Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-01-10
DOLLAR CORN A POSSIBILITY.
On Account of Big Shortage i'm Ar
gentina There is Likely to
be an Unusual Export
Demand.


Dollar corn" appears to be a pos
sibility before spring, according to
the figuring of the statisticians of
the department of agriculture.
The United States, although the
greatest corn producing nation on
earth, has never figured heavily as a
corn exporter. OF the three billion
bushel crop of 1910 we exported
only 36,000,000 bushels (about 2 1-2
per cent?, during the fiscal year
ending June 80, last. The fiscal year
1909-10 furnished but 36,000,00O
for expectation out of a crop of
2,772, 100000 bushels grown in
1909. Thus the United States has
been exporting only a little more
than two per cent of her corn crop.
But this year it is different. In
the first place the worlds corn sup
ply has suffered serious defamation
through the failure of Argentina to
sumption and for seeding purposes,
thereby removing from the worlds
visible supply more than $50, 900, 900
bushels. The Argentina crop of 1911
is less than 27,000,000 bushels,
whereas in 1910 she raised It's, 000,-
900, of which she exported more than
los, 100000 bushels to Europe; and
in 1909 she raised 177,0o0, 900
bushels and sent more than $4,000
900 to foreign parts. Argentina is
therefore short of her own local
needs nearly 45,00O,0O0 bushels, and
she would be corn importer were it
not for her tremendous protective
tariff.
The department was appraised of
movement among the farmers of Ar
gentina for temporary remission of
the import on corn because of their
need of it for seeding purposes.
The only other nations producing
corn in quantities of commercial mo-
ment are those of southern Europe,
the principal one being Hungary,
with Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Bal
kan states, Turkey and Bessarabia,
(South Russia) figuring to lesser
extent. The crop of western Europe,
including Hungary, is a partial fail
ure this year. Bessarabia and the
Balkan states, particularly Rouma-
MIA, have done rather we'll. Hungary
has become an importer from Rou-
mania this year to the extent of more
than 100000 bushels, according
to the Monitieur Commercials Rou-
main, the official organ of the Rou-
manian ministry of industry and
commerce. Italy's requirements will
take up the remainder of Roumania's
surplus.
This years corn crop in the United
States, according to the latest esti-
mates of the department of agricul
ture will total 2,769,482,000 bushels,
about 356,000,000 bushels short of
last years crop, but only a few mill
lion bushels short of the 1909 crop,
which has heretofore been consider
ed fine one. But neither in 1910
nor in 1909 did the United States
have to face the necessity of supply
ing the shortage created by Argen-
tina's failure. And in neither of
these years were the root crops of
northern Europe such failures. In
Europe-particular in Germany,
France, Austria, Bohemia, Hungary
and Denmark--the root crops furn-
ish the principal cattle feeds. This
year the quantity of roots, potatoes
and beets is far short of the demand,
and this shortage can find its supply
only in two ns-curtailment
of the demand by slaughtering the
cattle for market or importing corn
from the United States.
The department of agriculture will
not attempt to guess what this de-
mand will amount to, nor how far
Europe will meet it, but it is expect
ed that the demand will come, and
come quickly for the expectation of
vast quantities of American grown
corn for European consumption
and that out of short crop.
Eighty cent corn is probable. This
may prove to. be the limit, for that
price would be too high to Justify
feeding corn to cattle abroad; but
the department realizes that with the
probability of an advance in price
will come the probability of manipu-
lation, with consequent wild specu-
lation. and then perhaps Dollar
Corn"