19 



from the pens of every competent judge in agricultural 

 matters, only the Government apparently declined to re- 

 cognise the truth, or, rather, declined to put the required 

 machinery in motion in order to remedy the distress once 

 and for ever. (*) 



THE AGRICULTURAL MENACES OP 

 1912-1915-1917-1918. 



The remedy proposed for the solving of our Agri- 

 cultural difficulties as far back as 1900 was Grain Ele- 

 vators, the institution of which was embodied in the 

 Law No. 3908 relating to "Elevadores de Grano". It 

 was renewed again twice during the last six years under 

 two separate Governments and unless I am greatly mis- 

 taken will have to be revived in a new project by the 

 present Government: this time I hope with definite suc- 

 cess. 



If the difficulties which beset our farmers in 1915, 

 that, is, immediately after the declaration of the Euro- 

 pean war, and those which afflicted the cereal trade in 

 1912 previous to the war, and those under which we are at 

 present labouring after the war, are one and the same 

 then it is logical that the remedy proclaimed with such 

 insistence must have a substantial foundation. 



The difficulties then were similar to those to-day, 

 primarily the insignificant prices ruling for the cereals 

 in the country, compared to the costs of production. 

 As before, we have quantities, of cereals lying about the 

 country without buyers at remunerative prices, but this 

 time produced at more than customary cost due to the in- 

 flated prices ruling for machinery, sacks, etc., and to the 

 higher wages, plus the abnormal increase in the cost of 

 living in the country, and having for corollary the 

 same scenes as in 1913 and 1915, accompanied by the 

 same complaints, on the part of the farmers, although 

 this time they threaten to adquire more gravity than pre- 

 viously. 



Then as now we are menaced by strikes of the "cha- 

 careros", in demand of reduced rents, increased facili- 

 ties for working the land, or better terms both for past 

 debits and future credits, with threats to refuse to work 

 the land or leave it, complaints of exploitation by all 



See articles of mine in "The Standard" dating back over a period 

 of nearly ten years. National Wealth Sacrificed, by Cornucopia J908 



Agriculture in Argentine by the author in J9J4; Grain Elevators 

 by Sr. J. Baldassare in J9J6. Project for a Granary Law an J9J2 

 and A Plan of Public Works by Dr. D. Ramos Mexia J9J3 etc. etc. 



