The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-18
WHEAT STILL CLIMBING.


And now IL stands ~ . point which viii
net the farmers OF Eastern Washington
aDca. e cents a bushei more than 1t was
anticipated just prior to harvest they
would receive. Concurrentiy silver has
recorded a small decline from the figures
OF two MONTHS ago. A bushel OF wheat
will buy rather more than an ounce and
a quarter OF silver in the New York mar
ket today.
There Ia considerable to rejoice at In
thls. aside from the fact that IT complete
" cemolishcs the Popuiistdc argument
that IL was the price Of silver and not de-
uand and supply which governed the
price of wheat In the first place. the
short crops In Russia. Australia, Argen-
tina and India have made a demand abroad
for more wheat from this country. and as
Q result. both OF this extra demand and
Of the enhanced price. millions OF gold
viii now into this country. not for hoard
ing. but to 90 directly into the pockets Of
tho wheat producers. and thus TO be dis
tribused through every avenue OF trade.
1t viii enable the farmers TO lift the heavy
load OF Indebtedness under which they
have been staggering. and thus in turn
relieve those who az creditors OF the
farmers. and unable 10 get either prin-
cipai or interest, have been az heavily
embarrassed a. the farmers themselves.
In every direction trade viii be stimulated
and business improved.
II In we'll to contrast the difference thus
created by . purely natural and ac-
tsal increase N the value OF farm prod
ucs, brought about by the operation OF
the laws o. trade. to the conditions which
would follow the artificial method OF rails
ing prices advocated In the Popaiistic
programme. The latter scheme eontem
plated tho lowering Of the monetary
standard. and thus the fictitious raising
Of prices by the scheme OF calling one
dollar two. Under such a scheme actual
values would remain unaffected. The
market price OF the whaat Of the farmer
In Liverpool where IL IL sold. would be
the same a. Il was before: the gold price
vould DO unaffected. Prices OF every
thing else, by operation OF tho same
cause, would raise in exactly tho same
proportion, and the actual net gain 10
The farmer would be nothing. save tina, he
could have paid OF his floating. unsecured
indebtedness with fewer bushels of wheat
or their price in dehased money.
Now. however. che farmer has secured
substantial advance. payable In the kind
OF money which VIII pay mortgage indebs-
eanews. ana purchase as much a. any
sroney. The raiser OF wheat has tho ben.
eft OF a rlSe In the value Of his wheat. not
IN The price alone. and he does nc, make
his enhanced profit BY swInd.ing bis credi-
tors with chap dollars
There Is fair reason 70 believe that all
possible rev areas for the production OF
whea. on any extensive scale have ali
been opeaed up within the last few years,
Certainty there are no more Dakota or
Washington wheat belts CT magnitude to
BE- sspiostea- The experiences OF Australia
have shown that wheat is net crop 70 Re
depended upon In country so subject 10
drouths az ,sat; inaia's lint, OF production
~as reached some ye&rs s.nce. In this
country the tendency now - 10 reduce ths
wAsat acreage and devote more area to
diversified farming. a tendency the mani
.estssiea Of whsca IN this state has been
an sconesse blessing. by saving at home
here thousands % dollars which otherwise
would hay. gone abroad during the past
sA~se years
In addition 60 tnss. q general business
revival " ,as country woald Increase taa
eonsnrnpsaoa Of wAsa; 70 = very sppreci-
able extent. sor During Tire pas: eepress.cn
n noted that tAe home Consumption OF
~aess declined nsariy one-9aar;e-.
Taking II az n al sAer- Il fair -es.on
% believe TIA; rhe lew water mark IN ~.
price 90 wheat eas seen net ana IL PAS.
ana from nov en there VII - a fair mar
ssn 90 rrcas IN Ire raising Of wheat AZ
sns caief money erc7 IN regions 50 admir-.
ssiy adapted 60 IS cultivation a. ~, fer
tie nlssesss 81 Eastern washss~,a.