The advocate., 1891-10-14
OYERpRODuCTrON.
he National Citizens Alliance.

joicing over abundant crops and the
prospects of an increased foreign demand
for both grain and meat products. 1t is
alleged that prosperity and relief from
financial distress wait upon the export
Of these products and the import Of the
money which they bring. 1t is not the
increased number of bushels of wheat or
pounds Of meat that is expected to pro-
duce this increase of revenue, but the en-
hanced price arising from an unexpected
demand.
The present crop of wheat Is estimated
at about 5O0,0O0,O0O bushels, with home
consumption for bread and seed of $780,
100000, leaving 140,OOO,OO0 bushels for
export. The average export for the past
ten years has been 197,O00,O0O bushels,
which comes up to within 100000
bushels of the present amount for ex-
port. If 1t can be shown that the people
of the United States could consume this
entire amount by being properly fed, then
the whole question would turn on the
ability OF the different countries to pur-
chase. Until it becomes a matter of
actual want, which Is not looked for In
this case, the condition of the people in
regard to their ability to buy and con-
sumo will determine the volume of ex-
port. The ability to purchase must be
considered in connection with the ability
to hold, or the necessity to sell, since
they are all prime factors In the level
price Of the products of labor. If the
people of the United States, in order to
be fully and properly fed, demand the
entire product of wheat, 1t must follow
that whatever may be exported is be-
cause of willingness to surrender GER
tain comforts that are found in good liv-
ing, for the sake of receiving an equiva-
lent from some other form, or relief from
debt or similar obligations. 1t is not fair
to presume that the people of this coun-
try or any other would deprive them
selves of their natural allowance of bread
or food as a mere act Of philanthropy.
The world has become too selfish for such
action. These conditions are only brought
about by the necessity to sell which
usually obtains through the medium of
debt. The quality Of exports, therefore,
In this case becomes matter of conten-
ton between the demands of the stomach
on the one side, and the opportunities of
the creditor an the other. It is safe to
assume that were all the people Of the
United States properly fed there would
be very little If any products remaining
for export AS proof of this, reference is
made to the following section Of the
army regulations:
A ration is the established daily allow
ance of food for one person. AS now fixed
its compOnents are as follows: Twelve
ounces of pork or bacon, or canned beef,
(fresh or corned), or one pound and four
ounces of fresh beef, or twenty-five ounces
of salt beef: eighteen ounces of soft bread
or flour, or sixteen ounces of hard bread, or
one pound and four ounces of corn meal;
and to every one hundred rations, fifteen
pounds of beans or peas, or ten pounds of
Pica oP houninu. kav, nonpdo ~ ryvaav, ooFao
or eight of roasted (or roasted and ground)
coffee, or two pounds of tea; fifteen pounds
of sugar, four quarts of vinegar, four pounds
soap, four pounds of salt, four ounces of
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