The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-14
level with the worlds prices.
Advantage Surrendered,

-
Advantage Surrendered.
I'VE are thus not only forced to sur
render the advantage which we hav
been receiving, an advantage whicl
accrued to us only when our home de
mand became about equal to our hom,
supply, but that we will be doomed Ii
/ remain In that condition indeflnitelI
i The evidence clearly establishe.
that in the three provinces mentioned
| there could be raised sufficient wheat
to meet the worlds demand The
three provinces of the Canadian north.
west-Manitoba. Saskatchewan and
Alberta-are destined in a very few
years to become the granary Of the
world They have a combined tilIable
acreage, according to government re-
ports, capable of raising wheat, bar
ley, flax, oats or rye of 213,s26. 24O
acres. The average production OF
Wheat in those provinces is about
twenty bushels per acre. The worlds
production of wheat is now about
S,000,000,000 bushels. Thus the enor-
nous probabilities OF this section at
once becomes apparent
1T is not contended that all of this
vast Canadian territory will in the
near future be sown to wheat or other
cereals. To do that would so over
supply the worlds needs that the
produce would be scarcely worth the
expense of hauling to market. What
Is virgin soil is there. It's possibility
OF production is there--right at our
door. 1t must for many years pro-
duce an enormous surplus which must
seeks its nearest profitable market
This surplus would flow into our mar
kets whenever their demand might
raise the price of our products to
an export basis and immediately drive
our prices down TO such an export basis.
And therefore, though not a single
bushel should be imported into this
country the fact that 1t is there ready
for importation whenever our prices
would warrant will keep our prices
down to an export basis.
With these great possibilities and
with soil and climatic conditions which
make that section peculiarly adantad
70 the raising Of these cereals which
come in competition with the products
of the border states, it Is certain that
these cereals will be raised in thar
section so long as there lis a world de-
mand for them at prices that will al
low even a meager profit in their pro-
ductiona And it is equally certain
that under such conditions the prices
on tho American side with free trade
In such cereals must always be on the
level with the prices on the Canadian
side, modified by only slight advan-
tages on either side, in certain locali-
ties, by differences in transportation
rates.
Thus it will be seen that the farm
ing public which has supported the
protective policy of this government
for over forty years has purchased all
Of its comforts and necessities on
high protective basis and has until
within the past few years been COM
PEELED to sell its products on a free
trade basis in competition with the
entire world, will by this act be forced
to yield the advantages it has earned
IN building up home market at its
own expense; will again be forced to
not only with the markets OF
me whole world but against what is |
destined to be the largest wheat-rais- |
ng section in the whole world at its |
very doors, while at the same time it |
must still purchase on q protective /
market
Our farming population has for
7ears patiently paid their assessments
# tariff duties which gave them only |
IN indirect and somewhat uncertain /
benefit, with>a hope and promise thai
With our growing population, our home |
consumption would soon equal our /
of food products, and that
hey should then reap the full bene-
It's OF protection In an enhanced value
4 all their products, and that their
'arnings for their labor and capital
Employed would be placed on a plane
Il equality with like earning of labor
md capital employed In the city; 1
hat they could then surround them-
elves with the comforts convent
noes and opportunities OF the city
life. But just as these hopes and
PROMISES are about TO be realized and
his assured and permanent prospect
v Is almost within their grasp the
lope is dashed to the earth and the
romise is broken BY allowing their
My great competitor from access to II
hose home markets developed and Fl
purchased BY their sacrifices.
The great majority OF the farms
long the border states and especially II
( those west OF the Mississippi have
cen sold and resold at prices which
ould only be justified On the assump-
ion that the benefits we were receiv-
ag from protected home market i
Fould continue Heavy mortgages
ave been given for these deferred
ayments and to now destroy this hose
nd depress and diminish the price of
he products of the farm Is an injus-
lee against every purchaser Of sach ;
ana 4