The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-17
RYE-MEAL AND REVOLUTION.
Unenviable State of Affairs in Europe on Which
Our Farmers Can Look with Complscency.

Unenvisble State of Affairs I'm Europe on Which
Our Farmers Can Look with Complscency.
Boston Herald
The nations of Europe have done their
best for many years to make themselves In
dependent Of each other. The expert
ment, however, has always been q failure.
Germany. for example. and Austria. too.
people have never taken kindly to wheat
-four. partly bee ause IL is more costly than
rye. ana their slender purses can't afford the
luxury, but mostly because they have lived
so long on rye that their tastes and prefer
ences AVE become fixed. Russia produces
q good deal of the rye which is made into
bread for her n%eighbors. She has broad
acres, cheap labor, and the crop which finds
its way to the markets east of the Rhine is
q very profitable one.
Whatever may be the political relations
between these countries. If the Russian
rye-iields pour their product into the west
ern nations they are measurably happy and
contented. Good rye bread, at o price
within reach of the peasants. is a boon too
nearly priceless for calculation. Dear
bread, OF the contrary, makes the peas
antry uncomfortable. and gives an impe-
tus to inciplent revolution. A mouth we'll
filled Is apt to be loyal in Its utterances; a
mouth with not enough in 1t to satisfy the
cravings of hunger gives vent to very ugly
political sentiments. The man with his
stomach in good working order, resembling
u RIl6tsulll Will pl6uty VI SIlot, ID HOT III
clined to grumble; but the man with a
gnawlng stomach, resembling q grist-mill
in which the upper and neither stones grind
each other, becomes q iolsnt Socialist
from the very necessity of the case.
When, therefore. the CZar issued q ukase
f%orbidding the export of rye he created a
great stir and caused serious alarm. 1t was
q heroic measure, which may or may not
have q political significance and may OF
may not result in q controversy of diplo-
rnotoa a rota ~ ~ a N m rnntIaaA -
very considerable Importance. and is more
than likely to increase the bitterness with
which the German malcontents regard their
government. They insist that the
friendllness with Russia that they shall
have at least rye bread enough to eat.
When. therefore. the market price of rye is
raised. they begin at once to studiously TO-
ment trouble among the common people. A
smaller thing than rye meal has more than
ing.
Russia's position as to this matter is ap-
parently impregnable. The politicians may
say that the ukase was in the nature of q
reprisal against England and Germany, and
q direct consequence of the visit of the En-.
peror to the Queen; but Russia replies that
she had no ulterior purpose to serve. Her
crops have failed her in great part. her sub.
jects need all the grain which will be
gathered this year for home consumption
and the only end the Car had in view was &c
keep needful breadstuffs within the limits OF
his own dominion. HIS first business is ia
look after the welfare of his subjects and to
issue such mandates as are necessary to
self preservation. Ii Germany and Austris
can't raise enough to supply their own
wants, that 10 their affair, not his. He is
not bound to feed his own people and the
people of other nations. too. In good years
he 10 willing to allow his surplus to &c
abroad at q reasonable profit, but in q shor,
year, when Russians can eat all they raise
there IL no reason why his subjects should
! 60 hungry in order to fill the bake.ovens OF
Austria and Germany.
The American farmers contemplate the
scene with large and hopeful equanimlty
the sunshine and rain have been generou,
to them. and they find themselves on the
edge of autumn with O good deal more
than their barns can hold. They arr
quite willing to export whatever they can
spare. M that will be quite enough TO feed
all the rest of creation. But it 10 perfectly
natural when there is o large demand fol
their crops. to ask q ~remunerative price fol
their possessions. Europe has never failet
to take q rather greedy advantage or oul
needs: but we can speak for our Western
farmers and say that no part of Europs
need go hungry this winter, for we have
surplus and are quite willing to send il
abroad without asking for it an extortion,
ate price.