The Washington herald., 1908-07-19

During a period Of four years OF 50
prejudice has arisen in Great Britain
against American wheat and flour, This
prejudice has been so great as to make
Itself felt in exports from this country.
Writing from London. Special Agent NJ
II. Davis explains some Of the causes for
reduced shipments Of wheat and -four
from the United States to the United
Kingdom. and points out the effect upon
the British market Of the production in
wheat. He says:
I think Il was the spring wheat crop Of
1904 that was badly damaged by rsst.
The -four shipped by the American miIlers
from that crop could not. in the very na-
ture Of things. prove equal TO the we'll
known standards that for many years had
given satisfaction
Some mills continued to ship this IN
ferior product under regular brands
When it arrived and was distributed it
did not in many cases come up 10 ex-
pectatioRs- This afforded a fine oppor-
tunity for those so disposed to berate
American flour generally. Naturally, the
weak points IN the American situation
were dwelt upon, and possibly exagger-
ated- The buyers became prejudiced
against -four that they had formerly look
{ ed upon as expressing the highest stand
Z ard Of excellence
/ II is proper 10 state that many OF our
mills. with due regard TO the interests
Of their buyers and the value OF their
{ regulations. refused absolutely TO offer
the -four Of this unfortunate crop under
/ their regular brands. and It would have
I been far better II no spring wheat -four
not fully Up 70 the old esta blished stand
ards had been exported that crop year
/ But enough came forward, made partly
I from damaged grain OF mixed with hard
wheat of characteristics other than those
/ possessed by spring wheat OF high class.
/ to disturb the confidence Of British buy
I ers. not only in the mills whose -four
/ caused them loss and trouble. but to give
birth 90 the idea that American wheat
Z was deteri0Tating IN the qualities hereto
: fore considered most valuable
UndertOne of Doubt Exists.
! ind there IS decided undertone OF
doubt now existing among the trade re-
garding the quality of our wheat This
doubt has been strengthened. think. by
] the condition on arrival here of numerous
I cargOes Y wheat brought from the United
States the past three years. which. while
/ grading at Atlantic and Gulf ports. failed
{ 70 come up TO -Tne expectations Of pUr-
I chasers Much dissatisfaction has arisen
/ among the grain trade by reason Of dis
/ appointment IN quality. The subject has
! been freely discussed and talked about
on the grain exchanges
/ Following the -four troubles. as It did,
& fhn vr-hanf grading 10
! been most unfortunate as affecting the
I sentiment regarding American -four The
3 -four people found just cause TO complain
. OF certain numerous parcels OF -four when
I the wheat was known TO be inferior. and
[ now. in subsequent periods. when the
wheat is claimed 10 be right, Il develops
{ that dealers in II here have had frequent
/ cause. as they claim. for rejection These
dealers assert that American shippers re
/ fuse 20 adjust losses occastoned by wheat
. arriving out Of condition. the latter stand
J ing on the United States aboard inspec-
tion. which passed the wheat as sound
/ and up 10 standard
( Thus the case against our wheat and
! -four. as made up by the importers OF
/ both. who seem 10 have compared notes.
I is far from favorable 10 active trade.
/ Yet the fact remains that the United
I States has been producing high-class
I wheat every crop year since 1904 and the
Z mills have been able, as have the ship
I pers Of wheat. 10 make their proper Sc
I lecticns Of flrst-ciass merchantable grain.
I To convince -four buyers that they can
/ continue to do so, and that the -four re-
sulting VIII be as good as it ever was. is.
! under the present condition Of doubt. the
! imperative duty Of millers.
] My own assurances on this subject
I given daily and as forcefully as I can
{ present them. viii. hope. be followed I'D
/ by some concerted plan OF action caIcu-
I lated 10 restore confidence.
Influence of Durum on Trade.
I have heretofore referred 70 the pro-
duction OF Durum OF macaroni wheat in
the United States as having an unfavor-
/ able effect upon our trade in -four. To
understand this statement. it is necessary
10 know that Durun wheat produces -four
I Of a character very different from that
I of the standard OF hiEh-class hard spring
wheat grown in the Northwestern States.
{ Minnesota. North and South Dakota Its
market value in the Northwest has been,
I for the past two years at least 10 cents.
or possibly 15 cents. below the standard
milling grades. Indeed. at times It has
been at % cents per bushel discount
Recently on the London market No. /
Durum wheat sold at nearly 5 shillinzs
Per quarter under No. I Northern Dulurn
wheat, aud at shlllings under Manitoba