The Columbus journal., 1907-10-30

OF IN admittedly unfav0rAb1e season
should not be allowe6 to sink out Of
sight at time when returns from agri-
cultural activity in the west are being
anxtously awaited. These figures do not
take account Of the lower grades, Of
which there were 13l cars. More than one
third Of these contained milling wheat,
which would remunerate the farmer at
tho rate Of Sc per bushel on the basis
OF to-day's closing figures. The balance
consisted of low grade stuff which would
show great spreads in prices.
The approximate value Of the two
days receipts Of wheat. however, would
be more than 900 calculating the ca-
pacity Of car at 1.0oO bushels and elm
mating the cost Of freight and handling
As many OF the modern cars contain
more than 1000 bushels and as the freight
rate to Fort William is less than 15c
per cwt. on most of the wheat which IL
now coming forward, the estimate Of
$780, 600 is low. The circulation OF S1o0,-
900 per day among the farmers will not
continue for the whole year. Of course.
but that figure is likely to be exceeded
before the present rush OF wheat to the
market abates. The c0nversion Of the
crop into money may be said to be pro-
ceeding In a most satisfactory way and
there 10 no doubt that millions Of dollars
will have gone into the pockets Of the
farmers by the time navigation on the
lakes closes. Even then only . small
proportion OF the wheat will have come
out. Experience has shown that the rail-
wheat to the Lake Superior ports before
the freeze-up comes, and the proper
tion will probably be smaller than usual
this year on account OF the lateneSo Of
the thrashing season.
.'On the whole the prospect is q most
cheerful one. the likelihood being that
the satisfactory returns for the past few
days will be greatly exceeded in the COM
ing six or seven weeks. The fact that
wheat Of any kind is bound to bring q re-
munerative price this season = the COM
forting feature Of the situation and there
% no occasion for concern over the spoo-
sibility Of the general quality Of the
grain being below that Of previous years.
The high standard OF the wheat raised
in the west in 19e6-l90e was undoubtedly
q great advertisement for the country
and II would have been well II that ex-
cellent record could have been continued,
but Il II not reasonable to expect that 50
Der cent. Of the wheat viii be Of contract
Grade every year as Il was In the years
mentioned. II q per cent or even 50
per cent Of this seasons yield be mp
to the contract standard there will be
room for congratulatioD. The west will
reap q large return OF its investment Of
money. time and labor this year as 1t did
in any preceding season. and by % do.
ing 1t will have done its whole duty to
those who have placed faith In its fertil-
ity and resourcefulness. The breathing
spell IL II comes will enable the transpor-
tation companies and other elements In
the trade Of the country to catch up with
some Of their obligations and the i'm
movements effected by that means will
more than Offset any Inconvenience which
will result from q relatively smaller
production. The general commercial OUT
look II bright enough and only. depressing
factors are due to the position Of . few
communities widely separated In which
there - . small return from the crop.