Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-23
Impracticable Schemes as 10 Wheat
and Corn.

The proposition TO reduce the acreage OF
land devoted 10 the cultivation of cotton,
tobacco, or anv other agricultural product,
Is in its very nature an impTacticable ono.
II a majority of the farmers, or planters
were TO meet together and endorse the
proposition, II would nevertheless prove
70 he failure a. the very moment IT was
most needed. The proposition 20 destroy
a portion Of any such crops would result
in like manner-would prove TO be COM
ple.e failure More than a hundred years
ago the plan Of burning portion of the
tobacco crop was tried in Virginia. but
proved 10 be no better thnn an abor-
ton. The proposition Of some of
the Alliances Of to-day 20 withhold
the wheat crop from market In order TO
secure higher prices for the wheat thus
withheld seems 20 have come 10 an I'M
timely end already. Actions speak louder
than words, and what the action OF the
wheat-growors has been lie shown In the
fact that the yniuo OF wheat exported
from this country in August, 1891, was
s22. 774,975 az against only Si.A'.sI9 IN
August. 1890. Mcssrs. HAMBLETos d Co., Of
Baltimore. state in their last circular that
ever since the season opened the ship
mcnts 81 grain from our seaboard have
been nearly equal to the receipts, and that
large quantities are still gong forward.
The slight decline III wheat which mani
tested itself last week brought fresh or
ders into tho markets again. showing that
Europe needs orr wheat and WILL II she is
sblc, purchase all we have ~ sell.
We repeat that the proposition 10 with
hold wheat from the market as means
of causing the price of that agricultural
product % rise IN the markets of the world
has already turned out To- be u staff upon
which the growers of gram cannot lean for
support. Each farmer after oil must study
the problem for himself, and decide for
himself what he will do when the question
comes UP whether he will sell his wheat at
present prices or take tho chances for
rise. Practically each farmer does and
will decide for himself. liza wheat-grower
already has money III his pocket. or has
no special use TO which TO put the money
which his wheat will bring to-day he may
safely decide to hold his crop till the NOR
row. but if he has no money in his pocket
and yet has a special use for money he
cannot afford TO take the chances OF de-
cline in prices. And he Is not going TO do
any snch thing. Any man, or faction, or
party which builds upon so unstable
foundation az an agreement of any num-
Der of producers of any sort agricultural,
manufacturing, or what MOTTO stand to-
Ccther and await the coming OF high
prices, OF even remuneratlvc prices. Will
surely find that foundation washing away
when IL is most needed.
We DO not predict that wheat will not
rise in price. We simply say that 1t il not
practicable 10 control the wheat market.
nor the cotton market, nor the tobacco
market in tho manner which some per-
sons recommend to the consideration Of
the Alliances and the Alliance men--the
farmers, planters, and workingmcn gene
rally. All Of us must take the world rs We
find II. None OF US know what might
result from general determination to
withhold wheat from the markets of Eu-
rope. Possibly so much money might thus
be locked up in that product as TO cause
serious difficulties in the monetary world.
II might be that panic would result.
A subject kindred TO the one under con-
sideraton is the question whether Indian
corn. or maize. AZ the Europeans call 1t, is
10 come into greater favor in Europe rs q
lreadstuf, in consequence of the scarcity
of wheat. II may surprise some persons
10 learn that the quantity of corn ex-
ported in August, $780, was more than
twice as large as the quantity exported in
August. 1891.
Let the farmers of Virginia come TO
their own conclusions.