Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-03-31
HIGH-TARlE.F PRICES.
How the Farmer Is injured by the oper.
alton OF the mckinley Bill.

hiioH OF bhc hCninlcy Din
II Is not TO be denied that recent
prices Of wheat are extraordinarily low.
The statement that they have been
lower lately than they ever were be-
fore is also true in Il sense, but the
statement needs qualification, because
otherwise 1t Is misleading.
Conditions have changed essentially
within the last fifty years Our rail.
road system was then in Its infancy,
and where railroads existed freight
rates were much higher than they are
now. Consequently there was q corre-
spending difference in the price OF
wheat in farmers hands and the export
price. For the period before the west
ern exchanges were established, we de-
pend to alarge degree upon the export
price, or, in other words, the price at
New York, the chief port Of exporta-
ton, Now, the export price of wheat
has been lower this year than ever be-
fore, But it does not follow that the
price In farmers hands In all parts OF
the country has been less,
How this operates is illustrated by q
glance az the conditions existing in the
summer OF 1S45. The New York Com.
mercial Bulletin learns from reports OF
sales made in New York city at that
time that on June II $500 bushels Of
Indiana red wheat, part inferior, sold
at rs cents On July IL red wheat sold
at So and white at Q5. This shows the
condition OF the market at the sea
board But It would be q great mis-
take 10 suppose that the state Of the
market in the west could be ascer.
tained by deducting the difference now
existing between eastern and western
markets. A correspondent of the
Bulletin says that about this time
man was sent to the Illinois and Missls
sippl rivers TO buy wheat. and that he
purchased a large quantity at 25 cents
for red and 81. cents for white, tina
being the difference then In the marke'
value OF the two varieties At The
same time 1000 barrels of -four were
bought on the Illinois river for q. rs tc
i2,s7 per barrel. In the next spring
and summer, he says, -four sold In St
Louis at d. lsH pee barrel.
The great difference between prices
east and west at that time Is highly
instructive IS showing the enormou.
strides since made in our methods o.
transportation. II cost to transpor'
grain from fields zeal the Mississippi
river to New York something like fifty
two cents per bushel. : From othel
wheat-producing regions rates O.
freight, Of course, varied greatly, &C
cording 10 the distance and facilitie,
Of transportation. Prices Of grail
would also vary greatly according t.
local de mands. They were not neces
sarily low at q distance from New
York; because in an isolated region
where the production Of wheat was In
sufficient 70 supply the home demand
the high rates OF transportation would
tend 20 put up the price instead Of put
ting II down.
These low prices in ls46, 1t may b,
'oted, were shortly before the passag,
Of wha. Mr.. Blaine used to call tn,
"tree-trade tariff" Of ts4a The countr,
was then under the blighting infuenc,
Of the high tariff act Of 1872, as It 4
now suffering from the effects Of tn,
Mckinley bill. The bill became a Law
on July 30 It had been predicted tina
i. would ruin the country, but it hat
.ust the contrary effect. A period o
general prosperity followed; wage
were Increased, prices Of farm product
b@csme remunerstive. more factoriel
were built. and existing ones enlarged
AID The country came 70 realize th,
far tina. prosperity is not attained b,
destroying, bat by promoting, com
nree-Lo1artle Courier-Journal.