Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-12-14
THE PRICE OF WHEAT.
O. Wood Davis Says There Will Be
No More Cheap Wheat after 1896.

| BEOrONE, has., Dec. 81 Wish 10
thank the REFLECTOR for its fairness
In treating my work,a fairness which
is 80 unusual with Kansas papers the
most Of whose editors think 1t very
smart to make fun OF the failure Of
predictions that were never made.
Such forecasts as | have made all
referred to n time beyond 1895, and
have never been fatuous enough to
predict definite price for any given
product at particular future time,
nor shall until | can control the
elements which determine the rate of
production, aud tina: other force which
determines the number Of babies
which shall be born among the bread
eating races of European lineage
although the last is much more easily
calculable than the former. What
have tried to N AXE clearis. that taking
given pcriods-there is direct relation
between the number Of contributing
acres, the number Of mouths to be
filled and the price OF products that go
to oil the mouths, aud that any loss of
prosperity ON the part Of the wage
earning class has little to do with
the quantity Of tbs great food staples
consumed especially wheat-as in
case the individual is unable to buy
the required food the public buys it
for him, always finding 1t cheaper, If no
more humane, to feed the INDECENT in
dividual for the short time he is ex.
pected to be unable to buy his own food
rather than bury him at public cost
and then provide for his family.
have also tried to make II clear
that while the bread eaters of European
lineage have increased some 81 200, 900
in the last fourteen years, and the
requirements for wheat the annual
requirements Of the whole bread.,atipg
world-have increased no less than
308 900 900 bushels In the same time,
the worlds wheat bearing area has
augmented but 5000, 600 acres; or that
the productive power has increased
but by the equivalent Of $1,000 600
bushels as against an increase IN the
requirements OF 800 100000 bushels.
la other words. the ratio of increase
has been AS one is to I've, and but for
the fact that the world has during the
last three yrars, produced crops that
have aggregated 1872 10000 bushels
above any tnee crops in the preceding
twelve We should have seen the price
of wheat higher than the bypotl etical
two dollars which some OF the smart
youths Of the Kansas papers have been
pleased TO attribute to ma.
As the wheat product of the world
(out'ida the United S.ates) during 1891
and 1902 when this cuQlmOus Excess
was grown has been no more than the
average of the preceding decade it
follows that all this excessive pruduc.
tion has taken place ia the United
States, and this IL the Case ss' close
analysis Of the Gluzumption, expurta-
ton and reserves In this country show
the crops harvested in the United
States in 1891 and 1892 to have been
$40, OO0, 900 in excess of two average
crops of the preceding ten sears. That
is, these excessive crops and call alt
over average crops exc, ssiys have
destroyed the prosperity Of the wheat
growers Of the world, aud yet men
supposed to be intelligent will gather
In irrigation conventions, memoriallze
the Federal government aud ask it to
appropriate fundd 10 opsu mlrp com,
petinR farms aud add to the yield of
those already in existence.
For once ths disposition of the east
ern legislator to ignore all western
demands will be real blessing az all
her'resouting" in the world Iam,glud
to say-will not secure an appropra
tion for irrigation, although Major
Powell may, and believe will, wherdle
congress iuto such an appropriation as
will enable him to continue his worth.
less geological survey, as on this SUI.
yeyng force room is made for the sons
aud nephews aud the cousins and the
aunts, Of our self sacrificing statesmen
who. are patriotic enough to vote for
such appropriations, the major know
ing quite well on which side his bread
ia buttered.
The world has now reached that con
dition when an average yield (only)
from every acre employed in wheat
growing there has been little increase
of the worlds wheat acreage since 1884
would produce at least 1877 900, 900
bushels less than the worlds require
ments and unless the Russian crop is
as large as Is now rumored there will
be little wheat lett in store ut the end
If the ls98-04 harvest year, and the
bread eating world viii begin thu 1894
% harvest year with empty granalies.
aud u world crop as great as tina, Of
1901 or lSS2--a thing not very probable
would no more than suffice tn meet
the WORLDS increased require ments.
Aud yet wheat "a very likely to be
cheap until after February, 1895, as the
cutivaturs are, the world over, in such