Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-07-05

values have been equa1ized. The sur
plus of India was formerly placed in
pits to equalize somewhat the wide
fiuctuations of bumper" crops and
those of famine years, but scarcely
any was exported In Russia the ls-
cal surplus was heaped up, but could
not be distributed for want of rail-
roads, and was used freely, sometimes
in place of other grain, or became
damaged and was fed to cattle. With
IN twenty years railway and steamship
communication has been SO extended
and cheapened that the hidden surplus
If old lands has been brought out and
distributed, giving the impression of
An immense enlargement of area, when
in some countries there was little OF
such extension, in others the stimulus
of outside demand had somewhat
b-oadened the fields, and in others
better prices had induced greater care
and better culture and larger Yields.
So the great markets were able to
keep up good stocks, the elevators were
filled, the people fed at lower price,
and few appeared to know where SO
much grain came from. The wheat
grower of Dakota is in competition with
the ryot of India, the ex-serf Of Russia,
the Italian immigrant of the Argen-
tine Republic, and these cheap COM
petitors all have Inexpensive water
communication with European mar
kets. They have not hitherto been per-
mitted to send their grain to this
country, but our wheat growers volun-
tarily elect to produce q surplus and
then of their own free will ship it to
Liverpool and offer it at the same price
that the Russian or Indian grower will
furnish it, and by the enormous guam
tity sent actually force down the price
of foreign wheat to still lower level.
The worst of it is this very procedure
reduces, usually to the same level,
all our home consumption, quantity
four times as great. Ordinarily for
eign markets will take large quantity
without reducing prices to low level,
but any excess SO reduces value that
It is virtually thrown away, and the
aggregate value of a years production
may be actually less than 1t would be
were such excess burned or sunk in
lake or ocean.
Why was the price of wheat 90 cents
in December of 1892 in Georgia when
it was 81 cents in South Dakota? Be-
cause the Georgia grower has quick
market at home and the Dakotan has
to take Liverpool prices minus charges
and costs Of transportation 5, 900 miles
A small deficiency in Georgia, made up
by northwestern wheat, adds the cost
Of transportation a thousand miles to
the price of Georgian homegrown
wheat and protects the grower. Thus
one class Of growers has protection
and another free trade by their own
choice aud without the Intervention OF
law. This free competition with the
world has reduced the value Of En-
plish farm lands and rents, as esti-
muted by their own publiclsts, fully
one-third in twenty years, and some
saw oue.half, and has bankrupted or
depleted the capital of English work
ing farmers almost without exception.
1t is not necessary to raise the ques-
ton of over production except Incl
dentally as above, or array statistics
to show relative increase or decrease
in different countries. 1t Is sufficient
to glance at the receipts and stocks in
Chicago and elsewhere in this country.
at the exports OF surplus countries, AT
the stock on hand in principal foreign
markets, at the net consumption of
different countries, and at the prices
corresponding with the pressure of ac-
emulation, to prove that there is no
lack of breadstuffs. Not that there is
everywhere large accumulation. 1t
is not necessary. With free and full
International communication and ma
tioual harvests of summer and fall and
winter overlapping. supplies are
equalized; and while there is enough
in sight for current wants no buyer
cares for threats of impending de-
sciency; he deems it ample time to
raise the price when visible supply be-
gins to fail Sufficient to the day is
the evil thereof is his motto. If the
price is to GO up. SO much the more
ueed of getting bargains now, lie
thinks.