37 



have them eleaned and ready to load, at the "tipo de ex- 

 portacion" they have lost a third. 



:>. That as matters stand they can't pay more or 

 got more unless they speculate. 



If we analyse these observations, then the logical 

 conclusions are: 



Suppression of sacks, Mechanical handling, Improv- 

 ed transport with better loading facilities, Cleaning of 

 cereals, and Warrants. 



This will solve most of these complaints, and since the 

 high cost of living is a corollary of poor gains, with the 

 improved price this will be less felt both by farmer and 

 farmhand;" the latter in increased wages made possible 

 by better profits. 



All this is what was promised in 1912 by the project- 

 ed "Ley de Graneros" of the Minister of Public Works 

 Dr. E. Ramos Mexia, and again in 1915 by the Minister 

 of Agriculture Dr. Calderon, by the projected construc- 

 tion of State Elevators and Granaries. 



And finally: we must not forget the gist of the re- 

 port, of the Commission appointed by the present Gov- 

 ernment to enquire into the problem of our depreciated 

 cereals .- 



GRANARIES AND ELEVATORS 



There is no reasonable explanation then why Eleva- 

 tors were not chosen to play a part in the solving of our 

 difficulties, since it is admitted that they offer a suitable 

 solution and it was announced that the aims of the Gov- 

 ernment were directed towards solving the same prob- 

 lems to-day which afflicted agriculture in the past. 



However, there is some excuse in the fact that Ele- 

 vators could not be evolved by a stroke of the pen. 



In a plethora of projects for remedying agricultural 

 industry in the Republic and discussion extending over 

 many years we have seen then only one serious attempt 

 to do something practical, that attempted by the present 

 Government i. e. the negotiation of the crop on credit 

 and the fixing of the minimum price. 



These measure have not attained the success expected 

 from them, not because they are intrinsically unsound or 

 Utopian, but because they are incidental measures : alone 

 they cannot realise the aim of putting our house, in order. 

 If they were projected as part and parcel of a general 

 plan then they needed the fundamental basis to give them 

 their utility and scope, and without which, as we see, 

 they are useless . 



