The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-29

Northwestern hard wheat flour is en-
larging it's domestic market by making
new converts among the bread eaters Of
the southern states. The possibilities in
the foreign flour trade have been thor
willing to predict a steady growth of the
spring wheat milling industry of the
northwest. but many of the experts have
overlooked the fact that northwestern
flour has been gradually forcing recogni-
tion almost at the very doors of the
soft wheat -four manufacturers Of the
south. Developments in the flour trade
and in the competition between hard and
soft wheat flour in the past five years
have been almost wholly favorable to the
hard wheat product Of the northwest.
When the southern miller first began to
mix with the southern grades the super
Tor wheat from the northwest, the north
western miller considered his course rep
rehensible. In the light of recent
events it is now considered that the soft
wheat miller was doing the northwestern
flour maker good turn. Gradually he
has educated the people Of the south to
demand for a different quality of -four
from that furnished by the southern
mills. This supplemented by the work
bakers has greatly increased the ship
ments from Minneapolis mills into south
ern communities.
Minneapolis is shipping more flour to
Kansas City and st. Louis than ever be-
fore This is significant for the reason
That large portion OF the southern
trade is supplied from mills at those
points and the point is made that this in
crease in business is entirely due to the
conversion Of the southern people to the
use OF northern -four. The principal
cities Of the gulf states are increasing
the number and size of their orders. This
has encouraged the local millers to a
more aggressive campaign of education
in the south. People who have been
positive in their predictions that the mill
ing industry of the northwest has been
making its best figures have left out Of
their calculations two important factors
the fact that spring wheat flour is grow
ing In favor in most parts Of the civil
lied world, and the possibility of western
;Canada's becoming an important source
OF wheat supply to Minneapolis mills.
The late c. A. Pillsbury used to dwell
upon the possibilities of the Saskatche-
wan valley as a futre source of supply
| for the Minneapolis mills. With the
tariff removed from wheat his dreams will
come true within a comparatively few
years.
Of northwestern hard wheat flour on four
big continents. At home it is success
| fully invading the choice territory of the
southern miller. The demand is increas-
ing to an encouraging degree in the West
Indies. The increase in South American
countries is gradual but sure. Wherever
the tariffs are not actually prohibitive,
as in France, it is winning more bread
eaters annually. The United Kingdom
and Holland will add measurably to their
orders this year, under normal market and
rate conditions. South Africa IS full of
promise as future market. Here the
superiority of hard wheat flour over its
soft wheat competitor, in the severest
tests of competition, is plainly evident. In
! spite of the fact that Australia, which
| manufactures and ships large quantity
| of soft wheat flour, Is a British colony
and its mills are much nearer the South
! African market than are the Minneapolis
| mills, the spring wheat flour of the north
! west is gradually increasing in favor with
! the people of South Africa and the demand
| Is steadily gaining. With the railroads of
the country maintaining fair attitude
! toward flour and sensible legislation by
congress along reciprocity lines, north
western hard wheat flour will make the
most successful and general invasion of
| the worlds markets, in the next ten years
Of any commodity turned out of American
mills.
! The great flour industry asks but little
! Of congress and nothing detrimental to
other producers of the United States If
| it is given a fair chance to grow, the men
| who have said that the last big mill has