94. 



~T 



his products, and the insignificant profit or value to him 

 of his labours compared to that resulting to those who 

 negotiate with his products. 



With the exception of meat, all the prices of alimen- 

 tary products of the country have fallen as much here as- 

 they have risen in proportion elsewhere. That is to say 

 while the actual consumer or buyers have paid more than* 

 ever, the producer or seller has received less than ever in. 

 proportion. Who has swallowed the difference? 



NATIONAL WEALTH SACRIFICED. 



"Agriculture is the corner stone of Argentina's wealth? 

 and power. Nature having endowed her with such boun- 

 tiful crops, leaves it to the sons of Argentina to safe- 

 guard this magnificient birthright, to see that it is not 

 squandered, but administered with intelligence and real- 

 ised to the best possible advantage, for the welfare of the 

 country . 



That this onerous responsibility has been discharged 

 with credit in the past cannot be justly claimed, but some 

 extenuation can with reason be pleaded and allowed, as- 

 the development of Agriculture has been so phenomenal' 

 and rapid, that the necessary economical advantage whicb 

 should go hand in hand with it, has been neglected. 



In 1897 the .total exports of Wheat, Maize and Lin- 

 seed were 600,000 tons, to-day, 1907, ten years after, the 

 promise for the coming cereal year is a round ten million? 

 tons. 



The miracle has happened, the increased crops are- 

 concrete, but the lack of storage, and the consequent ab- 

 sence of facilities for financing have become much more- 

 accentuated and vital. 



65 millions sterling may be regarded as a moderate 

 and equitable estimate of the international value of this' 

 year 's crops, taking into supposition that a good average 

 maize crop is successfully harvested, but whether this 

 figure will be attained, or 10 millions sterling less, is as 

 matter for Argentina to decide: it depends on her re- 

 sources for handling and marketing the Crops, and the 

 acumen of her Cereal Merchants. 



The misfortunes of her great competitors, United 

 States, Canada, India and Russia, undoubtedly give Ar- 

 gentina pride of place in the Cereal World for the com- 

 ing season she is the only country in the world with 

 heavy crops of Wheat and Linseed, and could justly 

 claim the position of price maker in 1907. It remains to>- 

 be seen whether, however, she will exact a fair and true 

 value, or whether history will repeat itself, and her pro- 



