Tensas gazette., 1915-03-19
FOR TEN CENTS WOULD
COST UNITED STATES $l,375,000,000
Rise in the Price of Wheat Lays Tax the People of This
Country Which Makes the War Tax Look SmaI-Inceased
Demand for Other Cereals Causes Rise in Their Price,
Too-Means "CIover' for the Agrcu|turist.

New York-The rise in the price of
wheat Is laying a tax on the people of
the United States which makes the
war tax" of $1O0,OOO.OOO look small.
The standard five cent loaf" has gone
to six and even seven cents in many
cities, and predictions of a ten cent
loaf are numerous in responsible quar-
ters.
What does this mean to the Ameri-
can housewife?
George s. Ward, member Of a great
bread-making concern, figures that
Americans consume on the average a
barrel of wheat flour a year. From
each barrel 275 standard five cent
loaves of bread can be baked. For each
rise of one cent in the price of the loaf
every American must pay 1915 a year.
The census department figures that
the population of the United States
passed the 100. 10000 mark some time
in January. So each one cent rise in
the price of the loaf means a tax on
the country of $275,0O0.OOO A rise
from to 10 cents will cost us $1,375,-
100000.
But this will not be the total cost
With the rise in the price of wheat
there is an increased demand for
other cereals-barley, rye, oats and
cortland these rise in price. too. A
further tax is laid on the consumers of
rye bread, who are very poor; and it
costs more to eat corn pone" also.
The hogs are fed mostly on corn. and
II the farmers corn is worth more.
they will get more for pork and meat
prices will rise in consequence. So
We are in for an era of high prices;
what those who were of mature age in
1861-1865 will remember as the war
prices"
For the farmer it will be clover"
We raised S91, 100000 bushels of wheat
this year land a larger area will be
seeded next year When wheat rises
from 81 to $1.5O the farmers of the
country get 45.5O0,OOO more without
any extra effort, and If prices rise 81
the vast sum of 1891 .000.000 will drift
into the farmers stockings.
Good Prices for Grain.
In addition, the farmer is getting
most gratifying prices for corn. oats
and barley-in fact, almost everything
except apples. which are plentiful and
cheap This s445. 100000 which a 80
cent wheat rise brings will buy more
than million substantial automobiles
No wonder the agriculturist breathes
an atmosphere of gasoline
The high prices for wheat are based
more on expectation of shortage than
actual shortage Well informed men
say that if the European war were
speedily terminated it would take at
least two years for Europe to get on
its old wheat production basis And
there appears no prospect of peace.
Here are the figures showing there
no actual wheat shortage. Exports
at the present rate of 100000 bushels
a week can continue practically up to
the time of harvesting the 1915 crop
without depicting the adequate supply
of wheat in this country The United
States department of agriculture fig
ures there is an increase of 100000
acres in the amount of winter wheat
planted for harvesting this year The
weather has been good for winter
wheat and last years enormous yield
Of l9 bushels an acre may well be ex-
ceeded. Figuring conservatively on
10 bushel yield. however. 81 100000 ad-
ditional bushels of winter wheat alone
should be harvested this year Crop
experts say that with average good
fortune the spring wheat yield should
be increased 100000 bushels The
total for 1915 should be 1000, ,OOO, 900
bushels. or 100000 more than last
years record crop This is enough to
supply America and furnish a surplus |!
of about 4l6,O00.0W bushels for export
Government computations show last |
years crop was S9l.017.000 bushels, |
which. with a surplus of 77.OOO.O 900 |