The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-02-27
BREAD COSTS MORE.
PRICE OF WHEAT FIXED By
PRESIDENTS ORDER.
WOODROW Wilson Meets Agitation in
Congress for Higher, Prices and
Takes Step to Stimulate Production
and Prevent Holding.


guaranteed price for the 1918 wheat
crop as high as $22S a bushel in one
primary market and in varying sums
in all other primary markets except
flour
Acting under authority of the food
law, the president thus met the agi-
tatlon In congress for higher prices
and took steps to stimulate produc-
ton and prevent holding back the
crop while the agitation was going
on.
The prices fixed, the president de-
clared, would assure the producers OF
a reasonable profit. On the basis OF
No. 1 Northern spring wheat and its
equivalents, the president fixed the
qrices as follows:
Chicago, $2.2O; Kansas City, s215:
st. Louis, s2.1S; Minneapolis, s2.17;
New York, $2.2S; Charleston, S. c.,
$2.37; Savannah, S227; Seattle, $2O5;
san Francisco, $2.10; Los Angeles.
s2.1O; Galveston, S22O; New Orleans,
S2.2o; Fort Worth, Texas, S2.O9; Ok
lahoma City, $2.O5.
The equivalents OF No. Northern,
to which the same price applies, are
No. /, Hard Winter; No. !, Red Win
ter; No. 1, Durum, and No. /, Hard
! White. The wheat must be harvest
ed in the United States during 1918
and sold in the market before June
/, 1919. The presidents proclama-
ton states that the action is to meet
an emergency requiring the stimula-
ton of wheat planting.
In statement accompanying his
proclamation the president said:
Under the food control act of An
gust 10, 1917, it is my duty to an
nounce guaranteed price for wheat
of the 1918 harvest, I am, therefore
ssuing proclamation setting the
price at the principal interior primary
markets. It makes no essential al
teration in the present guarantee. I,
S continuation Of the present price.
Of wheat, with some adjustments aris
ing from the designation of additions
! terminal marketing points.
This guaranteed price assures the
farmer Of reasonable profit. even il
the war should end within the vear
and the large stores Of grain in those
sections of the world that are now
cut off from transportation should
again come into competition with his
products. TO increase the price of
wheat above the present figure. or to
agltate any increase Of price, would
nave the effect Of very seriously ham
pering the large operations Of the na
tlon and of the allies by causing the
D"heat of last years crop to be with
heId from the market II would. more
over, dislocate all the present wage
ieVels that have been established af-
ter much anxious discussion and
! would, therefore, create an industrial
unrest and would be harmful to ev-
cry industry in the country.
I know the spirit of our farmers
and have not the least doubt as to
the loyalty with which they will ac-
cept the present decision. The fall
wheat planting took place with no
other assurance than this and the
farmers confidence was determined
by the fact that they planted an ac-
reage larger than the record of anv
preceding year.
1T seems not to be generally un- -
derstood why wheat is picked out for
price determination ,and only wheat.
among the cereals. The answer is
that, while normal distribution of al
our farm products has been subiect
10 great disturbances during the last
three years because Of war corGi-
tons Onl" two important comnoli
les, namely, wheat and sugar. have
Neen so seriously affected as 20 re-
iuire governmental intervention.
The disturbances which affoc.
hose products (ard others in less &c
grees) arise from the fact that all OF
no overseas shipping in the world ie
now under government control and
hat the government is obliged to as
sign tonnage to each commodity th"t
enters into comm erc.al oyersoas trar-
"c' 1t has consequently been neccs~
sary to establish single agencies foi
The purchase of the food supplies
which must 80 abroad The purchase
Of wheat in tho United states for FOR
cign use is SO great in comp"T-
son with tho available domestic
ct,,N l,se