The Washington herald., 1917-09-14

ingtOn that the government had es-
tablished $2.2O a bushel as the price
for wheat, it was feared that there
might be considerable Disappointment
manifested by the farmers of the
Northwest and that this would make
them less disposed to invest some OF
their gains of this year in the second
liberty loan than they would have
been had the government fixed the
price of wheat at 50, or even $3.50
bushel. This morning an authOrita-
tive report came from John II. Rich,
chairman of the Fedeyal Reserve
district of which Minneapolis is the
center, which is gratifying because
Mr.. Rich says that the price which
has been fixed upon, although not
entirely satisfactory to the farmers,
has ended marketing conditions which
have been for some time very unCer-
tain. The farmers are beginning to
regard the price fixed Ivy the govern
ment as a reasonable compromise be-
tween their own demands and those
which have been made by the con-
sumeTs.
, Throughout the Northwest the
money returns from the crops will be
very large. Therefore the outlook for
business activity is excellent. The
buying power of the people will be so
well maintained and even strength
ened that it is presumed that the
farmers will subscribe more willingly
and largely to the second liberty loan
than they did to the first.
A Romance of Development.
( Shortly before he departed for
summer vacation Chauncey NJ. Deqew
said that it was an extraordinary CO.
incidence that there should have been
discovered an easy method Of obtain
ing sulphur deposits in Louisiana and
in Texas only a few years before the
outbreak of the war between the en-
tcnte allies and Germany and Austria.
For in Senator Depew's opinion had
1t not been possible by means of
science and capital to develop these
very rich sulphur deposits it might
have been and probably would have
been a very serious question whether
We would have been able to prepare
ourselves to Join the allies in the
war with Germany and Austria. We
hear much. the Senator said, about
our abundant supplies Of coal, iron
and other mineral material needed
for making munitions of war, but We
have heard very little about the i'm
portance of sulphur.
Before an available method Of Sc
curing the sulphur deposits in Louis
lana and Texas was discovered, not
only the United States but other ma
tions were compelled to rely almost
entirely upon Italy for sulphur. Yet
! the investment of cOmpa artivcly
small capital in the development of
the Louisiana sulphur deposits was
| looked upon ny many business men
] as n waste of money. It proved to
| he. on the contrary. one of the most
| fortunate and richest investments
ever made in the United States, ex-
| cepting in the case of two or three
| of our precious metal mines. The
| late H Mex Twombley shut his eyes.
| took a gamblers chance. according
to Senator Depew. and invested a
little over hundred thousand dollars
in the Louisiana project. Now that
| investment yields to his family. ac-
cOrding to common understanding,
approximately sSCO,OO0 a year.
But it was a far richer investment
| for the entire country, not only he
cause it made us independent of the
world so far as sulphur is concerned
! nut because II gives us an adequate
supply of sulphur for war purposes.
! The Manufacturers Record, IN
speaking of our recent development,
| of sulphur. SAYS that it is an in
| terpsting fact that the whole power
/ of the country to produce munitions.
| without which we would be helpless.
depends absolutely upon these two
sulnhur plants in the South. which
yield 9S per cent of the sulphur supply
of tho country. Yet few years ago
| it was almost impossible to persuade
| capital to invest the small amount
Of money which was needed in order
| to begin the DEVELOPMENT Of the sui
Dhur plant in Louisiana. Many are
the uses to which sulphur and its
derivatives are put in order to secure
| various forms of explosive material.
! Now also men Of science are attempt
| ing to perfect plans by which sulphur
| in some form may he utilized TO
make good the deficiency of potash
for fcrtllizing purposes.