The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-26
A WHEAT BUYERS Views.
Frank Sears Thinks Farmers Mako q
Mistake in Holding Grainz

TACOMA, Dec. 25.-fSpecial. 81 told
Alexander Baillie, local manager f.1r Bal
four, Guthrie Il Co., yesterday Frank
Sears said today. that he was not-paying
enough for wheat. He figured on t4le SUBJ
Ject and showed me that he is payif.g more
(641a cents) than the Liverpool .narket
warrants. During the past ten days wheat
has fallen Oft approximately 10 CENTS at
Liverpool; in this country the declsne has
been but five cents. There are liz sight
now in this country 100000 busSes of
wheat. That is 20, ,O00, 900 more tha.l there
was in sight this time last year. Eesides,
last year at this time nearly all theE wheat
was delivered; this year probably not
more than 5 per cent. over half 5of the
yield has been delivered. Take, Cor ex-
ample, Washington and Oregon. where
fully d. per cent. of the crop has GOT yet
been sent forward by the PRODUCES. In
our locality We have, say. 10000 900 lsushels
still in the country, reckoning our yield at
23,0OO. 600 bushels"
Mr.. Sears is considered wheat abear"
in some localities. He has been ha.ldling
wheat for many years, and this is Cow he
sums up the present situation: :
Last year there was some reason for Folding
it
The conditions are different Russia is :roduc-
ing considerable wheat this year. Estween
now and the ne xt crop we will consume about
twothfrds OF the wheat now in sight. by Gin
sight is meant the wheat in stcreho..ses or
elevators Ill this country. 1t does not E.lcIude
wheat not delivered by the producer. E.sides
there will be increased acreage ftzr next
year. should Bay 70 per cent. increase in
Washington and Oregon. for instance. Tlzs only
furry in the wheat market that can result from
now until next crop will be caused u the
weather. Reports OF damaging conditions in
Minnesota and other localities will GENE as
usual. There Will be furry on the strength of
the temporary belief that there may be s-short-
age to be followed by setting back it6so the
Old prices, anu even lower, perhaps. Tfs,Te is
no reason to look for advances III the p5ce of
wheat. There is no money in buying anS hold
ing wheat at present 1t costs interest aud
storage charges TO hold wheat. Ii woulcE be a
better proposition to buy wheat at Chic,;..o on
speculation. The speculatOrs will casch a
scalp now aud then but little else will BIZ done
for the present
As has been stated before in the PosT- sSrEL-
L6EscER, there is a wheat grower in thezsy ALA
Wala district who refused TO sell his whe4t for
less than 81 per bushel last year. The iaarket
did not reach his price, SO he held is 10000
bushels aud now has this years crop onE hand
also.
nave no sympathy for iarmer who Epecu-
lates and loses. Year in and year ouS, the
farmer who sells at the market price wh.=n his
wheat is ready for market, is the one that :lakes
the money. BY doing 80 he escapes inserest,
ratage and other losses. His wheat m,-s get
wet or be injured in various ways. Interest is
the principal item, however. in holding tcheat
Damage by rats may amount to per cent? but
interest and other charges will bring the. total
IN TO II per cent loss every bushel Of yheat
held over. Instead of paying interest the
farmer who sells early has his money TO pit out
at interest.
Blue Stem wheat is now quoted at from
6715 to 66 cents, and Club at Ga 90 %
cents