The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-10-13

fixed at net of $1.65 for the pro-
Queer; Australia at $115; Canada has
4 fixed the provisional price basis at
a net of $1.90 and the United States
at S2.05.
During the war foreign countries
and the allies of the United States
fixed guaranteed prices without re-
lation to each other and because they
thought the then submarine menace
would continue and interfere with
exporting and importing. Conse-
4 quently these prices were fixed with
national ends in view only. France
fixed the price at 1894, Italy at $4.33
Spain 1896, Portugal 1888 and Swe-
den $2.95, the average of those coun-
tries being approximately 1925.
Conditions in Europe
eliminated as overseas sellers
now are Russia, Rumania and India
Russia, one of the greatest wheat
| producers and overseas sellers in the
world, has been completely eliminated
because of her unwise political and
economic and social government. She
is in a most pitiful state. Instead of
producing for export she can not
produce enough for her own citizen
ship Rumania, which ordinarily ex-
ports 60000,000 bushels, for the last
four years has produced hardly
enough to feed herself. The grain
administration has the satisfaction
of knowing that cargo of wheat
| for Rumania to help those sufferers
was in the ground four days after
the cargo arrived in Rumanian port
The wheat went into the ground later
than ever before in the history of
the country and last reports indicate
that good crop may be expected, but
only for home consumption. India,
exporter of 100000 bushels annu-
ally, has been in the midst of famine
and its chops are just growing.
"The market of the world is ar
rived at by compilation of the total
production and the special conditions
which exist. With three countries
eliminated and with other nations
observing war prices it is a diff
cult matter. Also a contending fac
tor is the circumstance that the Uni
ted States is consuming so much of
it's supply and that the export of
wheat will not be nearly as large as
last year, due entirely to the unusual
consumption at home. The same is
true of Canada. Canada was expect
ed to export 00,000,0 900 bushels, 100,-
100000 less than the United States,
but it becomes evident more each
day that Canada will export not to
exceed 100000 bushels.
''The price is fixed by the surplus
of the four countries which are the
overseas sellers, namely Argentina,
Australia, Canada and the United
States. The rule that no neutrals
may buy still holds. | am asked re-
peatedly, why not allow the farmer
to sell to neutrals. | am of the opin-
ion that the neutral market would
have no appreciate effect.
Market Next Year a Guess
Gas to what the market will be
next year, you are as good a guesser
as | am. have endeavored to lay
the facts before you as fully and
completely as | know them My
conception of a government agency
is to get all the facts and submit
them to the people, but not to inter
fere with private enterprise"
Several questions with regard to
the discount on wheat grading just
below 60 pounds were answered by
Mr.. Houser. He was certain that
there should be discount, but just
how much he was not prepared to
say He thought that the fact that
there was demand for wheat, bring
ing the price above the government,
would have tendency to overcome
any unfairness because of the buyer
being willing to overlook slight diff
ferences in grade.
Guest At Club Dinner
Among popular fallacies that are /
gaining ground among US, that of |
price fixing by law is the most /
said Mr.. Barnes at the
dinner given in his honor at the Spo-
kane City club last night. Mayor c.
M. Fassett presided Mr.. Barnes was |
by Charles Hebberd. The
dinner was attended by some 200 |.
bankers, millers, grain dealers and
other business men.
price fixing by law has seemed
the easy panacea for all problems
we must endure, but it has always
failed and always will fail by reason
Of the fact that it drives the articles
from the market, creates IL
|icit dealing and eventual higher
prices.
Proved Failure by History
The first effort at price fixing by \
aw dates back to 800 A. D., when Il
The edict covered 1000 articles in
iaily use as well as wages and
charges for transportation. I'm
skilled labor was to receive 1881
cents per day and keep, skilled labor
ZIG cents per day and board, sheep
hearers 8 cents for each fleece, bar
'ers the same price as sheep shearers
or each man shaved, the lawyer
vas paid 81 when he accepted case
md $500 when he won it; barley was
old at 74.5 cents a bushel, oats at
2 cents, beans at As cents and pork
It rs cents pound. Shoes for both
he workingman and the senator sold
It 43 cents, while the rent of a
wagon for mile was 5 cents. The