Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-14
MavarCvr1a Next Corner
WCyCl SyClC, First and Broad
Competition Between Meat and
Wheat.


(New York Journal of Commerce.
Sir Robert Citizens theory supported
by much display OF statistics, that Il is
the competition of meat that has been
depressing the price of wheat during the
past twenty years is attractive. but It is
not entirely convincing. Doubtless the
purchasing power of people in the West
ern World has been increasing. and they
have consequently been living better.
which means that they have been buying
more meat. Statistical researches in
Germany and Belgium show greater
consumption of meat, and observers state
that there is a perceptibe improvement
in the diet Of the French peasantry. But
this Is not enough to Justify the SUPPOSE
ton that people have been eating more
meat than formerly to enable them 20
eat less wheat, and 1t Is very doubtful
If they are, in fact. eating less wheat
The subject cannot be treated with any
pretence OF accuracy without fuller infor-
nation regarding the food of the masses
OF the people now and in former years
than is obtainable. but there are some
general facts which do not accord with
Sir Roberts theory. In the first place
NtIy nlBu duluoilllto Nlit dlll tiobt
estimate that within recent years the
production of wheat has been increasing
more rapidly than the population that
lives largely upon wheat. Taking four
year periods from 1883 to 1894. the in
creased production OF wheat was con-
siderably greater than the 100000
bushels year which respectable authori-
ties estimate the increase In the re-
quirements TO be. In the second place,
the increased production of wheat has
occurred in localities where the cost OF
production is the lowest-our own North
west, Russia, and the Argentine Repub-
lic This circumstance alone would tend
strongly to reduce the price OF wheat,
even If there were no excess produced.
and without regard to the increased con-
sumption of meat. Sir Robert mentions
decrease Of IS per cent In the wheat
area OF England and an increase of only
41-2 per cent. on the Continent, mostly
in Russia. If there were no excess OF
supply the production of large SURPRISES
for export In Russia. South America, and
the United States would tend to reduce
the price of wheat below what the Eng
fish farmer can afford to take while
paying his present or recent rents.
In the third place, there IL evidence that
enable them to eat meat more freely than
formerly have also enabled them to eat
wheat bread more frequently than for
merly. German and Belgian statistics
show for both countries Increases In the
consumption of wheat as well as OF meat
Wheat Is luxury to the peasantry or
many countries. If meat Is dispiacing
bread. the same conditions are replacing
the black bread of rye or barley with
wheat bread. We reproduced some
French statistics a few days ago showing
an increase of three bushels In the per
capita consumption OF wheat In France
in the last forty or fifty years. This Is
an increase of about 50 per cent. over the
former rate in France and the present
rate in the United States. III our rate
of consumption were as large as that OF
France we should. now be under the ne
cessity OF importing wheat II We could
get it, while. II the French consumption
were as small as ours, France would have
"A small surplus for export instead OF look
ing for 1l3 900 bushels of foreign wheat.
The average consumption of wheat Is
still small in Germany. where rye bread is
the staff OF life, and wheat IL still a
luxury in Russia, but in Central Europe
the peasantry get more white bread than
they used to, and In France the consump-
Ton OF white bread far exceeds that OF
the United States, so that II Is difficult
to admit that flesh has been driving bread
out of use.
The truth is that the poorer classes
needed not only more animal food, but
they needed more food altogether. The
Belgian statistics TO which we have re-
ferred show not only that In thirty years
the consumption of meat has increased
three-fold among the working classes
but that the workingman eats III pounds
of bread more annually than he did thirty
years ago. Thirty years ago rye bread
constituted 81 per cent. OF the bread total,
and a mixture Of rye and wheat consti-
tuted q per cent. more, the wheat bread
being only 81 per cent. OF the total; now
the rye loaf has been almost entirely dis
placed by the loaf of wheat bread.
Sir Robert believes that the displace-
ment of wheat by meat cannot go mucn
further. In which we hope he Is wrong 80
far as he refers TO an increased use OF
meat; SO far as he refers to decreased
use OF wheat we are disposed to think ne
is in error Meat is still a luxury %
great part not only OF the worlds 2opu-
lation. but 10 a great part OF the popu-
iation of Europe. The best-fed part OF
s,e working population there Is NOT so
well fed as the working people Oh tee
United States. and all the researches INTO
the efficiency Of labor indicate that IL IL
profitable for the human race that It's
workers should have enough food. and OF
a nourishing quality. There are abundant
evidences that the well-red laborer Is the
economical laborer for the community; ne
does a greater amount Of work in pro-
norton TO the food he consumes. As the
world gets rich enough TO AFFORD Its work
ing population liberal and substantial
diet IL finds the aggregate Of production
increasing, and the dividend of The
average citizen increases. AS long as
there is a very large population In Europe
that eats but little animal food. and there
are large areas in North and South
America and in Australia where cattle
and sheep and swine can be cheaply
raised. there IL no obvious reason why the
consumption OF meat should not increase
FOR many years. and as II has already
been found profitable for English farmers
10 reduce their embarrassing, and increase
their cattle-raising 80 II may pay Us 10
leave a greater share of wheat-rsising TO
Argentina and Australia and devote more
energy to raising meat for the European
markets.