86 THE FARMERS IN COUNCIL. 



speculator and went into those of another, we would not mind. And 

 there is every reason to fear that a proportionally large sum will be 

 extracted from the pockets of the farmers for the balance of the 

 season. If this should be the case, and should the amount of 

 wheat available for export, equal that which would be intimated by 

 the estimates of some of our prominent men, the loss to the farmers 

 and the gain to the speculators will not be less than $5,888,000. At 

 nineteen bushels an acre, the loss to the farmer would be seven 

 dollars and ninety-eight cents, or nearly eight dollars per acre, and 

 on a farm of one thousand acres, producing such an average crop, 

 the loss would be almost $8,000. It is high time then that farmers 

 should awake to the situation. If taxes of this amount were levied 

 on them, or attempted to be levied, they would rise in open rebell 

 ion, and yet they tamely submit to this imposition, or make a few 

 feeble and ineffectual protests, and there the matter ends. It will 

 be seen from our table that the average of freights for the eleven 

 years ending December, 1871, was 2 10s. 8d. only. If the farmers 

 of the State were united on the matter, they could freight ships or 

 build them, and the cost of carrying wheat to Liverpool would not 

 exceed 2 10s. With wheat for export equaling fourteen million 

 centals, they would then save in one season, the sum of $7,560,000, 

 or 51 cents per cental, or $10,260 on every farm of one thousand 

 acres. 



During the balance of the harvest year, with the vessels which 

 have already loaded cargoes for England, and those on the way now 

 known to be engaged, we have one hundred and seventy-seven ves 

 sels. Now, calculating by the average cargoes which have already 

 been loaded, there would, supposing fourteen million centals to be 

 available for exportation, be required four hundred and ten vessels. 

 So that we require arrivals of one hundred and sixty-four more be 

 sides those already on the w r ay known to be chartered for w T heat in 

 order to carry away the largest possible margin of export. Those 

 at present available will carry away 10,151,658 centals; and there 

 being now on the way to this port altogether one hundred and 

 eighty-seven ships, this ensures us a far more satisfactory prospect 

 for the balance of the year. In this connection we may mention a 

 circumstance that has come under our notice during the last fort 

 night which shows how completely are the farmers at the mercy of 

 the grain speculators. 



A merchant in Yisalia, whose interests are intimately connected 

 with those of the farmers of his section, desired to assist them in 

 obtaining better prices for their wheat, and in order to do so, he 

 contracted at reasonable rates for a ship with one of our largest 

 shipping houses in this city. The house in question generally bears 

 a good name, but unfortunately the merchant only made a verbal 

 contract with it. He was soon after approached by an agent of Mr. 

 Monopoly or a party in his interest, who endeavored to obtain the&quot; 

 ship from him. But the merchant was firm. This agent then says 

 to him, &quot; I suppose you expect to load the ship.&quot; The reply was, 

 Yes, certainly I do, I have engaged it, and shall send it.&quot; AVhere- 

 upon Monopoly s representative rejoined, &quot; Let me tell you, (or mark 

 my words,) you won t send that ship.&quot; Within forty-eight hours the 



