St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-06
THE MOTIVE OF ANTf-oPTIoN.

THE MOTIVE OF ANTf-OPTION.
The GLOBE admires candor. Senator
WAsHBURN is, occasionally, candid.
Therefore the GLOBE. occasionally, adj
mires Senator WASHBURN. This is
good logic, and, therefore, must be true.
We gave striking instance of it yes
terday III his admission that the Aus
tralian ballot defeated his party be-
cause 1t prevented the employers from
controlling the votes Of their employees.
We give another today.
AS has been said before by the GLOBE,
it is one of the riddles of economics
why Senator WAsHBURN should be
urging the anti-option bill on the
grounds which, in his intervals of dis
righteousness, he gives as its motif.
He declares, with face whose s0lem
mtg gives no trace of inSincerty, that he
wants it enacted into law because 1t
will increase the price of wheat. Mr..
WAsHBURN is a very extensive maker
of flour, and wheat is his raw material.
When a manufacturer thus opposes
every sound law of business it is either
case of Greeks bearing gifts or an i'm
parchment of his business ability.
The logic runs thus: Manufacturers
want cheap raw material. Wheat is Mr..
WAsHBURN'S raw material. Therefore
he wants cheap wheat. Manufacturers
want high-priced products. Wheat is
the farmers product. Therefore the
farmer wants dear wheat. 1t is as evil
dent as logic can make it that Mr..
WASHBURN'S interests and the farmers
clash.
But Senator WAsHBURN had spell
of,lucid candor the other day III Chicago.
The omnipresent Chicago reporter i'm
proved the opportunity. "Should the
anti-option bill become law, won't it
cripple business?" queried the scribe.
Certainly not" replied the senator;
sat least, it will not cripple legitimate
business; and" with relapse, FARMERS
will be given better price for their
grain" The persistent reporter asked:
"Won't the milers then control the mar
Ket and make the priceS?' Recovering
his candor, the senator said: They will
in the Northwest, but the price will be
made OH an actual supply and demand
basis. All this betting will be done
away with, and when the price is based
on supply and demand every one will be
satisfied, or should be-"
The milIers in the Northwest do not
now control prices, because there are
other people buying and selling much
more extensively than they do. If they
| can stop these others from buying or
| selling, they will, as The senator admits,
control prices. Option selling seems to
| bear about the same relation to the
millers' control Of prices that the Aus
| tralian ballot bears to their ability to
control the votes of their employees. 1t
is pretty generally understood here in
| the Northwest that, what with their in
terest in the elevators and railroads,
they have tight cinch OH the markets
now. Would it loosen it if the number
of buyers were decreased?
But the millers would control the
prices on the basis of demand and sup
| ply. the senator says. The millers will
control all the factors Of cost they can.
They cannot control supply. That is in
the farmers hands. They can suf1-
GENTLY control demand to control prices.
| The anti-option proposition is, then:
| Stop these other fellows from buying
wheat and you farmers furnish the sup.
ply and we will furnish the demand, land
thus control prices; and every one, you
and we, Will be satisfied; and if you
aren't you should be. Beautiful, isn'titf