Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter I
Wearewellmet,indeed,thefarmerandthemanufacturer,bothinthesamegristbetweenthetwomillstonesofthelethargyofthePublicandtheaggressionoftheTrust,thetwogreatevilsofmodernAmerica.Pres,myboy,thereisyourepicpoemreadytohand.”
ButCedarquistwasfullofanotheridea.Rarelydidsofavourableanopportunitypresentitselfforexplaininghistheories,hisambitions.AddressinghimselftoMagnus,hecontinued:
“Fortunatelyformyself,theAtlasCompanywasnotmyonlyinvestment.Ihaveotherinterests.Thebuildingofships—steelsailingships—hasbeenanambitionofmine,—forthispurpose,Mr.Derrick,tocarryAmericanwheat.Foryears,IhavestudiedthisquestionofAmericanwheat,andatlast,Ihavearrivedatatheory.Letmeexplain.Atpresent,allourCaliforniawheatgoestoLiverpool,andfromthatportisdistributedovertheworld.Butachangeiscoming.Iamsureofit.Youyoungmen,”heturnedtoPresley,Lyman,andHarran,“willlivetoseeit.Ourcenturyisaboutdone.ThegreatwordofthisnineteenthcenturyhasbeenProduction.Thegreatwordofthetwentiethcenturywillbe—listentome,youyoungsters—Markets.AsamarketforourProduction—orletmetakeaconcreteexample—asamarketforourWHEAT,Europeisplayedout.PopulationinEuropeisnotincreasingfastenoughtokeepupwiththerapidityofourproduction.Insomecases,asinFrance,thepopulationisstationary.WE,however,havegoneonproducingwheatatatremendousrate.
“Theresultisover-production.WesupplymorethanEuropecaneat,anddowngotheprices.
