Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-01-03
Duty per bushel.


AT present. the chief countries de-
pendent on others for a large part of
their wheat supplies are Germany.
France, England Austria, Italy.
Spain, Switzerland and Belgium. The
leading wheat-eXporting countries are
Russia, Hungary East Indies, Balkan
States. United States, Canada, Argen-
tine Republic and Australia.
The aim of the agrarians is to make
Germany entirely Independent of all
countries for its breadstuffs and food
supplies. However, it is impossible to
understand how duty of. say, A cents
on every bushel of imported wheat. as
is now proposed to the reichstag, can
increase the crops of wheat and other
cereals in this country or decrease the
appetite of its people. Farming, di-
versifed and intensified, is done in
Germany upon more improved and
scientific methods than probably any
where else in the world. Though the
Germans use less machinery in gar
nering and removing their crops than
we do, they apply more chemistry in
the treatment of their soil, and use al
most every inch of ground available
for agricultural purposes. More com
mercial fertilizers are imported into
Germany and manufactured there, and
more attention is paid to soil in
oculation" in order to increase fertil-
ity, than in any other country. And
yet, with all that science and money
and toll can do in raising grain, Ger
many is obliged to import from other
countries about one-eighth of her
breadstuffS. One-eighth is a rather
small fraction and does not look al all
formidable, but when it is borne in
mind that in 1899 Germany had to i'm.
port 50,37l ,436 bushels of wheat for
which she paid $42 ,935 200, and 22O97.-
IFS bushels of rye. which cost her $15,-
4i6.290, the question at once assumes
gigantic proportions. For the two
items of wheat and rye, the nation paid
to other nations the handsome sum of
So, S,3S1 400. and this vast sum of money
the agrarians claim will be retained in
Germanyifa higher duty be imposed on
wheat and other grains.
1t is proposed to add TO the acreage
of Germany by putting under cultiva-
occupied by moors and heaths and
swamps. 1t is claimed that ample pro-
lection will bring better prices for
homegrown wheat, which will en-
courage the German farmer to grow
less sugar beet and more grain. But
even should Germany be as success
fui in increasing her production of
wheat and rye as the most sauguine
a9rarians expect it would be impos-
sible for any length of time to supply
the home consumption. With the nat
ural increase of the population of Ger
many, The demand for and the CON
sumption of breadstuffs are contin-
ually growing. Each year brings to
the country, on the average. 6OG coo
fresh mouths clamoring for food. So
after ALL it is difficult to see how the
proposed national legislation can have
any other effect. in the long run, than
to enhance he price of the daily bread
so neeGful to every man, woman and
child.
There seems TO be little doubt that
the proposed law will be passed by
the German reichstag. This will Sc
riously affect the interests of the
American farmer, for a large part of
the importation of wheat is American
grown. A duty of 40 to so cents on
every bushel of wheat cannot fail tc
be well-nigh prohibitive. and the conse.
quence will be more limited markets
fiercer competition, and lower prices
to the producers.