The Washington times., 1909-04-17
WILSON PREDICTS
EARLY COLLAPSE
OF PATTEN DEAL
Says Corner Cannot Last Be-
cause of Visible Wheat
Supply.
BROKER is ELECTED
~ ANANiAS CLUB
Secretary of Agriculture Also
Characterizes Chicago Oper-
ator as q Gambler.


4 Secretary of Agriculture James Will
son this morning declared that the cor
ner in wheat which James A. Patten is
seeking to support on the Chicago board
of trade cannot stand much longer, that
T. will meet the fate of all such corners
and that Patten himself. whom he con-
siders nothing more than gambler, is
in reality fit candidate for the Ana
Mas Club
The Secretary issued also a formal
Statement in which he sets forth facts
| to back up his assertions as to the
amount of wheat on hand.
"Patten.'' said the Secretary, as
rothing more than a gambler. His
statements in regard to the depart
ment's estimates of the wheat on hand
are made with a purpose He IS not
/ telling the truth. but Is talking for his
/ own advantage.
Will Pour In Grain.
His corner will meet the same fate
| as have others. When the farmers Ia
| the Northwest hear of the price being
paid for wheat in Chicago they will
| ship their grain in. When il gets there
! Patten will have to pay the price, sl.2S
/ bushel or whatever IL may be. He
J can't get rid of his wheat except IN
small quantities. He must pay the
/ price for all that comes and then when
/ the time comes he must sell 1t again,
and If the people won't buy. his corner
/ will break.
MANY people in this courcry viii turn
20 corn II the price of wheat is high
Throughout thz South especially much
corn is used. ard the amount viii be
increased at such ti-.e as this. In
other parts Of the wo.t1 ii the worlds
production is curta.ied the people will
/ turn to other grains, cam or rye. and
/ Will not pay high prices for the wheat -
] One bad effect OF q corner, lasting
/ even for a short time. Secretary Wilson
1 said. Will be the almost certain effort
| Of farmers in the Northwest TO plant
most Of their land in wheat this sum-
mer or fail. Farmers will begin 70 plant
all their land with wheat, IN the expec-
tation of getting the prices now pre-
vailing. The production will rise then,
of course. and the price will fall.
Status Of Wheat Crop.
The Secretary said lhat he is tired OF
hitting Patten. and having Patten slap
| back. and that he decided this morning
10 collect facts, and give the Chicago
operator a full broadside. The state
ment which follows Is the result:
| ne department OF Agriculture has
estimated the amount Of wheat on farms
March l, 1903, 10 be about 1900, 900
bushels, Of 2l1a per cent OF the amount
produced IN the country last year. 1893.
analysis or the wheat movement after
March j, IN past years indicates that
the yearly estimates Of the percentage
of the crop on farms March l. has been
about per cent below the actual per-
centage.
The amount OF wheat produced in the
| calendar year 1908 was $50 000,OS0 bushels
as compared with 634, 10000 bushels for
the crop year 1907, making N 600 600
bushels more for the last crop year than
we round the year previous, so II will
! be seen that scarcity Of wheat In this
country IS not the cause Of the present
abnormal Increase In prices.
| The worlds wheat crop Of 1903 was
practically the same as the crop for
| 1907 but about ! per cent less than the
crop OF 1906.
Where Corn Ccmes In.
Another factor Of interest here IS the
corn crop Of last year in its feeding
potential.
The corn crop Of 1908 was 2,s6s, ,OOO.-
the crop Of 1907 was 1859, ,OOO, 600
bushels, in round numbers The corn
crop of 1908 was well matured and
OF higher feeding quality for man
In considering the food of the people
throughout the world when wheat
| becomes GEAR, as y Is now as the
result of this Chicago corner. people
use more corn than they do when
wheat is cheaper. In many Of our
| States our people resort to corn bread
when wheat bread becomes dear, as
the cost of every days food has to
/ be carefully calculated. In the old
/ world the people resort to rye to
greater extent when wheat becomes
dear. so that the people who are run
ming this corner Will have to consid-
er the less wheat VIII be used while
IT remains at an aOnormally high
price.
Now, in regard 10 the reliability Of
the reports relative to the amount Of
| wheat on farms March 1, the reports of
| this department indicated about l43, ,OO0,-
600 bushels. In round numbers. on the
first of March.
The commercial editor Of the Kansas
Continued on Second Page.)