The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-02-27
What Free Trade Means to Ameri
can Farmers.

| can Farmers.
In reply to numerous inquiries by
newspaper editors of the great corn bel,
States Of Iowa and Illinois as to whether
the price reducing competition of Argen
tine corn is likely to result in actual
corn shipments from the seaboard to
the Mississippi Valley and thus cut of
the nearby markets of western corn
growers, we would say that while there
is no immediate prospect of foodina
interior markets with Free Trade corn
from Argentine, it is certain that west
ern farmers are fast losing their market
in the Eastern States. Not only that,
but the price of American corn has
already fallen from ID to 10 cents q
bushel as the result of the removal OF
the Tariff of Is cents bushel and the
placing of corn on the free list.
Latest quotations show that corn is
selling in Argentine for 6ss and SO
cents bushel f. o. b. The freight rats
from there to this country is cents per
bushel Argentine corn is now quoted
here at 6S to 69i cents, as against 724
cents for domestic corn Just before
the importation of Argentina corn be-
gan here, domestic corn was selling at
80 cents, and we are told by an officer
of the New York Produce Exchange
that, in his opinion, but for the impor-
tation of Argentina corn the domestic
price here now would be at least IS
cents. The actual effect of the impor.
tation of Argentine corn has been to
lower the price in the United States
according to the gentleman quoted
above) about ID cents bushel. and this
by actual competition. Under the
Tariff law of 1909 corn bore duty of Is
cents bushel. Under the Underwood
Tariff law it is free of duty.
Whether or not Argentina corn will
eventually be shipped to Chicago and
Iowa it is yet too early to determine,
tut that it will displace Western corn
in the Eastern part of this country
there is no doubt. Already it has found
its way all over the east, and is being
shipped from New York as far west as
Buffalo and western Pennsylvania.
There is no freight rate on corn from
New York to Chicago, but in January
of this year the following commodity
rates on this product were made by the
railroads.
New York to Buffalo lie per 100 lbs.
New York to Pittsburg lie per 100 lbs
New York to Rochester 1Oc per 100
lbs.
New York to Albany BIC per 100 lbs.
The freight rate now from Galveston
to Oklahoma points on corn is "a cents
per hundred, and from New Orleans to
Memphis cents per hundred. Applica-
ton has been made for rates from New
York to Montreal and other points
north of this city, to which no rates
have vet been made.
As to importations: Since the Under
wood Tariff law went into effect the
importations of corn into the United
States from Argentina have totaled
1900, 900 bushels, 1888. $50 of which
have come through the port of New
York. To day ship is unloading part
of q cargo at Boston, the balance to be
brought here; tomorrow another ship
is due in Philadelphia to unload part of
its cargo (tbe balance to come here),
and eight more ships are now en- route
to this port with Argentina corn. These
ships carry from 5000 to 5000 tons
each, or from pa, 1856 to 2S5,7l4 bushels
each, or total for the 10 ships of from
ALAS. $50 to 1857, 40 bushels.
The new crop of Argentina corn will
come into market in March, and the
dealers in New York look for its ap.
pearance in April. Argentina's surplus
of corn is estimated at 100000. OG0
bushels To that extent 1t will take
the place of American corn That the
nrica received nv Americau farmers