Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-12-27

" ltOPOhu " luC 0h6SCSNAOh at NhO
conference in my office the other day
that such a rate would inspire the
farmers of the Pacific Northwest to
| increase the crop of wheat this year.
| am pleased to indicate in this
manner the desire of the Shipping
Board to be useful and to cooperate
with every movement for the better
ment of conditions in this country.
| (signed)
EDWARD N. HURLEY,
Chairman.
To-
Senator Charles J. McNary.
Senator Wesley L. Jones.
Senator William E. Borah.
Senator j. f. Nugent.
Senator George E. Chamberlain.
Upon this concession granted by
the Shipping Board in the water
| transportation, which was a reduc-
ton from $11 per ton to $3.50 per
ton on wheat, the pre-war rate being
| S. per ton, the Food Administration
guaranteed us $2.20 per bushel for
our 1918 wheat crop, basis Pacific
| coast terminal points. With an av-
erage rate of 10 cents per bushel
from local shipping points to the Pa
cific coast points this would have
meant net gain of 20 cents per
bushel, but the milling fraternity,
not being satisfied with this arrange
ment, they at once got busy and sue
ceeded in having the rates on wheat
increased and that of flour lowered,
both taking the rate of $3.50 per
ton to Atlantic ports. Freight rates
were also boosted 25 per cent, with
a maximum increase of six cents per
100 pounds, in order to take care of
the increase in wages and back pay
granted to railway men. This led to
another revision in the price of
wheat, the price at Chicago being
| raised to 1925, presumably to take
care of the increased freight rate,
while our price remained the same.
| With this increase in the Chicago
price to $2.26 per bushel and an in
crease of the freight rate to Chicago
to SO y cents per bushel, the farmer
would have received $192h t. o. b.
his local station, as against $2.20 per
bushel basis Pacific coast terminals
with an average freight rate, includ-
ing the 25 per cent increase, of 12h
cents per bushel or net to the farmer
f. o. b. his local station $2.07k per
bushel, a net gain Of Is cents per
bushel on all the wheat of the three
Northwestern states.
Now let us see what this means
in dollars to the farmers of these
three states on the 1917 crop and
the 1918 crop, with an increase of
| five cents per bushel on the former
and 10 cents per bushel on the lat
| ter.
According to the government re-
port the production of wheat for the
three states in 1917 was 55,S41,0OO
bushels. This amount at five cents
per bushel would amount to $2,792,-
05O The October estimate of the
1918 crop for the three states is ST.
978,175 bushels, which at an increase
of 8 cents per bushel, amounts to
$S,696,726, or a net gain to our
farmers for the two years of SILL
4SS.776, enough to build two Agri-
cultural Temples and endow them for
life.
Assuming that the government fig
ures are correct, these figures show
just how much has been saved to the
farmers of these three states through
the efforts of the Farmers Union.
We have letters and kilograms in
abundance to show that to the Farm
ers Union is due the credit of having
secured this increase in price through
their efforts and leadership. Now
VIC aSh JOu dS DuSln0SS men, winch
we believe every farmer should con-
slider himself, to compare this great
saving to you to the cost of support
ing and maintaining the Farmers
Union as an organization and deter
mine whether it is worthy of your
support, whether you should retain
your membership in the organization,
If already member. and whether or
not you should become a member If
not already a member.
The success of our efforts on the
F. 1917 and 1918 wheat crop alone is
: sufficient evidence of your power as
farmers, speaking through organiza-
. tion. 1t has long been recognized by
every other business, profession or
calling, that the individual voice can
not be heard in the council cham