St. Landry democrat., 1892-12-31
The Rice Situation,

The Rice Situation,
\. Y. Shipping and Commercial List Dee. ).
We arc in receipt of Il circular headed
West 4, Melchers, New York Shcp-
patd 81 POrchSr, Charleston, S. c.; Con
solldated Rice Co, New Orleans, La.
which comes TO us under cover of the
Consolidated Rice Co., tie officers in the
latter being partners in the firms named.
1t the statements in the circular were
allowed to pass without contradiction,
they might have Il tendency to unBctte
the market and to force the prices of
American ice to All unparalleled low
plane Of values and far below those
which, 80 tar as We can ascertain, are
prevailing i'll any part of the world or
any that have ever prevailed a any time
ia tho history ot ice. Present plices,
according TO quotations. given in the
New Orleans fIcayunC Of the 21th inst,
toI rough rice rice are el,25 to So per
barrel OF 1862 pounds. For cleaned,
common to head rice, extreme range 3
to II cents per pound. These quota
tons We're nOmnally the same at the
time that the circular, presented in an
other column, was printed, and yet this
stated " we will have to look for a de-
cline of full one half OH clean rice in
order to supply the wants of the Pacific
Slope, which will be absolutely ncces-
sary to market this CROP IN other
words, the circular announces, by i'm
plicatlon, that these gentlemen believe
that the market must fall to point
where it would range on common to
head rice from to y cents per pound.
Such Il statement as this taxes our cred
ullty, for equal to grades described are
now worth to y cents in any English
or Continental market.
1t is not our desire to enter into any
controversy over " the situation 10 rice
but having given the circular alluded to
in another column, we present here
width some data which is obtainable by
the VeT!est novice in the market. The
consumption of rice in the United States
has for many years been far beyond its
production and importations have been
made during the past decade Of 50,000.-
QUO to 10O,00O,0O0 lbs. per year. This
year, for the first time in the history of
the domestic crop, 1t somewhat approx
lmates the requirements OF the United
States, but even now there can be no
question but what it will fall short, as
present low prices are stimulating the
demand and the movement up to date
indicates probable deficit at the close
of not less than 20,O00,000 lbs, and more
than likely, with the increased call for
domestic export and in manufacturing
channels, lmpOrtatlons may not be less
than 100000 and possibly $4,000, 900
lbs, or equal to an amount of, say, 10000
bbls. OF 200 lbs. net weight each, which
cannot protitably be imported under a
cost OF say 4 to )! cents per pound, quail !
lty at such range covering Common to |
Head. The consumption of edible rice. |
year ending Fall, 1891, was 100000, 900 |
lbs; year ending Fall, 1892, 232, SOC. 900, |
ana reasonable estimate, without any |
being used outside OF the grocery de- |
mand, is that requirements for present |
year VIII not be less than 250,000,O0O lbs. |
Ut this amount there has already been |
marketed during past three months over
IS per cent, and it the ordinary demand |
be further augmented, as before suc-
gested, by any of tue crop entering into
export or manufacturing channels, i'm
ports OF no mean amount in foreign will
be required. These are some of the
facts which the circular printed in an
adjoining column, seemed to conceal
tnd which we present herewith to orr
'eaders III order that they may see the
subject on all sides and act AS their
Judgment dictates. 1t is not our Gus
ON to say much i'll way Of commenda-
ion or condemnation of commercial
ltterances, but we don't feel disposed to
gnore the courteous request to present
he bearish document aud vet in
ustIce to our readers, feel constrained
o also make known tile other side.n in
'rder that they, having read, may take
heir choice OF perhaps strike the golden
mean between the two.
A fine lot Of cheap toys at j. K. San
loz & Bros.
For BARGAINS to RI,nb'e |