The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-01
There Is Little Doubt That
They Are boarding.
Lower Prices May Be Set by
Grain Corporation.
BUYING CANADIAN WHEAT
That Is the Way q. S. Is Keep
ing Up Supplies.
Loyalty of "SOIdiers of SOil''
Being Questioned.

Kansas farmers are boarding their
wheat. AS result of the action of
producers in the big grain states, the
September supply of wheat at the big
market centers was the smallest ever
known. So small were receipts that
the government gram corporation was
practically forced to buy Canadian
grain. Now, according to reports
from market centers, there is every
prospect that the government may ex-
ercise its authority under the food
bill and go into the bins and granarieS
of Kansas farmers in search of wheat.
While Kansas farmers are holding
their wheat and passing resolutions
concerning their dire distress, Cana
dian farmers, with a law similar TO
the one recently passed for this ma
ton, are rushing to the market with
their grain. The contrast in the atti-
tude of the two classes of farmers
does not threaten flattering and COM
Elementary government reports con-
corning the patriotism of the Kansas
farmer. That the government has
power to retaliate by seizing the grain
and fixing an even lower price than
the present guaIantee, was made clear
late last week when the price to east
ern markets was reduced 2 cents by
the government grain corporation in
charge of the administration of the
law.
Is Serious Problem.
boarding of. grain has become a
serious problem to the government,
according to reports from the big
grain markets. While Kansas poll
ticians have talked loudly concerning
the patriotism of the soldiers of the
soil" these same soldiers of the soil'
are boarding their grain, and, in many
instances, refusing to cooperate in
crop production movements. They re-
ceived a modest guarantee of $2.15 a
! bushel for the present crop on the
1 Kansas City market basis, or 50 to
$21O at home stations. At Topeka,
Salina, Hutchinson, Wichita, Great
Bend and other elevator and milling
centers the price to the farmer nets
above the 50 mark. September last
year farmers were swearing at the
railroads because they could not pro-
vide enough cars to haul the wheat
when the markets averaged $1.f5 a
bushel In September, 1915, there was
a wild. mad scramble to put wheat on
the market and an annual protest
against inadequate railroad facilities
when someone did not get a car on
time. Dollar wheat caused that dis
turbance. In handling the big 1914
crop, millions of bushels of grain went
to the market at prices ranging from
eighty to ninety cents
VIII Force Issue.
Now the farmers are blocking ac-
Invites of the government by refus-
holding the grain in their bins or nave
warehouse receipts from small town
elevators. A few more records like the
September report will, in the judg-
ment of many grain men, force an
issue as to the governments rights
and power under the food bill. Sec
ton 10 of the food bill gives the gov
ernTnent the right to go into the store
houses of the farmers, it is asserted.
At the seven leading primary wheat
markets of this nation, receipts for
September were 22,70O,OOO bushels of
wheat as against "A 100000 last year
from a short crop, and 100000
bushels in 1915. Against this show
ing is the report from Winnipeg, where
the government grain law stimulated
the farmers TO sell their grain and
aroused spirit of patriotism. Winni-
peg last week received GIL cars of
wheat, records show, as against 1857
cars a year ago, an increase of nearly
100 per cent as against a decrease in
this country of nearly SO per cent.
Grain men in Kansas and in the ma
ton are looking at the, matter seri-
ously.
Last week the government grain