The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-18
May Cost Billion

Members Of the house agricultural
committee, studying the recommended
tions sent them by the secretary OF
agriculture and the food administra-
ton on the wheat situation in 1885,
says a Washington dispatch to The
New York Times, say they are con
vinccd that the government must pro-
vide q fund Of not less than ST.
600 Coo, 900 to buy the wheat produc-
ed in 1919.
Tho government guaranteed pay
s225 Il bushel at Chicago for wheat
, raised in 1919 and offered for sale not
! later than June, 1920. The end OF
hostiities, however, has brought
about condition that may compel the
government to dispose of the sur
plus wheat of 1913 at less. than the
price paid. and the surplus Of 1913, it
is asserted will be held at loss Of
perhaps 81 or more q bushel.
| The government under its guaran-
toe must pay $2.26 bushel for wheat
grown in 1919 The production, It IS
estimated, will exceed 1,o00,o0o,800z
bushels. Because of the surplus wheat
in Australia and Argentina wheat lis
now being delivered to the European
market for S1.35 a bushel. American
whe:t is not sought by England and
the result is said to be that there
is surplus supply of the 1916 and
1917 crop Of nearly 400, 100000 bush5
els.
b. next year the surplus supply OF
the United States may be double the
present amount, but despite this the
government must keep faith with the
farmer. it is stated and pay him $2.26
a bushel, Chicago price. for all whe;as@
offered up to June, 1920. In the opln-
ion of experts the United States, IN
order to dispose of it's surplus, Enust
sell the wheat it buys in 1919 at a
loss of 81 or more n bushel, which
means that the government stands TO
lose nearly billion or more. The
public will be taxed SIS per capita
that the government may keep It's;
word TO the American farmer, and az
the same time, dispose of its wfeat
surplus.
Government experts see no way to
solve the situation in which the gov
ernn,cnt finds itself by reason OF the
fixing of the wheat price. The oel1el
exist. here that the government VIII
sell its wheat at the fgfure fixed by
the Liverpool market. which, experts
saw. may be s125 bushel in 1919. II 2
this is done food prices would fali, as
the prices of many articles OF food,
including meat, are largely deterInip-
cd By the price Of wheat and bread
Congress has been asked by Secre-
tary Houston. the acting food adj
Edgar Rickard, and Wiz.
liam a. Glasgow, counsel for the 1ood
administration, to consider the Wneat
problem carefully from all angles.
That an appropriation OF at least
billion will be needed as revolving
fund which may be used to buy wheat
build warehouses and meet the losses
is tho view of those who have studied
the subject. The problem is one OF !.
the most important that has arisen
from the war, affecting, as it does, the
entire population.
Rv June, it is estimated. wheat
nrices will have fallen to $1.30 BUSH
el in the United States with a conse-
QueGt REDUCTION III IilO PiANo VI AAoN
from SO to $3.50 a barrel, and bread
"a S cents for q loaf of the average
size instead of 10 cents. But when this
comes about the government will be
losing the difference between the
price paid the farmer. s2.2S bushe',
for wheat and the market price OF
wheat. determined by the crops OF z
australia. Argentina, and India.