The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-17

prices FOR food in this country. The ac-
tive crusade Immediately begun by the
Federal and State authorities to investi-
gate this movement and discover If ad-
vantage Is not being taken OF the present
crisis by people In position to profit
u probably an excellent step In war.
however, there h a fundamental reason
Tor rise In the price Of all foodstuffs.
ana war on the scale which Ii now being
waged In Europe should tend to initiate
prices Tor some time to come. There is
always the tendency also for people to
lose their heads somewhat In crisis
OF this kind. On tho first impulse food
stuns are "hoarded." that IL to say I'M
usually large supplies are accumulated.
The consequence Is that all the effects Of
actual war are manifested where there
Is no war.
So far as the technical stock market
situation is concerned there Is every in
dication that great strides have been made
toward complete clearing up of weak
spots which will find the position one
OF exceptional strength when the day ar
rlNes Tor the exchange TO open. The au-
thorities last week made arrangements BY
which cash orders to buy or sell might
be matched against each other. This
means the employment OF the undoubtedly
large investment demand to eliminate
weakly marglned stocks or otherwise
tighten the burden carried by the brokers
and their banks. There has been dis
cussion OF the probable date OF reopeuing.
both here and In London. But II Is easy
to see that the test OF an open market
must be delayed for some little time
longer. How much nearer a decisive bat
tie by the allied armies In Europe might
bring the date OF the opening OF the ex-
change, AZ also the resumption OF activity
In other lines, Is purely conjectural. but
that factor undoubtedly enters Into the
question largely.
with the prospect for very large de-
mand for our agricultural products from
Europe this year rather closer attention
than has been paid lately will be paid
to the size OF our harvests. The progress
or tho crops In the last few weeks has
been poor. The prodigal promise held
out earlier In the season will not b.
realized. with the exception solely OF
winter wheat. Corn has done poorly, al
though II has not suffered the injury sus-
talned last year. Generally speaking
other crops are only fair. But IL our
crops are not up TO expectations held
ont earlier they are large in compa rison
with the results obtained in the other
great agricultural countries Of thu world
In Russia, Canada and Argentina the
crops promised are all considerably be-
low the 1913 totals
Two events that might under any other
circumstances have created n sensation
were the decision against The company
handed down by the Circuit Court I'm the
Harvester dissolution suit and the an
nouncement that the Government suit
against the New Haven railroad had
been settled The decision against the
Harvester company was not the disturb
Ing factor II might have been The case
will be appealed to a higher court In
any case the company was not accused
OF using unfair methods OF competition.
hut OF being too big rather than any
thing else. As to the effect Of the pro-
posed separation OF the company into
two parts. "A person probably best quail
fed to know, George W Perkins. has been
quoted az saying that the stakeholder
would be the gamer. AZ he was in the
cases OF American Tobacco Company
and Standard oil Company. and the
farmer. or ultimate consumer. would be
the loser.
The settlement of the New Haven suit
came as something OF a surprise. 1t APP
peared to be In the nature OF com
promise dictated by n general desire on
every body's part to relicNr the situation
az far as possible from awkward com
plications. both sides have made con-
cessions. and In doing it's share the New
Haven has fully protected the interests
of the stockholders. TIL outcome OF the
upon business sentiment.