The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1918-02-28
PRICE OF WHEAT HARVESTED
IN '18 liked BY WILSON
Chicago Price is Put at $2.ao, While
Sums to be Paid in Other
Markets Vary, Going up
to $2.28.

Washington, Feb. 23-President
Wilson today raised the government,
guarantee price for the 1913 whea,
crop as high as Sass bushel in one
primary market and in varying sums
in all other primary markets except
four. The Chicago price was put at
$2.2o.
Acting under authority of the food
law, the president thus met the agi-
tation 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 producer Of
a reasonable profit. On the basis of
number one northern spring wheat
and its equivalents, the president
fixed the prices as follows:
Chicago, $2.2o; Omaha, SAILS; Kan
sas City, SAILS; St. Louis, $2.18; New
York, $2.2S; Galveston. $2.2o; New
Orleans, $22o; Fort Worth, Tex,
$2.oo; Oklahoma City, Okla, $2.o5;
Wichita, Kan, $2.oS.
The equivalents of No. I northern,
to which the same price applies, are
No. hard winter; No. l red winter;
No. l durum and No. 1 hard white.
The wheat must be harvested in the
United States during 1913 and sold
in the market before June 1, 1913.
The presidents proclamation states
that the action is to meet an emer
gency requiring stimulation of wheat
| planting.
In statement accompanying his
proclamation the president said:
Under the food control act of
August 10, 1917, it is my duty to an
nounce guaranteed price for wheat
of the 1918 harvest. am therefore,
issuing proclamation setting the
price at the principal interior primary
markets. 1t makes no essential al
L crl1lou III the present guarantcG- Il
is a continuation of the present prices
of wheat with some adjustments arls
ing from the designation of additional
terminal marketing points.
This guarantee price assures the
farmer OF a reasonable profit, even il
the war should end within the year
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 pro-
ducts. To increase the price of wheat
above the present figure, or to agl-
tate any increase of price, would have
the effect OF very seriously hamper
ing the large operations OF the ma
ton and of the allies by causing the
wheat OF last years crop to be with
held from the market. 1t would,
moreover, dislocatc all the present
wage levels that have been estab-
lished after much anxious discus
sion and would, therefore, create an
industrial unrest which would be
harmful to every industry in the
country.
Il know the spirit OF our farmers
and have not the least doubt as to
the loyalty with which they will &C
.cept the present decision. The fall
wheat planting, which furnishes two
thirds OF Our wheat production, took
place with no other assurance than
this and the farmers confidence was
demonstrated by the fact that they
planted an acreage larger than the
record of any preceding year, larger
| ,,,,11,.r tb1, t1,, sarnn6
largest record year and 1000, 900 acres
more than the average for the five
wears before the outbreak OF the
European war.
1t seems not to be generally under
stood why wheat is picked out for
price determination, and only wheat
among the cereals The answer is
that while normal distribution of all |
our farm products had been subject
to great disturbances during the last
three years because OF war conditions,
only two commodities, namely wheat
and sugar, have been So seriously al
iected as to require governmental in
.crvention.
The disturbances which affect these
products land others in less degree)
arise from the fact that all of the
overseas shipping in the world is now
lndcr government control. and that
he government is obliged to assign
onnage to each commodity that en-
ers into commercial overseas traffic.
t has. consequently, been necessary
o establish single agencies for the
purchase of the food supplies which
must go abroad The purchase of
wheat in the United States for for
ign use is of so great volume in COM
,arison with the available domestic
upply that the price of wheat has
een materially disturbed, and it be-
anne necessary in order to protect
9th the producer and the consumer,
0 prevent speculation. 1t was neces-
airy, therefore, for the government to
xercise a measure OF direct super
ision as far as possible to control
urchases of wheat and the processes
its expectation. This supervision
ecessarily amounted to price fixing,