Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-31
The STAFF of Life.

The star OF Life.
Our American farmers are especially
fortunate this year in the abundance of
the wheat crop. A bountiful yield of the
cereal does not always bring satisfactory
financial returns, for when the supply has
been large the prices have been such that
the farmer rarely profited in an unusual
degree. The situation now appears to
be entirely different because of the failure
of the wheat crop in eastern European
countries. This deficiency naturally will
in a large measure necessarily be supplied
by America. Yet from statistics which
have been carefully estimated this coun>
try will have only 200 100000 of bushels
for export while Europe will need 300,-
000,0 900 bushels this winter. Reports
from England, Germany and France show
that the crops have suffered terribly from
wet weather. In Ireland harvest opera
tions have been entirely suspended on
account of bad weather. The most fav>
orable estimate that can be made shows
that Great Britain will hardly reach sn
average of 70, 100000 bushels, and the
wheat operators ssy it did not
yield more than 60000,0O0 bush
els. Even at the fret esti-
mate England must import 10, OJ0. 900
bushels ad sitiensl to feed its own popu
lation. While Russia usually exports
100, 900, 900 bushels of wheat. this yesr
1t cannot export more than 10000, 600.
and the ukase against the export of rye
will make matters still worse, inasmuca
as black bread is the staple article of food
among the poor classes of Germany,
Austria and other European countries,
and Russia is one of the chief sources of
supply. Germany consumes all of the
rye it raises, 800 600, 600 bushels, and also
imports largely from Russia. Austria
Hungry grows 1S0,000.000 bushels and
can give no aid. 1t is well for Americans
who have wheat to know that in Ger
many and Russia there is great soiicita-
ton over the situation, and meetings are
being held to devise methods Of relief
Russian and Polish railways have been
ordered not to haul wheat, rye and -four
over the frontiers. Ga rye for home
consumption Russia will fall short
by at least $3.50, 100000 busehls
The influential German journals are al
ready pressing the government TO reduce
the duty on imported cereals. Reduction
of railway rates and the supply OF white
bread TO the army are looked upon ss
precautionary measures. In France the
outlook is not SO bad, but there will be a
deficiency of $4,000, COO bushels according
to the estimste of the National Associa-
ton of French Millets. In Italy there
will probably be demand for about
1000, 900 bushels. Australia ordinarily
exports about 10, 600, 600 bushels. This
year that country will be likely to import
that amount. The careful canvas which
has been made of the situation discloses
the fact that there is no danger of q
famine. 1t is simply the distress and
hardships which a natural rise in the price
of wheat will entail. The American
farmers should pay close attention to the
words of Sidney Klien, one of the great
wheat operators Of Chicago and London,
who has said to a Chicago Tribune repre-
sentative:
american farmers Oughtto realize that
they have the whole world under their
thumb They are letting wheat out freely
Russia is 172 600 600 bushels short Of rye
for home consumption. Most of It's rye
used to go to Germany where the whole
army was fed or rye. Belgium, Holland
and Germany are also short of rye. This
deficit must be made up 6y wheat from
somewhere. Italy won't need more than
10000. 900 bushels for import this year,
possibly less. France has fallen short,
and will require about 90 GOO 600 bushels
England Will need the usual import of
140. 900 600 bushels. ! should think thst
the states harvest will yield fully ESQ.,
600 600 bushels of wheat this year O1e
of the big handlers in the northwest puts
it as high as 200 00O. 600 bushels THIS
may be extreme. One of the best crop
statistiCians puts the yield at $50, 000. COO
bushels. Europe must have wheat, and
American handlers have the market en-
tirely at their control. Almost any
reasonable price will be given for it.
o There are two things which are factors in
the present market. l believe that the
young German emperor will finally get
the import duty taken off of wheat shipped
to Germany. This would send wheat up
four or five shillings per quarter all over
the world. American spectators will
probably run it up Is or 90 cents bushel
beyond present prices; then, if Russia
prohibits the expectation Of wheat, the
price will mount from 80 to so cents
bushel. These will be the two great fac.
tors for the advancing price of wheat in
the near future. There is next to noth>
ing left of last years stock and depend
ence can only be placed on this years
output. The millers are all out of wheat,
], e !,