People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-08-01
The Wheat Situation.
DsilyMail,

Daily Mail.
We had quite a talk last evening
with Geo. H. Hunter, president OF the
Hunter Milling Company, with refer
ence to the present wheat supply OF
Kansas. Mr.. Hunter is one OF the
very best posted millers of the state
and one of the most successful mill
men. He attended the millers state
convention held in Hutchinson on
Tuesday and is one of the special
committee of three appointed by the
association to make immediate ar
rangements for the importation OF a
sufficient quantity Of wheat to supply
the demands of the mills Of the state
for the ensuing year.
Immediately after harvest each
year the millers' association holds a
meeting at which reports are made
from each county as to the quantity
and quality of the wheat in sight for
milling purposes for the coming year.
The data for these reports are gather
with such care that each year an esti-
mate that is remarkably correct is
made. This year the association was
surprised. Each man went to the
association expecting to learn Of good
quantities of milling wheat in other
counties. The reports made by the
unusually large number Of millers
present show that today Sumner
county is the banner county Of the
state for milling wheat. By this We
mean that there are more bushels of
milling wheat in sight in Sumner
county for the ensuing year than in
any county in the state. Those who
understand the wheat situation in
this county can appreciate the cOndi-
ton of the remainder of the state.
1t is not meant that Sumner cOun-
ty raised the best wheat crop in the
state; the eastern counties raised and
harvested a much better crop, but
nearly all of it has been utterly spoil
ed for milling purposes by long con-
tinued and excessively wet weather.
Other portions of the state have
suffered in similar manner. When
it came to sizing up the situation &C.
Curately it was learned that if only
good wheat be used for seeding pur-
poses there is not buShel Of good
milling wheat left in Kansas.
The situation from a milling point
of view is a serious one. The millerS
of the state have either to abandon
their trade and let 1t 60 to others or
10 import wheat. The association de-
Cided to hold their present trade even
though they have to do business
for the year without profit. Active
steps are now in progress to make
arrangements for such freight rates
as will enable them to ship wheat
frOl Minnesota, the DakOtas, MOnta-
and the Northwest
The result of this movement will be
that the Sumner county farmer who
is fortunate enough to have milling
wheat will get Chicago prices for il
with the freight added thereto in
stead of deducted therefrOm as is
usually the case.
The association also learned that
there is a great shortage of good seed
wheat and sent a CableE ram at once
for a cargo of Russian hard wheat
from Crimea on the shores Of the
Black sea. They expect this wheat tt
be in the hands of the members of thu
association for sale for seed purposes
before September first. If they arr
successful in securing this wheat il
inSureS the very best of seed for sucf
farmers as purchase it for the comius
year.
OF course the necessity of importing
wheat will require more capital thar
formerly to carry on the milling bust
ness and may result in some of tn,
weaker mills, financially, doing les
business or quitting entirely, but W,
hope that such arrangements can b,
made as will enable every mill in tn
state to continue in operation. TIL
milling business is one Of the mos
important industries of the state an,
we should be glad to see every mil
prOsper.