Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-09-05
FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
A Circular Letter to Oregon
Hop-Growers.

letter dated Portland, August 30,
and signed Gan Eastern Brewer"
The letter is reproduced for the
benefit of those who will read
between the lines and see how
the wind is. Following is the
circular:
The hop growers of the Pacific
Coast have received so many cir
culars during the past season
from various sources that they
are no doubt disgusted with any
further advices or suggestions or
reminders through the mail.
However, as growers and dealers
have all had a "shot' at this
method of reaching the farmers,
I take the liberty of addressing
some of the growers, as sort of
farewell. from the brewers point
of view.
During the past month have
been quietly and privately So
journing in Portland, visitor at
your fair, and during this time I
have been watching closely the
fight going on in the newspapers
and otherwise between the So
called "bulls" and "bears." For
ten months previous I have also
kept in close touch with the
Circular fight, that has been
kept warm by the big "bull''
leaders, such as Krebs, Pincus,
burst, Smith and the California
Hop Company. These circulars
were obtained through Chicago
firm. who received every one of
them through their Coast repre-
sentatives.
I want every grower who re-
ceived these circulars to get
down his "bunch" received from
the above mentioned "friends"
~ of the hop growers and see if
they made therein a single state
ment or prediction that events
have proven to be correct. They
told you
everyone admits that there
are not enough hops in the U. S.
to last until October 1906"
''Heavy buying will surely
take place during January, or
February, or March, or April.
etc.
"The shorts are getting desper-
ate; the brewers are out of hops"
ssWhen the warm weather sets
in there will be a wild scramble
for your hops"
'sThe consumption of hops is
224, 900 to 24o, 900 bales, while
the available supply is much
less. Where are the brewers to
get their hops to last until the
next crop comes in?"
And lately l noticed in the
papers: "The growing crop is
going to the bad tast," ';I an
compelled to again reduce my
estimates for the u. S. to 200, ,ooe
to 100, 900. "The bears are
getting desperate again" 800
hops will be worth more thar
1905 hops.' There are secret
orders here for 1000 bales by
heavy short sellers, ETC., etc.
Now let US take the foregoing
predictions and statements and
ana1yze them and compare then
with what has actually happened
and is happening, aud is likely
to happen. Did the expected
wild scramble to buy occur il
January, did it occur in Februar,
or March, or April, or has it oc
Cured yet? And why were tn
brewers not compelled to buy a
predicted by the "bulls?n Simpl,
because the short sellers yo1
heard SO much about did no
exist. The brewers did not nee
your hops badly enough to be
come panic-stricken and buy a
any price asked, but the brewer
on the contrary were well-stocke
with hops as shown by events
regardless of what "boosters'
say in their circulars. The war;
weather has come and will 500
be gone. Yet the heavy antici
pated buying did not take plac
and prices continued to fall.
Your were told there were ne
enough hops in the u. S. to la.
until the new crop came in, bt
the new crop is coming in an
there are still left of the last Gro