The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-10-13
SUBSCRIPTION
RATES
TEN CENTS MORE FOR WHEAT

TEN CENTS MORE FOR WHEAT
Just so long as the United State:
raises more wheat than is required
for it's own consumption, the price OF
the entire crop is fixed by the worlc
market at Liverpool. So the price OF
wheat to Montana farmers IS the
price at Liverpool less the cost OF
transporting it there.
These are the primary reasons
Charles P. Craig of the Great Lakes
St Lawrence Tidewater Association
told Montanans at meetings held re-
Gently in various parts of the state,
whv it behooves citizens of this state
energetically to get behind the move
ment looking to the building of locks
between the Great Lakes and the st.
Lawrence river so as to permit ocean
going vessels to fill their holds with
grain at Duluth and other Great Lake
ports instead of at Atlantic coast
ports.
At present, out of every bushel of
grain raised by a Montana farmer,
is taken the cost of transporting that
bushel by rail from Montana to New
York, and from II to 13 cents addit-
ional the ocean rate for transporting
it from New York to Liverpool. The
rate from Montreal to Liverpool is
II cents.
Mr.. Craig explained that one-half
the cost of moving the wheat to Liv-
erpool is entailed in the 800 miles be-
tween Buffalo and New York. If the
locks are built the grain can be NOV
ed from Buffalo to Montreal for n
cent a bushel.
"Transform 1900 rail miles into
1900 sea miles, " said Mr.. Craig, and
so far as transportation rates are
concerned, the distance is reduced to
$50 miles" He said the building of
the locks would cut the transporta-
ton cost about Is cents a bushel and
at least 10 cents of this saving would
accrue to the producer.
Mr.. Craig pointed out that the
principal wheat growing districts in
of the United States have a 1000
mile longer rail haul to reach the sea-
board than have any other grain
growing districts in the world, with
the exception of those in central Asia
and the northwestern provinces of
Canada. He added that the other
wheat growing districts of the world
are rapidly introducing American la
Dor saving machinery, and unless A
merican growers are placed on the
same transportation basis as their
world competitors, there Will ensue
a period of retarded settlement and
strangled production Illustrative
of the handicap under which Amer
can producers are laboring, Mr.. Craig
cited the fact that Argentine corn IS
laid down in New York at 10 cents
a bushel while it costs 80 cents to
place American corr in New York.
Sixteen states, including Montana,
belong to the Tidewater Association.
Thirteen of them, Montana being
one, are affiliated in legislative action
and three by proclamation. Engin-
ers of the United States and Canada
examined the project and reported
~favorably on one report. Three diff
erent plans were presented. A 70
foot channel will cost $252,0O0,O0O
and a 80 foot channel $270,00O,0 900.
This includes the installation of
wheels to generate from 100000
horse power to 100000 horse power
A royalty of two mills per kilowatt
horsepower on the power developed
will pay operating charges and inter-
est on an amortized basis, said Mr..
Craig. The feasibility of the project
from the standpoint of power alone
was indicated, he said, by an offer OF
a New Yory syndicate to build the
locks if it could have the power.
After the engineers reported fav-
orably the matter was referred to the
International Joint Commission-the
same commission that held a hearing
recently at Chinook. Every hearing
by the commission brought out an
overwhelming sentiment in favor of
the project. 1t is assumed the report
of the commission which is expected
shortly, will be favorable.