The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-02-19
PRICES OF WHEAT AND FLOUR

OF wheat ana HOuT. aTmeTS ana CITY |
consumers are equally interested in !
it, though for opposite reasons. The |
farmer is naturally glad to see COM |
modify in which he deals advance in |
price, for even if he has sold last |
years crop he desires to see prices
maintained with view to the pro-
ftable disposal of that which is now
growing or which he may put in this
spring. On the other hand, the city
consumer is very anxious not to see
wheat and -four go any higher. lie is
inclined to sympathize with the farm
er in his trials and tribulations, but
he also syntpathizes with himself and
The feels that this a case in which
sympathy should begin at home. He
is willing to see the wheat-raiser make
a good profit on his crop, but he does
not feel that the farmer ought to
stand in" with the Spectator in run
ming prices up far beyond a legiti-
mate figure, and the experience of
the last few years gives him reason to
doubt whether farmers in general are
the beneiciaries of this speculation.
During the last decade there has been
marked increase in the price of all
food products to city consumers, but
while they have had to pay more the
farmers have complained that they
did not share proportionately in the
advance. The buyer of -four and
bread might submit to be pinched a
little, if he were sure that his agricul-
tural friends were recouping them
selves for their lean years, but there
is enough doubt about this to make
him think that some inquiry and ex-
planation are needed. There is no
desire on his part to prevent the
farmer from securing fair profit from
last years crop, and there is not the
slightest intention on the part of the
Administration to lay an embargo on
wheat, unless it should come to
question of starving the American
people or starving the people OF
other countries. But it is the duty
of the government to ascertain the
situation, as far as possible, and to
protect all classes Of people from
Speculation combinations which may
be magnihying the foreign demand in
order to levy an exorbitant toll on
American consumers. The farmer has
no more to gain than the city man by
following himself to be used as an
instrument in bunco game, if such a
game is going on, because the sharp
ers who plumber the general public
by artificial enhancement of prices
will sooner or later play the game the
other way, and by depressing prices
will fleece the farmer in his turn.
How far present prices are specula-
tive and how far they are response
to a genuine demand it is difficult to
Ie0N 1~Al h,,k = L
indicate that a great deal of the form
er elNlent enters into the situation
The total production of wheat in the
United States in 1914 was 89l, 100000
bushels. The surplus wheat of 1913
is put at 100000 bushels, giving a
total available supply of 968,000O00
bushels. Since July l, 1914, accord
ing to an analysis of statistics made
for the New York World, we have
exported 208,000,OOO buShels of wheat.
The figures of the Department of
Commerce, which end with December
and do not include January exports,
put the exports of wheat, in which
-four exports are estimated, at 49,
100000 bushels. But taking the larger
total, and allowing 500,0O0,O00 bushels
for home consumption and 100000
bushels for seeding, we can still spare
for expectation, without inconvenien-
; cling ourselves, good deal over l00,-
100000 and possibly 150,000,0OO Blu.
This would allow us, as the PhiladeH-
phia Public Ledger points out, to
send abroad nearly 100000 bushels
a month for nearly four months to
come, without drawing on the supply
needed for domestic Consumption.
The figures of the United States
Department of Agriculture show that
there has been an increase of 4, 100000
acres in winter wheat over last year,
which upon a ffteen-bushel yield will
produce 81, 100000 bushels. The in
crease in spring wheat is estimated at
not less than 100000 bushels, so
that the crop of 1915 should be close
to billion bushels, leaving us over
4O0OOO,O00 bushels for export
This is the domestic situation
Looking over the foreign field of sup.
ply, and excluding from consideration
Russias 100000 bushels, which
cannot get to market until the Oar,
danelles are opened, it appears that
Argentina has somewhere near l00,.
S 100000 bushels for sale and that In.
dia has from 30,OO0,000 to 5O000,OO(
; bushels. 1t is stated that there is an
increased acreage this year in India
England, Spain, France and Italy The
increased acreage in India is put a
100000, with a probable export croI
/. of iOO000.0O0 bushels. Comparing
European needs for the last six OF
$ seven months With those of the yea
before, as indicated in the relative de
mand on the United States, Russell,
Commercial Review points out thes,
facts:
Up to February l. the countries
> of Europe and outside countries
which can import have got along
with 236, 100000 bushels of wheat,
against 34l ,088O00 bushels last
year, including l00,880,000 bushels
to Germany, Holland and Bel
GUM. After this time last year
the countries which can imDort