Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-13
FRANCE WANTS QUA MAEAr.
in That Country viii, Add
Z 10000, 900 euskels TO Our sxnorts.


Shortage In That Country vii, Add
& 10000, 900 6ushsis 70 Our exports.
Washington, Aug. 13. Farmers of the
United States who have large crops of
wheat undoubtedly have prosperous
season before them, as the partial fall
iure Of the corn crop will make larger
demand for wheat and. In addition to
this, France, which has not imported
any wheat for three years, will require
nearly 60,O00000 bushels because Of the
shortage in its wheat crop.
Three-fourths of the French wheat
crop has been harvested at a much
earlier period than usual, and, according
to an official report from Consul General
Skinner at Marseilles, there is no longer
any doubt that there Will be serious
shortage, and that France will become
again an importing nation.
The expectations OF those who have
given the matter study" reports the
consul general at Marseilles, biased up
on previous experience. is that France
will be obliged to look aboard during the
coming year for perhaps 56,0OO,OO0 bu-
shells. including the hard wheat no: pro-
duced in the United States and usually
imported from Russia and Algeria.
'Of the total importations probably
32,000,000 bushels will be entered thru
the port at Marseilles, of which two
thirds will consist of hard macaroni
Wheat, which cannot be supplied by the
United States. This leaves about 20.O00.-
600 bushels of soft wheat required for
this port, the most of which will GER
tainly be forwarded from the United
States If prices so adjust themselves
that Russian wheats are not lower.
Already one cargo of American
wheat of the new crop is on its way to
this port. and has been sold in
small lots for the purpose of disseminat-
ing practical information as rapidly as
possible concerning the quality If the
new crop upon which they probably will
depend to an important extent.
The importers hope the Americans
will not force prices to a point which
will normally strengthen the competi-
ton from Russia and anticipate that
the business of the year will compare
with that of 1895, when the French crop
was short and large quantities came in
from the United States
An estimate of crop conditions in
France has been prepared by A. Cout-
eaux, one of the most competent au-
thorities in the country. He says: The
government supplied an estimate Of the
wheat situation on May 10, based upon
reports from the professors of agricul-
ture. and, according to this report,
gathered from each department. har-
vest of 1851, 5SS,0OO bushels was pre-
dicted.
The minister OF agriculture has now
published second report upon the sit
uation, dated July 1. The number Of
points accorded in this report to each
department has so diminished that, ac-
cording to the millers' organ, the total
harvest will not exceed $500, 504 900 bu
shells.
All this simply confirms my former
unpleasant convictions, and authorizes
me more than ever to believe that we
ought not to stake our measure of the
crop on that of 1900, but rather on that
of 1897, which gave 24s,so6,Ooo bushels.
This figure may be increased by 14,000,-
600 or even 2S,000,000 bushels, since quite
portion of the harvest is still uncut.
However, it may be, there can be no
doubt today to any man VINO does not
voluntarily close his eyes that the year
will see serious deficit, and we shall
be obliged to import for our use a
large quantity. What will this be?
Fifteen millions? Twenty millions
Who knows? Under these clrcum-
stances it is not the French market
that will decide the price of wheat but
the American market.
1T is true that the United States has
this year an extraordinary harvest.
greater than ever before obtained-that
Is, unless the drought persists. 1t will
not be the fisrt time that our worst har-
vests have been counterbalanced by
abundant harvests in the United States.
This phenomenon reproduces itself with
such regularity as to seem to be the re-
suit of a natural law"