The Democratic advocate., 1909-08-27
GRAIN NANDGOVERNMENT
HOW FOOD FAMINES WE'RE PREVENTED
IN THE OLDEN DAYS
COrners"In Grain We're Not Permitted
IN Ancient Times

something unheard OF in this country.
May wheat passed a dollar and thir-
ty cents; July wheat was proportion
ately high, and, In spite OF a drop, 1t
is predicted by grain spectators that
the prices will 80 up still further.
This condition OF things is supposed
to be the outcome OF an extensive
| grain speculation--a wheat corner
manipulated by one James A. Patten.
OF Evanston, III.
/ And II is significant that Patten
finds defender Of his wheat corner
in J. Ogden Armour, his old pit foe
and opponent.
The meat magnate Is OF the opinion
that the system Of trading in futures
| OF grNin Is legitimate, Is necessary and
Is here to stay. and that congress can
not aud will not change II.
/ However, the excuse and tustifica-
ton Of modern Industrial trusts we're
always based upon the fact that the
trust methods simplify the production
and cheaper the product, and that the
squeezing out OF existence OF thous.
ands OF independent concerns wns
therefore matter Of progress.
But all that can be said In favor OF
i fAeaA tHNANAAAA1M 70 AAftt III AIAIH WHY
the price OF grain Ia regulated By TAX
Ing into confederation the crops Of the
different grain producing countries
and the grain on hand.
1t Is a mighty poor regulation at
best And In this country. so far. this
has only resulted in holding down the
price OF the harvest when the farmer
sells II, and In making Il more ex-
pensive when the consumer buys II.
However, this Is declared TO be
necessary for modern business. Ii
has been defended by some influential
/ papers for no other reason than that
with which these papers defend every
thing favorable TO the rich man.
Mr., Patten's wheat corner Is also a
proof that the mercantile school Of
economics. with its wisdom of ''lals-
SEE fairo" ("let II alone,") has been
carried ad absurdum BY modern eapi-
tallsm. The general statement that
II we let the grain business Just take
care Of itself grain prices will take
care OF themselves and ilnd their
proper level has been shown To be a
mis-statement
In days gone by the policy Of all
governments was different II was an
axiom OF every government that look
ed for perfnanency-- whether ropubll-
can or uionaTchical--to prevent bread
4 famines
! In former days, when commerce. and
transportation were very limited and
/ the population very largely dependent
+ upon comparatively small territory
for lie Hustenance. that was no simple
1 question TO solve.
! In old Rome the republic sought 20
prevent a dearth Of grain BY laying
IN q supply which was purchased
abroad. Later on, grain came 10 more
plentifully as tribute from the prov
inces. This Was sold at a very low
lprice % the citizen.
Since the days Of the Gracchl, this
became fixed policy of the Roman
government Ia order 10 prevent rev.
olntion. And the Roman emperors
not only supplied the populace with
bread but also with amussmenta-
"pancm e circeneea" t.'bread and
1 EGrnea'J became q maxim of the wis
dom of all Roman statesmen when
dealing with the people.
I Ia the Middle Agen there was no TN
restrained trade In grain. The cities
/ regulated u according 10 the principle
that the entire population had a sight
10 a sufficient amount of corn And
corn WAS the name VI the most lm-
portant grain of the vicinity. whether
oats. barley, rye or wheat,
For over Il thousand pears the farl-
ons governments kept up the same
4 policy, Any artificial rise IN thn price
Of grain Was considered corn usury I"
and punished very severely
Some governments tried 10 prevent
I even the possibility OF u denrth-aa
I far Ak this WAS possible In those days
Of limited facilities and primitive agrl-
culture-by prohibiting the export Of
grain.
Later on they put heavy export
duty ON all agricultural products, in-
cldding cattle, butter, cheese, etc.
I This policy was changed In France
during the seventeenth century. IN or
I der TO encourage manufacturing.
/ All Import and export duties on Ag-
ricultural products were taken OF
The Intention was to get cheap food
1 for the workers In the factories.
Such measures prevailed In France
up TO the middle OF the eighteenth
century. when the French government
wasered between the physiocratic
school OF economists. who we're in fav-
or OF agricultural interests. and the
mercantile school. who favored manu-
J featuring
In England the policy also changed
several times.
/ All during the Middle Ages the price
OF grain. and even OF bresd, was fix
ed
During the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries II became the aim OF the
government 10 discourage the impor-
tation OF grain 10 England by putting
on heavy import duties. This was
done Ia order to help the feudRl lords
who owned the aind,
However, the system changed when
England became manufacturing
country. England since then prefers
10 manufacture for all the world aud
TO import grain for the industrial
workers from her various colonies.
To some extent this Is the natural
outcome OF the English colonial en-
pire.
In Germany. during the Middle Ages
trading in grain was strictly under
the supervision OF the cities or the
state, Later on, the system of grain
elevators owned by the state was de-
yeloped Frederick the Great especi-
ally made use Of such elevators.
Clear up TO the middle OF the nine
teenth century there we're also laws
compelling cities, villages. and even
private individuals, to store up part
OF their harvest as a reserve.
During the great French ReyOlu-
tion the convention, In 1893, by law
compelled all dealers in grains and all
farmers to state what grain they had.
and to sell II at certain price.
IsIo.nn t.,ha dlh -.r.a ..h..r A.. f.....