Valentine Democrat., 1906-12-06
PRICE OF WHEAT DOWN
Republican Protection Does Not
Protect the Grower.
THE PROTECTED TRUSTS PROSPER

Prices of Commodities Have Advanc-
ed on the Average Nearly 80 Per
Cent, While the Farmers Have to
Pay These High Prices With Fifty
Cent Wheat.
The export shippers of grain at Chi
cago declare that the trunk line rail-
roads refuse to accept grain for ship
ment from Buffalo to New York, Bos-
ton and Philadelphia or contract for its
future transportation. The railroads
claim they have not cars enough to
move grain, but the shippers declare it
is all a scheme to hold back grain at
Chicago and other western points until
navigation on the lakes is closed for
the winter. Then the railroads can
take their time in transporting it at the
advanced freight rates which invari-
ably go into effect after navigation
closes
This is bad news for the wheat grow
ers, for it will probably force down the
price Of wheat, which is already too
low for profit. 1t may also lead to the
loss Of q market for large quantities Of
wheat which would be bought by Eng
lish buyers if delivered in advance Of
the Argentine crop, which begins to
move in January. The price Of wheat
is now but from so to 80 cents to the
grower at the local markets, and fur
ther decline in price will be disaster
to many growers that have bills to meet
based on the high prices Of what they
have purchased.
How do those farmers who have ac-
cepted the stand pat doctrine that the
wheat grower is protected by the tariff
from the pauper raised wheat of Ar
gentina Russia, India and other coun-
tries like the outlook? How can the
Republican spellbinders and organs
explain the low price Of wheat, al
though it is protected by tariff duty
of 25 cents a bushel? The speeches Of
Secretary Shaw and Secretary Wilson.
in which they try to prove that the
tariff protects the farmer and is uni
versal prosperity producer, must fall
rather fat and provoke anything but
enthusiasm in the hearts Of the west
ern wheat growers.
AS the price Of nearly everything the
farmer buys is still advancing and
Bradstreet's index numbers for Octo-
Der show that the average price Of
commodities has increased since June,
1897, nearly 80 per cent, to make things
even wheat should be 80 per cent high
er and be advancing annually in price
about 5 per cent, as other protected
products are.
How much longer will Republican
farmers submit to this one sided pro-
lection that fosters trusts and allows
them to force up the prices of their
tariff protected products and compels
the farmer to sell his surplus products
in the markets of the world at world
wide prices? No system Of trust pro-
lection can protect the farmer in OBJ
tanning better prices for his products.
of which more are raised than can be
consumed in this country. The sur
plus must be sold for what it will
bring. No combination Of wheat grow
ers can force up the price of wheat,
for the shrinkage and expense of stor
ing will eat up any increase in price
which might be gained by holding back
the surplus from market, unless there
should be worldwide failure Of the
wheat crop to cause Il very great ad-
vance In price.
The impudent attempt of the Repub-
licaIs to make the farmers believe that
their prosperity has been brought about
by the Republican policy of protected
instead Of the bountiful crops which
nature and hard work have provided is
entirely disproved by the disappoint-
ment Of the wheat growers at the drop
in the price of wheat. Nor can the Re
publicans explain to the satisfaction Of
any wide awake farmer why under
the system Of trust protection that
has so vastly increased the price Of
trust products the price of protected
wheat should not be equally advanced.
TO explain how the tariff fosters trusts
and does not foster agriculture would,
if truthfully given, entirely demolish
the stand pat doctrine upon which the
farmers are asked to support the Re-
publican ticket.
Homer TAFT drove il, from Ken.