The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-03-12

BILE between Great Britain and Russia.
Referring to grain. 1t gives the statis-
ties of production in the cereal crops of
the United States and Russia for the
three years previous TO 1896 1t was
found that barring corn or maize, the
ears empire had average crops for
that period approximating one hundred
and ninety-six million quarters, while
the United States produced but one
hundred million quarters. This coun-
try produced larger average ofWheat,
but Russia surpassed in rye, barley and
oats.
The average exports OF these grains
bring one face to face with the difficult
ty which is now threatening the United
States. The Russian wheat sold
abroad amounted to sixteen million
quarters. That exported from the Uni
ted States was identical in quantity.
But Russia disposed of forty-two mill
lion quarters Of the other three cereals
which she produces, while the American
farmers got rid Of only four million in
the foreign markets. If the maize is
added to the American exports, the
Russians still have an excess of ex-
ports in their favor amounting to fif-
teen million quarters. Such an array
of figures cannot leave the American
farmer in a perfectly undisturbed state
of mind. He needs the largest possible
foreign market. 1t ought to be so that
he could have the final voice in the
quotations for grain at London.
Should he lose ground at this great
tv,oe +ha
few years as he has lost it in the past
his loss would involve him in serious
trouble. Russia is now rapidly opening
Siberia, and in two or three years will
undoubtedly have Siberian wheat to
sell in London. This addition to the
stock of available supplies which the
buyers for the English market can rely
upon will not leave the American in
possession of that which he eovets.
The British Trade Journal afflrms
that already the British millers find
some circumstances which make it adj
visable for them to buy Russian wheat.
In the first place. the Russian article is
not a competitor with the milling bust
ness. The grain brought over from the
United States is accompanied always
NY DouT. i ne ItllleTS TedHSe JIle HILL
ace to their business, Another thing in
favor of the Slav cereals is that the
producers are fighting for the market
They do not grade their products, but
offer them in samples. BY purchasing
in that way the British millers can OBJ
tain any quantity of wheat which they
may wish to grind, and can exercise
their acquaintance with sample lots to
secure for themselves such grades of
grain as their knowledge tells them will
certainly make the best flour for their
various classes of purchasers. But it
appears to us that the British Trade
Journal carries the point far. Yet its
salient argument against the American
grain is enough in its way. The paper
proves beyond question that for three
years up to 1896 our grain exports were
much less than those of our rival, while
our sales of wheat for the export mar
ket were no larger in quantity than
Russia's. BY what means are the
American farmers to meet this compe-
tition when Slav crops do not fail, and
are drawn from Siberia as well as Rus
sia in Europe -Providence Journal.