turns out to
DO rather sorry joke on the Granger Score.
tary Of Agriculture and on our diplomat in
general. Mr.. J. W. Foster. not to mention tho
President and tho remainder OF the Harrison
Administration.
Last summer. about the time the President
was making his trip up to bennington. II be-
cnme pretty well known that our own crops
would In all probability turn out well and that
the wheat and rye crops Of Old World coun-
tries were likely to provo short. This fred the
Imagination OF the Hon. jeremiah Rusk. whose
business 1t is to keep this Administration
solid with the American farmer. with an am
bition to do something to distinguish the new
department. Thinking that We might hayo o
surplus Of 125.000OO0 to 10000 600 bushels
OF wheat, with q foreign demand In excess OF
what we could supply. 1t struck him as good
thing to make known to Germany and France,
and to othor Old World peoples. tho exceeding
merits OF our corn bread. 10 he set to work
vigorously. Germany and France. upon whom
the work was concentrated. very readily fell
in with tho scheme While thoy could not
well afford to remove or diminish wheat
duties. they could afford to mako a
very low rate on corn. They could not afford
to antaeonize their agricultural populations
by permitting foreign competition the first
time their own farmers had chance to get
good price for their wheat crop under the new
European tariff schedules. Nor could they at-
ford to forego tho large revenue which would
como from imports Of certain amount Of
wheat. for both Governments arc staggering
under enormous burdens OF expense
On the other hand thoy could not ignore the
imperative cry OF their manufacturing people
for cheaper bread and in tho case Of Germany
especially there was another big string pulling
the beet sugar interest So they said:
We will let the wheat duties stand.
but We will mako only nominal du-
ties on corn. Probably two-thirds OF tho
wheat We would import with FREQ duties
will be substituted by corn costing less
than half us much per bushel. This. too. will
prevent our home wheat market from going
out OF sight, and will be great help to our
manufacturing classes. While it will in q
measure antagonize our farmers. yet on the
other hand they will continue to have mar
ket for their surplus beet sugar. and SO It will
be fair average"
This all looks very we'll from the German
standpoint or tho French. and from ours as It
stood last summer. before the enormous VOL
ume OF our wheat crop was suspected or
dreamed Of When 1t was thought We might have
only 150. 100000 bushels for export It looked
to be good thing to find place for 100. OOO.-
600 bushels Of our surplus corn. But when It
turns out that we have wheat crop
not Of 5O000OOOO bushels. as then ex-
pected. but Of 600. 100000 bushels according
to Government estimate. and OF 7OO.0OO.OOO
bushels according to other and more intelli-
gent calculation. with surplus for export
ranging anywhere from 100000 900 to 34O,-
100000 bushels. 1t does not seem 80 almighty
funny. or lucky or smart to have displaced the
odd hundred or two hundred millions OF our
extra and unexpected wheat surplus with o
lot Of cheap corn.
But that is Just what has been done. SO far
as anything has been done by the Washington
authorities. It Is not tho intention. either OF
Germany or France. to lessen or remove tho
duties on wheat They will both cut down, to
q nominal figure. the duties on corn. This
fact has been we'll known to certain parties in
New York and in Washington for three months
past. 1t has long been great mystery
why certain man. long successful in Wall
street. shrewd. sharp. keen. forsook his beaten
paths and went Into gigantic corn deal in
Chicago. But it is q mystery which will some
day be made plain. Tho great mistake was In
q belief that the treaty would be quickly COM
pleted and this years corn have free market
abroad.
But circumstances have changed 80 greatly
that when the recent canards as to Germany's
removal Of all duties on our cereals were sent
out from Washington. our great men at the
capital were careful to nod and look wise and
keep the lies alive without saying anything
definite. Thoy arc running for luck" and
next thing it will be sravely announced. to
console our farmers and take the wire edge of
their sorrow and disappointment, that while
this years export Of corn may provo a tenn
porary disbursement to wheat growers yet
In tho long run 1t will turn out to be Uncle
Jcrry's greatest. achievement because it will
BIO the beginning Of steady exports OF corn
10 replace the foreign ryo crop.
But tho fact is we have been picked up on a
pin hook and Uncle Jerry and the great and
only Foster have been out-traded G.
WASHINGTON. Oct. Is.