The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-01
OUTLOOK FOR WHEAT,

The United states department or agri-
culture has Just issued "a circular in which
this statement by New York paper is
quoted approvingly: THE American far
mer might as well understand that wheat
is going 10 remain cheap. An occasional
scarcity will run up prices, but there is
too fnuch good wheat land in Russia. ST.
IBERIA. Argentina and Australasia for the
price TO remain high long"
The price OF wheat in Chicago is about
cents higher than the lowest point reach
ed I'm the past month. Farmers are with
holding wheat from the market. in the
East as well as In Oregon and Washing
ton and have stopped the fan OF prices
Europe has begun to buy. too. and it is
thought the price can be held steady at
about 60 cents in Chicago. But at this
price. which IS II cents above low water
mark. wheat IS not profitable crop.
Wheat at 60 cents in Chicago and 50
cents on the Eastern Washington farm
is not going to make the farmer rich. But
the outlook ia not good for so high a price
next year. The Argentine crop this year
failed. Next year-the harvest Is reaped
in January-the yield viii be large. But
Argentine Is a small producer, after all
compared with the United States, and the
farmers Of the South American country
are already booking 10 corn and cattle as
moro profitable than wheat The great
wheat producer OF the world ranking even
above the United States. IS Russia. and
the area Of wheat land in Siberia YET 10 be
put under the plow is enormous. We tbinl,
Of Siberia as vast frozen desert; we have
read Michael Strogon" and heard George
KEENAN, lecture. Archibald Cary Coolidge
writing from Tomsk. describes the Siberian
steppes as prairie with patches OF woods
good soil. and evidently great possibilities
Of Development" The agent Of the Nc
Cormick Harvester Company. now I'm Rus
sia, writes the secretary OF agriculture
that he has seen seventy-fve 70 100 hush
els Of wheat to the acre threshea ont
there.
II win bs asked why Is Siberia NOR.
threatening TO the wheat-grower now than
twenty years ago. and why did not Tusst,
50 into the wheat business when the nrira
az the cereal was hlgh7 The answer g
that the Russian government has h.or
compelled. by the rise OF Japan as a FIRST
class power. 70 open a highway from s.
petersburg 70 the Pacific ocean. IN oras-
to keep what territory she has ana 70 n---
vent japan from obtaining supremacy Il,
Asa \ great railroad IS being huilt
straight across Siberia. work having been
pressed with all the energy OF a great IA.
ton whose resources are bouadless. The
Rad Ia now IN operation for s.0o miles
reaching east from European Russia. and
me "hole Hne. more than 500 miles long
IS 20 - completed within three vsars
Then troops from 81 Petersburg ga, IA
placed IN Korea IN a week or so. while from
England the shortest route 70 Asia Ia time
q var would be via the Canadian pacis.
There IS TO commerce or agriculture 20 A..
n1ana construction OF the road. FOR Sihersa
IS 'hinly inhabited Put emigration follows
'hs railroad. as e al IN the United states.
In Russia, however. the government not
only gives free land % the enisxrant. mt
free transportation. sna promises ehsan
freight rates for the products cf his land
when necessary seed wheat IS provided
Or TIE FIRST year. Every ore IS familiar
With ths rapid settlement OF our own
Western states because OF The ofger of free
lana by the government. TIE siberian lana
Is rot 50 good rs that 81 Iil.aois anA Iowa,
but Il Vii Erow wheat, ard xooa wheat
The secretary 90 agriculture has official
Is announced that wheat Is going ID re-
rnaf- cheap" ard the farmers themselves
are coming 70 believe II. although many
stia shink that tae closing al the r1ints
20 silver has been ;Ao CanSe of the low
price. Tie Washington farmer has BE-