New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-22
Northwest F armers Call
500 Wheat Price Unfair
Growers Disgruntled and Charge Discrimination
in Basing Rate on Chicago Standard but
Pledge Loyalty to the Nation in Crisis

American farmers arc patriotic, and
while. there is dissatisfaction with the
governments wheat price fixing 'sys-
tenn there will be no move to hold back
grain unduly or otherwise embarrass
the nation in this time Of war.
This was the gist of replies received
by Tie Tribune yesterday in answer to
queries regarding the wheat situation
sent to presidents of important agri-
cultural universities in leading grain
raising states.
The principal complaints come from
the Pacific Northwest, where farmers
feel the basing of prices to them on a
Chicago standard is unjust dscrimina
tion because of the high freight charges
TO Chicago and because their produce
Is not normally marketed in that city.
But complaints that the government
price is too low are not confined to
states beyond the Rockies. In Kansas
there is "A feeling the producers would
have Melted 81 bushel more with an
unrestricted market. Wyoming. how
ever, is reported satisfied" while Ar
kansas is enthusiastic"
Oregon Says Price Is Unfair
Some of the kilograms follow:
WILLIAM J. KERR, president Ore
gon State Agricultural College, Corn
wallis, Ore:
Replying to your telegram, farmers
generally in Oregon are not selling
wheat They feel that the price Of
1920 at Chicago as base, necessitating
payment of freight from Oregon points,
is unfair discrimination, and that Port
land should be made the base at the
same price as Chicago, with arrange
ments TO export flour or wheat by
water through the Panama Canal.
"Should il be impossible TO secure q
change. | presume farmers would sell
after the decision is finally accounted,
but there would be great dissatlsfac-
ton"
Says Price Benefits Millers
+. II. LINDLEY, president Univer-
sity of Idaho. Moscow, Idaho:
"a 1920 price basis means Sl.90 to
growers here, the difference being &C
counted for in the freight rate from
this point TO Chicago Farmers here in
sist that they should get $40, because
the freight rate from here TO their
main shipping point, Portland, is 10
cents, claiming that it IS unfair TO
them to have the Chicago freight rate
deducted from the price when ship
rcnt is made TO Portland.
Farmers are not Directing 10 the
policy in fixing the price,
but object TO the phase of n. That dis
against them and in favor
OF the millers, as they claim. They also
assert that. according 20 their way OF
looking at the situation, the cut IN
price thew suffer is not passed on TO
the consumer. Comparatively little
wheat is moving here as yet. but
millers assert that the volume . IN
crcasing.'
Kansas Disappointed
II. ]. WATERS, president Kansas
State Agricultural College, Manhattan,
Kan:
THE farmers of Kansas are disap-
pointed in the price OF wheat as 1t was
fixed by the government. They feel
that under unrestricted selling condl-
tions wheat would have brought
dollar more bushel.
However, Kansas farmers, like. the
other citizens of the state, are patriotic
and loyal. They are showing their fine
spirit by seeding 10 wheat the greatest
acreage known in the history OF the
state. They are not selling rapidly,
due TO the rush of planting and the as
surance that the present price Will not
be lowered
ROBERT LEVERS, acting president
University Of Nevada, Reno. New:
"The Nevada farmers are patriotic
and are upholdinr the Federal govern