The Republican journal., 1914-08-13
THE WAR, AND PRICES.

As was to be expected the war in Europ
and the suspension Of ocean commerce has ha
its effect on market quotations and caused n
advance generally in staple commoditiss-just
ifiable in some cases and in others possibl,
only temporary. In summing up the situa
tion last week it was assumed that the "higl
cost Of living" would be reduced rather thar
enhanced by the serious political situation
abroad. The terrible economic waste of war
however, will be felt throughout the yorld
and in the distribution Of losses even the neu
tral nations cannot avoid sharing. though they
will not, of course, suffer as will those sub
jected to the strain and destruction Of actua
conflict.
Bradstreets of August 9Th says of the wal
prices last week:
The disorganization Of import as well as ex.
port trade has naturally affected foreign pro.
ducts. Wheat futures advanced cents 0vel
last Friday, and are now only cents below the
high point of Thursday, while 16 cents above
the low price of the present crop on July IA
Winter wheat, while below last week, is 9 cents
above the low price of July. Corn is 6 to
cents up on the week. partly on crop deteriora-
tion talk. and IA cents above the low of early
July. Oats are cents above last Friday and
the low of July. The list of advances in other
lines is almost roll call of this and other
countries products. Of domestic products.
live hogs. pork products generally. flour,
canned goods. sugar, steel products. beans and
some heavy cottons are higher; while Of i'm
spices, burlaps, dyestuffs. woolen dress goods,
linens, opium, hides. leather, sardines and
lentils are all varyingly higher. In fact, this
country is being called upon to pay its share
of the direct cost of a great world wide war.
War has stiffened wool prices here because
shipping and exchange conditions prevent for
eign wool coming in. The net effect seems
mestic clip. and speculative holders already
show disposition to profit thereby, combing
woods being quoted higher.
That we shall have to pay more for sugar is
evident. Germany is the largest exporter Of
this staple article. and supplies from that
country cannot be had, while there has been
less cane planted 10 Louisiana and fewer sugar
beets in the west and on the Pacific coast be-
cause of the Wilson, Underwood tariff bill
placing sugar on the free list. Meat prices
must also be higher, as the United States does
not produce enough for its own consumption
the packers are not carrying any great amount
of stock and the great demand in Europe fol
South American meat will divert the usua
amount imported by this country. Flour has
advanced, but with the export demand practi.
cally eliminated. dealers say, it is difficult te
justify any great imitation Of -four prices in
the face of the tremendous crop of wheat at
present being harvested in this country, esti-
mated all the way from 10000. 900 to 100000
600 bushels, or nearly 200. 100000 bushels more
than ever harvested before. Germany is the
chief source of supply of potash. without
which it is impos sible to manufacture fertil-
izers, and as the spring shipments of potash
from Germany may have been virtually ex'
hausted, it will be very difficult for the manu-
facturers of fertilizers to produce their pro
ducts, as the United States government re-
quires them to state the quantity of potash il
each brand of fertilizer.
Enquiry Monday as to local prices resulted
as follows: Flour has advanced 25 cents pei
barrel. beans l cent quart. pork cent I
pound, cream of tartar cents pound; corr
meal SO cents corn SlO2.