Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-07-22
Wheat and the Railroads.

The most significant developneh"
bearing upon the values OF railroad
was the announcement on
Wall Street few days ago, that l4o'-
600 bushels of wheat had been engaged
for shipment to Argentina, and the
coincident rise of tic to 14c, in the dill
erent wheat options. When it is borne
in mind that Argentina has been one
of the principal competitors OF this
country in the worlds wheat markets.
the significance of this shipment pc
comes patent. When wheat export
ing country has to come to the United
States for wheat to be used for seeding
nurposes it can be easily grasped how
bare of supplies the worlds markets
are. 1t is true that there is a visible
supply of wheat in the United States
and the Europen countries. but these
supplies are owned by men who either
have use for it or will not part with IL
at current prices. There is little
floating supply which can always De
obtained in the United States, wnich
will be quickly absorbed. The elect
of a higher price of wheat upon the
earnings of the wheat carrying roads
is too well understood to need further
comment.
The farmer of America can learn
llesson here if he will. His tariff robber
brother of the north has for years
blinded him with the sweet story OF
home market. He has poured into his
ears the song of Argentina and India,
as the only real wheat raising countries
in the world, done with pauper labor,
against which he has been told ne
: could not compete, that these coun,
; tries supplied the outside world, and
the only salvation for him was in a
home market which he must create by
, submitting to such taxes In increased
prices of manufactured stuffs as woulo
enable the factories of this country te
run, thereby giving employment to
= persons who would with the farmers
! own money thus wrung from him, turf
round and buy and eat the farmers
! grain. The argument has deceived
. thousands and for years enabled thos'
: smooth tongued manufacturers t
pocket of the farmers hard earning
!. millions upon top of millions ever.
year until the barren regions OF New
= England are grooming with wealth
whilst the great rich agricultural regi
. IL. Ch
\ verge of bankruptcy.
= But when the facts are really know
Argentina and this country have neve
been competitors in the great market
= of Europe, the markets which W
= ought to seek because they are tn
- largest. the richest and the best. Th
whole story has been the story OF tn
: tariff robber. When Europe want
- wheat she will come to us because sh
knows our merchants are reliable, "
have the facilities for filling her order
" we ALWAYS have more than we need Il
- our own use, and there is no delay
!" disappointment. But Argentina an
India are different. In Argentina the
have droughts. and miss crops. 81
has neither the railroad nor other
= cilitiee for trading we have, whilst
sn India there are not $4,000 white pc
a' pie, the rest are negroes who are t.
y indolent and too Indifferent to becon
=, tradesmen, and an order sent the
:, might never be filed. India too b
~ her climatic troubles, and today h
M 1T not. r,ousa,,f1s whilst !
~ have plenty and to spare. The day b
about come when the farmers of tt
country will listen no longer to t
n lying manufacturer, when he will ia
turer to do the same.