The sun., 1893-05-07

cords with other tables In the same pook.
Turning to the importing countries. we
find still greater exhibition OF mondaeity,
inasmuch az the importing requirements OF
the United Kingdom are put at 105r527,ess
bushels, while an analysis OF the tables on
other pages shows that the imports oil
wheat into the United Kingdom. from 1881
to 1890. averaged IA 433 900 bushels per an
mum. This includes the wheat imported as
-four: and It has always heretofore been 30
included by the Department.
In connection with this table. as mtslead-
Ing in its totals as In It's parts, we are In
formed that insular and factory-studded
Great Britain, and populous little Belgium
practically furnish the market for which
the wheat growers OF the world are striv-
ing in competition" This language does
not dispose Of the fact, which the patient
student may dig out Of this same compila-
ton. that while Belgian imports OF wheat.
as grain and -four have averaged 19.2o8.OOO
bushels per annum. the net imports into
France, in the same forms. have averaged
Al, ,72S,OOO. In other words. France imported
more than twice rs many bushels in the
same years as did populous little Bel
gium;" while the imports Of Italy exceeded
100000 bushels per snnum yet the wheat
sellers. We are told. are giving the coid
shoulder to congeries of countries whose
combined purchases are greater than those
of the two for which. we are informed, they
strive in sharp competition.
In this and other publications OF the same
Department. tho product OF European Tur-
key is ranged from 3s.0o0.Oo0 to bOoO,oOo
a
bushels per annum, as the figures may hap
pen to be taken from any one OF the dozen
newspapers from which Gen. RusKs sta
tisticians have been in the habit OF clipping
the so-called data entering into their e1icial
tables. The utter absurdity Of these COM
mercial estimates, which have done service
for twenty years without revision. is seen
when we reflect that Turkey is net importer
of both wheat and flour, and that product
OF even 3s. 100000 bushels per annum would
show the Turks as consuming more wheat
pcr capita than any other people on earth.
When first used, before the edismemberment
Of Turkey in 1873. such estimates approx
imated to the product OF country that
then included Bulgaria and Eastern Rou-
melia. Statistics Of Turkish production do
not exist but such European authorities as
SPALLART and MULHALL have had dis
cernment enough to see that estimates
made before the partition Of Turkey would
not fit the present conditions: and their
later estimates are such as provide fair
supply for the diminished population.
In dealing with individual countries the
ability OF the statisticians Of the Depart
ment to sophisticate. befog. and mislead. Is
clearly evinced. For instance. we are given
to understand that not until 1886 did Aus
trio Hungary become an important ex-
porter Of wheat; yet had an examination
been made Of the data in the Department
library. it would have shown Austria-Hun-
gary exporting quite as much in the eighth
as in the ninth decade: and the grossly er-
roneous statement on the same page. that
in the six years. 1880 to 1885 inclusive.
there was an excess Of only 5.00O.0 900 In favor
OF exportation." might have been avoided.
When carefully analysed the crude and un-
scientific tabulations on the pages immedi-
ately following. show that during the six
years the net exports Of wheat as grain
were $4,000 bushels. and the net exports
of wheat as flour were 39,09s.OOO bushels.
That is. the exports Of Austria-Hungnry
are deliberately understated by SO much as
eight-ninths by Gen. RUsK's philosophers.
When "populous little Belgium" is
reached. these expert manipulators Of nu-
merals-we are told on the first page that
they number slxtv-give US to understand
that: 1.-THE demand for consumption. which
increases with the increasing population.
appears to be met mainly by an increase Of
the advance being 10000. 900
bushels between 1881 and $780," That is.
the population so increased during the
decade that the annual requirements
for wheat were augmented by 10000
600 bushels: yet this statement has no bet
ter foundation than the fact that the i'm
ports Of 1881 were below the average and
those Of 1880 were above. From 1881 to 1890
the population Of Belgium increased barely
500, 900. and an increase Of 100000 In tho
wheat supply would imply that each indi-
vidual OF the new population annually con-
sumed twenty bushels.
On page GO it Is stated without anv sort Of
qualification. that " Denmark Is. Of course.
q awheat-importing country. but the net i'm
portatlon is less than million and half
bushels each year." Thus we arNleft to be-
leve that Denmark is really in need Of for
eign wheat to feed its population; but on
SucCeeuluS puSo Wo uu1 ~ btttIcu IuuI LILO
net expectation Of wheat -four is apparently
about 7O.OOO.OOO pounds per annum. and
more than offsets the importation Of wheat.
30 that. after all. Denmark Is not "of
course" wheat-importing country. but. on
the contrary. is q small exporter. Why
could not the net exports of flour have
been stated in exact terms instead OF as
" apparently" 7O.0OO.OOO pounds. when the
tabulated data furnished the means. with
trlhe more labor. of determining what were
tho exact average annual exports
In relation to Germany the statement Is
that 1.-THE area under wheat had In
ten years increased loss than ten per cent.
and that the same increase. of course. Is
noted in production. the crop rising from
sc. .OOO.OO0 bushels In 1880 to 1Oi,OOO.OOO bush
els in $780," The value Of this statement Is
understood on reference to the accompany
ing tables. where 1t appears that the in
crease OF area was less than eight per cent.