The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-01-18


gence and patriotism of nation rests
at least as largely, if not to an even
greater extent, on the agricultural por-
tion. It has been found when it has
been necessary to call upon the people
to support the flag that large bulk of
its forces have come from the field. II
we were to preserve our prosperity and
keep commerce on sound basis we
must find a market for our products.
AS it is now, II per cent of our exports
go to one country. II the people would
stop to think what would happen to us,
If they were not able to buy from us.
they would soon realize what a condi-
tion they are in. The Argentine repub-
lie has been a bug bear. It's wheat has
broken the price of the American ex.
ports. Austria has done something oc-
casionally. India, few years ago, was
considered our chief competitor; but
India, year in and year out, has harvest
ed but little more than is necessary for
the consumption of it's own people.
There is just as likely to be shortage
as surplus there.
The Argentine republic crops have
been short for a few years, but this
month they are harvesting a crop which
is estimated at between $4,000, 900 and
10000, 900 bushels. Australia expects to
have possibly 10000, 900 bushels to sell
this year. We may have to meet con-
ditions again similar to those of the fall
of 1896 and the spring of 1897 You
may have to face low price of wheat
1t may not be profitable to raise wheat
When that day shall come this country
suffers to an enormous extent, because
SO many people are interested in this
one crop.
Where can we carry our grain if we
cannot carry it to Great Britain? In
Germany, France and Austria we are
met with hostile legislation. To carry
it to Russia would be like carrying Goals
to Newcastle. Russia is a large pro-
ducer.
If one-third of the world are wheat
eaters, and the other two-thirds live on
rice, maize and rye, we must seek a
market with people who are not con-
sumers of wheaton -four, who are not
buying our products. We must get
more people to eat what we produce. 1t
Is not an experiment. Where the intro
duction of wheat -four has been made to
any race-with the single exception of
,, the black race-they are ready and
eager to eat it. The Indian will go far
ther for flour than for anything else,
unless, perhaps, for firewater, and that
won't do him any good and. the -four
will. The Asiatic
RICE EATERS WANT FLOUR.
If they can get it at fair price. How
can a people who have been living on
10 to Is cents day buy flour that must
be carried across the Pacific ocean. If
instead of AZ bushels per capita, we
tried to sell them one, we would have to
eat corn pone ourselves. Our average
surplus of wheat Is, perhaps, 15O, ,OOO, 900
bushels. Last year, think, the figures
were 100000 bushels. II we taught
the Orient to make market for one
bushel per capita of our wheat it would
send 45O,OOO,O0O bushels to China and
Japan alone, not to mention the Straits
settlements and other thickly settled
portions of Asia.
There is fine farming country in
North and West China, but it cannot
get it's products to market advantag-
eously.
We may fear that Russia, on the COM
pletion Of the Trans-Siberian railway.
may compete for that Oriental market.
The question of transportation, how
ever, settles that. The average cost of
transporting a ton of freight a mile on
the Imperial Russian railroad is 1.8
cents, and assuming that the govern
ment would carry grain to, this market
at its actual cost, the cost of transporta-
tion alone from the wheat fields of Rus
STA would be $420 a barrel. We can
ship flour from our west coast to ports
like Yokohama and Nagasah for IS
cents hundred weight, so cents a bar
rel and IS a ton, And it is not likely
that the Siberian railroad will haul
grain or flour at less than the naked
cost to the government.
What applies to this wheat of our
Northwest applies to the cotton of the
South, and to every other product, in
cluding iron and steel. II we have out
grown, in our agricultural production,
our home market, for which we have
nursed our steel industries, let us do
something for our other industries, and
particularly for our agricultural inter-
ests. Take the matter Of nails. Last
year you got them for $1.25 q keg; this
year they are 1925. Lumber prices
have advanced as you know. These
are prime necessities on prairie farms
You must have shelter; you must have
fuel Fuel has advanced; everything
made Of iron has advanced, but your
product has not advanced, and until you
can get new people to eat your wheat
you can go on hoping. but it will be.
hoping against hope.
RESPONSIVE TO SMALL, SHORTAGE
Now, IL the falling of IN the wor}d,s