Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-07-23
The Demand for Wheat.


belt of the Union are feeling more cheerful
now than they have for some years. There
is an abundant crop and present prices are
higher than they have been at this time Of
the year Tor long while, and the outlook
is better. The crop this year is estimated
at $4,000, 900 bushels, but this is mere guess
ing, and the only value of the guess is that
1t surely indicates good crop.
In Maryland there is no doubt that the
crop is exceptionally large. The acreage is
about the average and the yield is far above
the average. Forty bushels to the acre is
not uncommon this year in Maryland, and
we hear of crops which average thirty
bushels in all directions.
The reason why the outlook Tor good
prices is considered favorable is the news
of short crops in Europe, India and Aus
tralia. The latter countries usually con-
tribute largely to supply the shortage in
Western Europe. So far from selling sur
plus this year, it is reported that neither
India nor A ustralia will be able to supply
bread for themselves and that Australia is
already making heavy demands upon the
Pacific coast of the United States for a sup.
ply.
The Mark Lane Express estimates that
France will have to import this year 6 900 900
quarters of wheat, 33 900, 900 bushels against
10000 900 bushels last year. The English
crop is not up TO the average and the sup
ply of home wheat in Great Britain at this
time is nearly exhausted. Harvest there is
still several weeks off, and it will be more
than a month before the new wheat is
turned into -four. Eastern RUSSIA has been
afflicted with a protracted drought and the
Russian crop will be short Germany has
the Danubian provinces the yield has been
cut short by unfavorable weather. If these
reports are correct, and they are taken
mainly from official sources, it is manifest
that there will be good market for all the
wheat the United States can spare.
The size of our surplus is a matter of
specu lation. The sharp advance of prices
some months ago, when wheat nearly reach.
ed dollar bushel, had the effect of empty
ing the grainaries upon almost every farm.
There has not been in years so general a
clearing out of wheat from the farms, and
the surplus which will be carried over from
the last crop is probably nearly all con =
tanned in the elevators, public and private,
and is what is termed din sight
Assuming the approximate correctness Of
the estimate of the crop, five hundred and
fifty millions, we will be able to spare about
two hundred millions for export, as we re-
quire about three hundred and fifty million
bushels for bread and seed. This should
bring into the United States about hun
bred and seventy five million of gold dollars
from abroad or extinguish foreign debts to
that amount. The outlook for continued
good prices for wheat, not taking into &C
bulls and bears, is encouraging
On the good price of wheat and cotton
depends. more than upon anything else. the
prosperity OF the country and the revival of
business, the maintenance of sound currency
conditions and the content of the people.
1t was the wheat and cotton exports VIII ich
maintained the gold reserve intact and pre-
vented the continued export of gold to Eng
land and France. With a good crop of
wheat and good prices for it the farmer can
buy and then pay for what he buys. Then
the wheels in the factories begin TO revolve
to supply the demand, the idle operatives
are summoned to work in the morning, the
coal miners must go back to their work in
the mines to supply fuel for the motive
power and the mine owners can afford TO
pay the men living wages. The outlook
now is for prosperity, and the foreign de-
mand for wheat will DO more to restore it
than all the tariff bills that Congress can
pass
There is just now growing demand in
Japan for our flour. A few years ago it
was almost nothing. This year the exports
to Eastern Asia, mainly Japan, which has
grown rich since the war with China, will
amount to million barrels of flour, equiva.
lent to nearly five million bushels of wheat.
Congress would do the people better SER
vice by fostering this trade than by destroy
ing it in a senseless dispute over Hawaii
with that friendly and progressive coun-
try.-Batto Sun.