The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-27
Milling Journals Call Attention
to Kansas Situation.
Opportunity to Bring Kansas
Flour to Front Is Here.
OTHERS ARE AFRAID.
Millers i'm Other States Fear a
Cut in Prices.
Want Kansas Flour Makers to
Make No Changes.

The milling journals seem to agree
that Kansas millers have an oppor-
tunity this year to force Kansas flour
to the front in the markets of the
world. The Modern Miller, published
at st. Louis, contains the following
under a Kansas City date line in its
current issue:
"A. j. Butte. proprietor of the White
Swan mills, at Clinton, Mo-, and who
has his general offices in this city, is
much pleased at the present outlook,
and remarked as follows: believe
the time has arrived when Kansas flour
and Kansas wheat can make a name
for itself. Every year of late, has
shown a great increase in the demand
for Kansas -four, and instead of going
on the market under the label of some
Minnesota mill, it can now be sold for
what it really is. A good crop in
Kansas next year will mean the estab-
lishment of such a market for the
-four of that state that it will be hard
to supply the demand In fact, 1 do
not know that we will need another
year. The light crop in other sections
of the wheat producing country has
made all markets look this way, ana
the wheat producers of Kansas can go
to WOrk on lUClI ACAt NACR ''@~A
knowledge that many new markets are
omen to them in all sections Of the
world. and that they cannot overpro-
duce COR the demand is increasing so
much faster than the production pos
sibly can ,.,,,.
In the same issue the Modern Miller
editorially cautions Kansas millers
against trying to underseh otner sec
tions too much just because they nave
a hip wheat crop and can afford to do
so. 1t says:
EVERY Kansas miller should give
some hard thought to the proposition
of fixing the price of his product on =
fair relative basis with -four values IN
other markets. Kansas is In a com
mandinE position with a magnihcent
there is good reason not to sacrifice
this advantage in competition among
! themselves Kansas millers may, II
so inclined. beat down wheat prices on
kets in -four to such an extent as 10
cripple and hamper the profits OF the
mills therein. But would Kansas mill
ers be getting the most out OF sucn
plan? 1t is better to maintain other
markets a factor a high factor, and NIX
Kansas values at relative difference
that will bring the trade and give the
profit. On quality, Kansas flour snoulo
crop naturally fixes the market rela-
lively lower than other markets, but
the difference should not be a sacrifice
of a fine crop at absurd values under
other markets. Every miller in Kan
sas should hold up on price and get as
much for his flour as possible. The
millers should eliminate and ignore
local competition, and the sooner the
mills understand this and come to an
understanding among themselves the
better they will fare. Kansas does
not always raise such crop, and
never before has been in such COM
mand:ng position, and If the millers or
the Sunf1ower state do not reap the
profits from this favored position they
caH blame themselves.
"In years to come they may not have
the chance they have this year. Why
not make the most of it and get all
there is out of the present advantages.
Hold up the price to the top mark for
free sales against other sections"
There are no indications, however.
that Kansas .1illers will have to cut
prices in order to sell their flour. IN
deed Kansas flour seems to be already
commanding a premium. In the same
issue of the same trade journal from
which the above quotations are made,
| is a dispatch from New York on
the condition of the flour trade there,
which says:
'It has been unusually difficult to do
| business in Kansas flour because of its
scarcity and high cost There are prac-
ticalIy no straights here and they would
bring So 80 and possibly "a on pinch,
but holders say that they could not be
laid down for less than $4.10 or $4-20;
| in fact. some receivers say that they
expect to get little or no Kansas flour
| in the near future, because it is COM
manding $410 at interior points,.