Year: 1866

| country, we must eat corn. ! would say TO
| those. thousands of the citizens of the west


have been using corn bread for months past
| that never used it to any Conslderableext
| before and that there are thousands in the
| west that have not had pound of -four in
| their house for weeks past. This increased
consumption Of corn, and also potatoes, is
beginning to tell on the price Of these articles
at many points throughout the west. Pota-


toes are very high at all points, and corn is
i advancing in most Of the corn-prOducing


sections Of the west. am told that in the


interior Of this country corn, suitable for
| bread is selling freely at 81 per bushel, and


is becoming very scarce. Along the rivers


and large creeks, where the great surplus of


corn is produced, the price has advanced


within 80 TO 40 days % to 30 per cent, be-


coming scarce at many points, and still ad-


vancing and the fact Of such high prices for


wheat and -four at present, and in prospect


must have the effect of driving thousands to


the use Of anything that will answer as a


substitute for -four, and as a natural conse-


quence must greatly enhance the value of all


such articles Of food | have not enquired


closely into the supply Of hogs and cattle in


the country, but understand Commissioner


Newton, in his last report, makes the supply


in the country very light If such is the


case, and if he is correct, it appears to me


that we must have very high prices for


meats the next year or two, as well as for


bread While we know bread has been very


high since last harvest and indeed for the


past two wears, ] cannot but think it must


be far higher for the next year or two, and


is it not more than probable (even without


war in Europe, which many think they are


sure to have, and which if it should occur,


would largely advance the price Of bread


stuiis all over Europe, that as soon as 1t is


known in Europe that our necessities have


drivne us across the water TO seek bread,
that all their markets will 90 up higher
than they have been for years?


/ know the foregoing is gloomy picture


yet believe we will find, as time progresses


that il is not near so gloomy as the facts
would Justify, and know many will say, espe-
cially in the East, that it is all gas and croak-
ing. and for effect ] would say TO such, 20
10 the agricultural district barns, ware
houses and mills throughout the country,
and see for yourselves. Go into wheat fields
and examine for yourselves as | have done,
talk to all you meet from whom you think
you can get information, on cars, at hotels
and on steamboats,, as | have repeatedly
done, and / thing you will conclude as |
have, that this country is in the most Criti-
cal situation, in regard TO breadstutis, that
it ever was before and thatall the complaints
about expansion Of the currency OF the
country having inflated the price of bread
stuils and othernecessarieso of lifeis sheernOn-
sence, and perfect humbugery, and that sup
ply and demand will regulate and control
the prices Of all commodities, labor, gold,
etc, without any regard to the contraction
or expansion Of the currency, and all the
mandates that can be sent out from Wash
ington or New York cannot add one grain
of wheat or corn, or one pound of beef or
meat of any kind, to the supply in the world,
or make prices of them or any other of the
neccssares Of life (more than temporarily
cheaper. Ii will make mandate from that
higher source, that has the power to say this
land shall be blessed with better crops than
for the last two years, before we can reason
ably expect any permanently lower prices,
in the necessaries of life. And ] now pre-
dict that we will have the highest prices for
breadstufs and many other products of the
soil, and necessaries of life for the next one
to two years, that we have seen. And this
is assuming that the growing crop of winter
wheat should meet with no further casualty
from this to harvest, ard that the spring
wheat crop now growing should prove a
good and full average crop. Should it meet
with any casualty that would materially re-
duce its product then we would be in most |
desperate situation for a supply Of bread
stufis for the coming year, and | think twill |
be well for all to look into the matter, satisfy |
and prepare for whatever may |
com, and would advise all to encourage the |
planting of bucllwheat, turnips and every |
thing else that can be used as substitute |
for wheat. do not believe that high prices |
will be confined to this count alone, but |
they will extend in some degree all over
Europe. Since commencing the above / |
have received several items of information |
that fully sustain my opinion of short sup |
plies and the deficiency in growing crops.