The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-09-17
CAUSE OF DECLINE IN WHEAT.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
last issue you say the wheatanarket has been
ruined by the immenset tAntities thrown
in from Rnssia, India, etc. lNill you please
give us the worlds supply of wheat for the
last four years and the per capita consump-
ton. a
speech at the regular Cold democratic Con
vention of Illinois, at Ctf4aee, by saying the
greatest property in the uHed States is the
fixed debts which Bryan proposes to de-
stroy ?-THss. C. DAY. Correct, Ind, ex-
Commander, Wheeler Post, So, Versailles
Ind.
There are three great causes Tor the
decline in wheat: Railroads. steamships,
and the twine-binder reaping-machlne.
The railroads have brought immense
areas of wheat-producing lands within
easy reach of the seaboard, and enabled
them to throw their grain into the mar
kets of the world.
The development Of steamships OF
enormous carrying capacity and swift
passage has enabled countries that 20
years ago had no thought OF shipping
grain to enter the markets Of the world
on equal terms with other competitors.
The twine-binder reaping-machine
has so reduced the cost of producing
wheat that raisers in distant countries
where land is cheap, but labor scarce,
can, with the aid of steamships, lay down
wheat in Europe much cheaper than it
can be produced there.
An illustration of this is the Argen-
tine Confederation. That country has
1,125,Os6 square miles Of territory, or
about one-third as much rs the United
States. It is very fertile, and has limit
less plains as rich as those of Illinois.
Twenty-Five years ago Argentine was
importing wheat, or rather -four The
possibility of the plains as wheatfelds
was soon recognized, and development
set in. Finally the Barring Bros. organ
lied a syndicate to supply England with
all the wheat she needed at lower prices
than it could be obtained from the
United States. Theysecdred control Oh
millions of acres of rich lands, within
easy access of the coasts, built some rail.
roads where necessary, bought great
quantities of the best American agri
cultural machinery-f5, 1000 steam-plows
from one firm in Massachusetts, import
ed lot of cheap Italian laborers, and
found by actual experiment that they
could produce wheat at. a profit at {
shilling GA cents3 "a bushel. Theil
steamships would carry # to Liverpool
for another shilling, annking the cost
delivered in England, less than 90 cent
bushel. The result was that the Ar
gentinian supply Of wheat ran up in |
few wears from absolutely nothing tt
1000, 600 bushels.
Then Russia began pouring her whea
in. Russia has more than twice as much
territory as we have, and can have wheat
fields without limit. She has been build
ing railroads for strategic purposes, an
in order to give them something to dc
carries her peoples wheat for merel,
nominal prices. She astounded tn
grain dealers of the world few year
ago by pouring into the markets NOR
than 100000 bushels of wheat.
The construction of the Suez Cana
/ and the building of large steamship
enabled India to ship her wheat to Eu
rope. which she could not before do.
The same was true of Australia.
Then little countries, like humans
servia, Greece, Egypt, Morocco, Bul
garia, were brought by means of steam
ships into easy communication with Eng
land, and each poured in its quantity c
wheat, and helped to overstock tn
market.
When it is remembered that all tn
wheat eaten in the world is less tina
| 2,5OO,000,000 bushels, or about th
same as good corn crop in the Unite
States, it will be seen that it is an cas-
thing to oyerstock the market.
| The following table, which shows til
variation in production in each Of tn
countries of the wofld'fp the last 1
years, illustrates this thoroughly.
Countries. 1885. 1885.
United States 467,aD3d0O 357, l12 ,Of
France 339I29,ao0 312,9l2,0(
IL. ood 2rQa 900 Xxx *