The Washington herald., 1917-02-18

1t has been charged that the United
States is dependent on Yucatan for its
bread supply, in that most of the binder
twtne essential to the harvesting of
wheat is made from sisal hemp grown in
that country. This sisal hemp is the
noer Of the hen'eQuen plant which has
aptly been described as the green gold
of Yucatan." Now II so happens that
the price OF this sisal hemp has gone up
recently along with most every other raw
commodity.
Certain American manufacturers have
set up a howl about this rise in price.
This howl has echoed more or less
through the public press. Its latest note
Is TO the effect that we are dependent on
fucatan for binder twine to harvest our
wheat and consequently our bread sup
ply Is at the mercy of Yucatan. This
sounds 50 alarming that 1 went to head
quarters to find out what the real facts
are, and found that there is no cause
whatever for alarm.
The Yucatan sisal is marketed by a CO.
operative commission. The general agent
in the United States and Canada for this
commission is Mr.. Menalio Marin. whose
offices are in the Equitable Building in
New York. Mr. Marin explained the sit
uation to me fully and frankly.
The people of the United States" said
he, can obtain their supply of bread
without the necessity OF depending in the
least on Yucatan. One thing that might
happen Is that the United States would
pay higher for its bread supply should
Yucatan stop producing and shipping to
the United States its crop OF sisal hemp,
from which a large portion Of the binder
twine consumed in this country is manu-
factured. Should this misfortune mate
rialiZe, the other ibers used in the manu-
facture of binder tWine, such as New
zealand, Maguey. Manila, and American
hemps, would advance in price in the alb
sence Of the competition OF the Yucatan
product; and inasmuch as the fibers
named are used in the manufacture of
rope and other commercial commodities
the world over. there might be danger
that the bread eaters of the United States
would be deprived of their customary
daily allowance
Thus it will be seen that II the bread
consumers OF the United States have got
to pay still higher for their supply. or go
without it, it is on account of Yucatan
and the constant competition of Yucca
tan's sisal hemp in the fiber world
1T is true that in 1916 the farmers
OF this country paid $4,000 more for
their binder twine than they did in 1915
To offset this rather Insignificant sum of
100000 increase the American farmer
received approximately SSO3, 10000 more
for his 1916 grain crops than he did in
1913. Notwithstanding the fact that the
1915 production of corn, wheat, oats, bar
ley and rye was more than billion BUSH
els less than the 1915 production.
The people of Yucatan, who have to
import their flour from the United States
were compelled to pay these $1,000. 600 and
more, back to the United States for their
1916 supply Of flour. since the price of
wheat was almost doubled as compared
with the average price in 1915. Yucatan
has to import all the wheat she consumes
as any schOolOOy knows that wheat will
not grow in that tOrrid climate. So. you
see. fucatan is really dependent on the
United States for her bread, not the
United States on Yucatan
"A monopoly of henequen, II such ex-
listed, and it does not, could not possibly
have an influence in increasing the price
Of cereals or the price OF bread. Under
existing trade conditions the world over
prices are governed by the law of supply
and demand. and the price of sisal,
whether high or low, plays an infnitessi-
NAL part in the price of cereals, so small
In fact that nobody takes it into consid-
Grafton from an economic point of view
The price of cereals and bread is not in
huenced by such a small fraction of a
cent more or less, as is represented by
the cost OF binder twine.
TN order to demonstrate how small
this fraction Of increased cost really is,
II is only necessary to divide the billions
or bushels OF grain produced i'm the Init
ed states and other countries in 1916 by
the 100000 increase in the cost of hinder
tWlne, and the result will run into Gen.
tesimals. Then compare this insignificant
increase or AOO0,0OO in the cost of binder
tWine with the more than $50 200 in
creased revenue reaped in 1916 bv tn Dro-
ducers OF grain in the United 'tates
alone! Not only did the American con-
sumers OF binder twine receive ar rroxi-
mately sSO1.0OO.0OO more for thei 1916
grain crops than they obtained 1915,
out they were saved the expense o. har-
vesting nearly 1000 OOO acres of land as
compared with the area harvested in 1915,
and were saved the further expense of
gathering. handling and DELIVERING more
than 100000 bushels of grain as conpar-
ed with the 1915 production.
IN the face of these cold facts
nased upon Official estimates of the
united states government, it is not an
parent that the more fortunate Aneri-
can farmers have just cause for com
plant because their brother agricuI-
lurlstS OF fucatan received for their
crop of sissl an advance in price which
represented but a small part of the IN
creased burden of expense that bafeII
tnein IN consequence OF the higher cost
OF the commodities they were forced
10 buy in the American markets
NO IN the high price of cereals
ana bread the cost of binder twine cuts
no hgure. The present abnormaIly
nigh prices Of cereals and bread are
Que to the fact that some of the great
graln-producing areas of the world
are not now yielding anything, thus
opening to the United States and one
OF Two other countries almost the total
OF the worlds cOnsumptive demand.
Another factor has been the marked in
crease in the cost of transportation
and labor in consequence of the var
Does anyone believe that Germany
Tor instance. would seriously object To
rerunding to the American farmers
ana the daily bread eaters of the
United States the four millions of dol
lars' or even double the increased
amount paid in 1916 sor binder twine
" she could obtain the delivery in
Hamb burg at this particular moment Of
about 100000 bushels of American
wheat. or couple of hundred thou
sand barrels of flour? Are our indus
trial institutions in the United States