The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-27
CAN BRING IN NO MORE RICE.
IMPORTATIONs FROM HAWAII AND
PHILIPPINES PROHIBITED.


The Plague Prevailing In Those ISL
ands Makes ImpOrtatiOns of Rice
DangcrOus-The Order Has Caused
IL Boom in the Domestic Rice Mar
ket Because of the Large Demand
From the Pacific Const-The order
Boon to the Rice Growers Be-
cause of the Large Domestic Crop
and Low PriceS-The Plague Situ-
ntiOn Serious.
1T is always an i'll wind that blows no
body good. The announcement in yester-
days Morning News that there had been
thrty-nine deaths in Honolulu from the
buEonic plague was not pleasant reading,
but Honolulu is long way to from Sa-
vannah, and there need be little fear of
the disease reaching the Atlantic sea-
ports from that quarter. The Marine Hos
pital Service has the matter well in hand,
and is neglecting no precaution which
may keep the matter out of the states.
In its efforts to prevent the spread of
the disease to the ports of this country,
the Marine Hospital Service has issued
an order prohibiting the importation of
rice from the Hawaiian and Philippine Is
lands. AS a large portion of the foreign
rice supply of this country is drawn from
these islands the effect upon the market
has already been very decided. The rice
growers are jubilant over the prospect.
Large crops were raised in all the rice
growing sections last year and prices
have been ruling very low in consequence.
The prohibition against rice imports from
the islands named has already caused a
rise in the lower grades of rice, and is
expected to affect all lines of the COM
modify.
Mr. w. G. Morrell was the first to re-
ceive the information of the order here.
Il have just received telegram from
Louisiana" said Mr.. Morrell to a Morn
ing News reporter yesterday, (which
states officially that the United States has
issued an order prohibiting imports of
rice from the Hawaiian and Philippine Is
lands on account OF the plague. The eff
feet upon the rice market has been very
decided. One mill at Crawley, La, has re-
ceived an order for 50 carloads of rice
for the Pacific coast to be followed by
others. In consequence of this action by
lilt government lue common RTdu6S OF
rice which were selling at Ia to cents
a pound have advanced a quarter of a
cent a pound. A great deal of rice is con-
sumed on the Pacific coast, owing to the
large Chinese population there, this de-
mand being almost entirely for the lower
grades. This demand is likely to be con-
tinuous for some time to come and in all
probability there will be an increased de-
mand for the better grades"
''Wil not Japan and China fill in the
gap caused by the shutting out of the Pa
clfic islands," Mr.. Morrell was asked.
I'VE anticipate no danger from that
quarter" he replied. China consumes
practically all of her rice at home. Japan
had a poor crop last year, and, besides
she is keeping all of her rice at home be-
cause of anticipated trouble with Russia
or some of the other great Powers over
the threatened division of China. Java Is
about the only foreign source from which
rice is now supplied TO this country"
Mr.. Morrell said that while the planters
made excellent crops last year, they had
realized but little profit because of the
large crops produced in all the rice grow
ing sections. Louisiana produced a very
large crop, while North Carolina, which
has only recently become a rice producer
of importance, made larger crop than
South Carolina and Georgia put together
Rice which sold last year at $1.25 a bushei
is now bringing only 20 TO so cents a BUSH
ell With the shutting out of Philippine
and Hawaiian rice better prices are look
ed for
Health officer Drummer when spoken to
about the matter said the reports show
the plague situation at Honolulu to be
serious, and with the character of the pop
ulation there he does not anticipate any
immediate improvement. He has conf
dence in the ability of the Marine Hospi-
tai Service to protect this country. how
ever Two South American ports, Santos
and Rio Janeiro, are infected, but the dis
ease seems to have made little progress
there, the infection at Santos dating from
last October Nevertheless a close watch
is being kept upon those ports. Vessels
from Rio and Santos would stand little
show of entering Savannah, Dr. Drummer
said.
The reason for prohibiting imports of
rice from plague infected points is believ-
ed TO be because of the fact that cargoes
of rice are usually accompanied by rats,
which have proven a most prolific source
of spreading the disease.