Willmar tribune., 1895-10-01
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1sT, 189;
{ WHEAT PRICES.
Win arc They L0,r in the F1tc,
of small crops and stu7U.
iyn6 People. @s.

Whu are They Lou in the Fltce
s...z of small crops and stnru'
ing People. -s@s1 81
Ex-Gov. J. S. Pillsbury says
that speculation is causing low
prices of grain, but the Minnea-
polls Tribune denies this, and
holds that if it were not for the
spectators prices would be still
lower.
J.S. Pillsbury says in the Pen
ny Press:
II never saw anything like the
cereal product of that wonderful
country this year. Otter Tail
county never made such . show
ing since it's advent into the his
tory of the state. I declare it
seems as though the earth in that
section seems to have all the bur-
den it could bear in the shape Of
grain stacks.
"Many of the farmers planted
large fields of potatoes. I saw
one man who had whole section
planted to potatoes: Just think
of it! : Six hundred and forty
acres in potatoes. When I saw
him he was trying to find wheth-
er he could not contract with
some man with money to get
means to harvest his immense
crop. It would take four cents a
bushel to harvest his field, and he
at that time had not succeeded
in finding his man, and he feared
he would be compelled to let them
remain in the ground.
''Oh, it is too bad that our
Northwestern farmers cannot
get better prices. Only 40 and
AZ cents per bushel for the splen-
did wheat of that great valley
and people all over the world suf-
fering for the bread it would give
them. It is discouraging, for our
producers, is it not?
"And the option dealers crowd
down the price until the farmers
are compelled to let go. Then
up it goes again. Now you see
if wheat does not advance in
price after the farmers have sold
their holdings. .
# Now this is all very we'll and
there is no doubt great deal of
truth in it, but the Minneapolis
Tribunesof the 23rd inst. says:
'Speculation has heen blamed
for the low prices prevailing. If
it were not for speculation to-day
prices would be Still lower. y
So there you are. We quoted
from the Minneapolis Tribune
two weekssago to the effect that
is no over:production nor large
stores now. And now it says
that speculation is not only not
the cause Of low prices, but is
actually keeping prices up. Now
then what is the cause of low
wheat prices? Will some old
party philosopher please tell us:
It will not do for the old party
oracles to say that the question is
an enigma, in other words that
they don't know, for that would
betray an ignorance so gross : thai
the people might begin. to doubt
their capacity as statesmen.
The simple and undeniable
fact remains that there is no ac
counting for these low and con
stantly falling prices Of agricul
tural staples, way below cost o1
prod uction, mind you, except BY
the apprec eciating measure Of val
ues, the gold standard Expert
! ence is now dem onst trating what
i populist and silverites predic:
& ted long ago. Supply and de
mand regulates the change
value Of any two ecessaries s5o1
life. Do Dollars and wheat are. both
necessary art cles of mod ern life
The world s suppl Of wheat i
short this year. This is conce
ded 81 al + oug 50 SO up il il
price every bod y say vs. Hut the
world suppl 4 of q dollars. is still
more shor pro / porttiio onately e
the demand for han wheat
and hence the exchan geable value
zof wheat measured 81 doIlars S
bound @ sbe less, i1ls ii otller words
prices be lower 81 His o.ughtstk
6e lain ever tell
gent perso % te supply pei g
of do1lars sill Il q tha orld "a
ssd ere l1,tt II ras s 1870
gould now bush