26 



whole requirements of the consuming markets for tire 

 year. The question is whether Argentina will regulate- 

 her shipments over a period of some months, in accord- 

 ance with natural requirements, or continue the suicidal* 

 policy of shipping everything over a period of three to> 

 four months, and glutting the markets. Unfortunately 

 there is no reason to doubt that the usual order of things; 

 will not follow. 



In any case time is required to consume the crops,, 

 and if they are dumped in Europe, it is very certain tfeat 

 Argentina will not only pay the actual carrying charges; 

 and interest of money, but will pay the piper dearly for 

 calling the tune, inasmuch as consuming markets, being 

 forced to carry such large stocks, are thus placed m ar 

 more independent position, and given power to depre- 

 ciate the value of further future shipments. 



The interests of the Nation as a whole are that its 

 products shall obtain a fair return, and the time has^ 

 come when definite measures must be instituted to pro- 

 tect the producer and the produce. 



It would be idle to suppose that the solution of this 

 problem will engage the serious attention of the small 

 clique who control the export in Cereals, otherwise than: 

 to incur, at least, their secret and unscrupulous opposi- 

 tion. 



This aggregation of capital has been so skilfully en- 

 gineered that it constitutes a growing evil and a mono- 

 poly of almost unlimited powers, and also of almost un- 

 limited resources/ 



This iniquitous monopoly in food stuffs does muck 

 more vicious and vital harm than any of the North Amer- 

 ican Trusts in manufactured articles: it strikes at the 

 actual root of the Nation 's welfare. 



In reference to North America it is on record and 

 well worthy of Argentina's special interest to note that 

 in 1894 when a clique of the most wealthy capitalists en- 

 deavoured to monopolise the cereal products there by 

 forcing the Anti-option Law through the Congress, which 1 . 

 would have closed all the future markets and meant the 

 ruin and consequent destruction of the small trader, and: 

 of all competition, it was discovered that a fund of more* 

 than one million gold dollars was being provided by these- 

 big interests for the purpose of rushing the bill into law ;: 

 the measure was promptly killed. 



Thus in North America vultures find no home on her' 

 wheatfields, although large species of this carrion breed r 

 well known on Argentina's rich plains, have paid heavy 

 tribute to the protection that America affords her pro- 

 ducers, and have flown to pastures new. A broad 



