Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-04-20

| 1000. s...s.. on w
1886. ......... 81 SO
1887. SS 81
| 1888. ............. 50 80
1899. ............. 80 SO
1890. .............. 80 l Oh
1871 ..'...'' % ~
| 1857. ........ oO 90
| 1893. 60 10
The table shows falling off in twenty
two years of 43 per cent. In the price OF
silver and 26 per cent. in wheat. The
drop of 20 cents per bushel for wheat ii
1893 is, of course, abornmGl, due doubt
less entirely to the universal financial
stringency which eliminated last sum
mer. A sudden drop occurred in 1883,
but in the reaction of the four years fol-
lowing the price regalned it's place in
the established course of decline.
1t is argued that the average revenue
derived from the cultivation of each acre
Of wheat in the United States since 1885
has not been in excess of the cost OF pro-
duction, and that the only compensation
derived is that which has accrued to
those whose only Investment has been
their labor. The elements necessary to
consider before such conclu ion as this
could be reached are too uncertain to be
relied upon, and the argument has, more,
over, the appearance OF being made for
the purpose of supporting theory.
Assuming, however, that this is all true
as general proposition, and that at cur
rent prices wheat ia being forced upon
the market for less than the cost Of pro-
duction, it is not credible that this state
of things can continue long unless we
ignore the staple character and intrinsic
value of the royal cereal IN question. 1t
may not be for a long time, il ever, that
wheat will reach the high figures which
were current up to the early SOS. for
the resources OF production are ample to
control the demand in an active market,
but that under normal conditions for an
indefinite future period it will Fay the
American farmer to produce wheat there
can be no serious question. Whatever
may be the causes of the remarkable de-
preston they must ultimately yield their
force in compliance with the supreme
general demand for wheat as a primary
article of food.
Witt regard to the wheat industry of
California, the price has never been 80
low, unless during last year, as to pre-
clude the economical and intelligent cul-
tivation of this grain with some profit.
| The farmers of this state enjoy advan-
tages which might enable them to pro
ducs wheat for sale at price which
farmers in other sections of the United
States could not afford. We can con-
tinue to devote to wheat-growing mil
lions OF acres that have not yet come in
to requisition for the more expensive
uses OF horticulture. The climatic con-
ditions for seeding and harvesting and
the special adaptability of our great
wheat areas to the use of complicated
cultivators and harvesting machinery in
hen of hand labor render the cost of
production on the average less than in
any otner OF the great wheat growing
states of the Union. Also, owing to the
nearness to tide water of the bulk Of our
wheat crop, the average value of Cali
fornia wheat per bushel on the farm is
greater than that OF any other Of the
wheat growing and wheat exporting
states. For example, the United States
Agricultural Department reports that in
1893 the farm value OF wheat per bushel
In California was SO cents; in Kansas, AZ
cents; in Nebraska, 40 cents, etc, and
the department has reported sutstan-
tally to the same effect ever since it be-
gan to make the statistics Of this coun-
try a study. The same authority re-
ports the farm price per bushel OF wheat
for 1892, for example, to be: California,
6S cents; Kansas, SO cents; Nebraska,
80 cents, and for 1891 as follows: Cali
fornis, 95 cents; Kansas, 70 cents; Ne
braska, "a cents. These figures are sig
nifcant. They mean that, owing to the
superior value of the wheat bushel to the
California farmer, the crop of the state
commands yearly millions OF dollars
more than would be the case If it had to
be sold for farm prices in the other prin-
cipal wheat sections of the United States.
D. r. SESSIONS.