The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-05-19
The Hard Times and the West,

From the Pioneer Press and Tribune
That the longcontinued business depres-
sion, finding its origin in the commercial
and manufacturing centres of the east, must
eventually affect the general prosperity of
III whole country, was of course inevitable.
lae west had no right to expect and did not
expect wholly 20 escape, but when the hard
squeeze under which the east had long suffer
ed began TO tell in effect upon the interests
OF the west, it found our merchants and bus
mess men well fortified and prepared TO
/ meet the common enemy and 10 battle sue
Cessfuly There was ample time for prepar-
alton, and it had been well employed. As
a lrSimote consequence, what in the east re-
suited In general crash, in the west proved
| only depression.
| But there are other reasons why the ''hard
times have not been 50 seriously felt in the
west as IN Older and more eastern states of
the union. Chief among these may be reck-
oned the marked difference in the nature of
the intesests upon which the two sections
mainly depend for prosperity; and because
OF this fact, TO a considerable extent, the
/ people Of the west are reapng harvest
/ from the misfortunos of heir eastern neigh
/ bors. BY no class in the country is the
! financial pinch felt more severely than by
the manu- acturers OF cotton and other fab
RIGS in the New England states. Within
the last ten days several of the heaviest es-
! adjustments of this class in the country have
succumbCd, Withdrawing from business mil
! hons OF capt. al, and throwing out of mplov
mept thousands of laborers The suffer- q
consequent upon these failures can hardly
/ be realized, much less portrayed Whether
( or not these disasters are the direct results
! OF production, stimulated by an un
sound system of protection, il is rot the
/ purpose OF this article TO discuss The fact
however remalus that because Of this great
! oser-production the markets Of the country
/ nave become gIutted, ana the manufacturers
have even been driven to enter with a por-
| ton OF their SURPRISES upon the markets of
| the old world. Prices of all manufactured
fabrics have receded IN "A ruinous degree, the
tallng-oft i'll the last twelve months being
estimated at at least % per cent.
But while the staple productions of the
east have daily grown less remuuerative, and
crash has followed close upon crash, the
great agricultural regions of the west have
found ready markets for their commodities
at prices little if any below those OF year
ago In proof of this We quote from our
market reports for No. 2 wheat. as published
IA The PIoNEER-PREss of MAY 3, 1875, and
/ The PIONEER PEEss AND TRIBUNE of Nav 10,
! 1876, TOR New York, Milwaukee and ST.
Paul;
Nc,o York, N1uakee, ST. FaA.
/ May l3, 1875, .------Sl.lS SlOO Gle
/ May Is, 1876, -- I.2l l.04 Csc
/ Thus it will be seen that while the pur-
/ chasing power of the leading staple of the
west has in slight degree advanced in price,
the principal commodity of the east for
/ which it is exchanged has deprecated % per
/ cent. In other words, a bushel of wheat
| to-day, though quotabIy little higher than
! twelve months ago, brings in return to the
/ farmer the Same quantity Of eastern products
which 1t would tAen have required over a
bushel and quarter to purchase. To this
+ extent, therefore, are we benefited by the
mistorJunes of our neighbors.
Another thing, the railroad war now being
! wa2cd 10y the trunk lines, while as a rule a
condition alike to be depIored by all classes
seems likely III this instance TO eventually
/ prove a blessing 10 The west 1t is not an
ordinary railroad war but is rather struggle
between the four great cities Of New York.
/ PhiiadeIphia, Baltimore and Boston for com
mercjal supremacy, and promises 10 result in
I permanently forcing upon the longer routes
I the lower tariffs proposed by tie shorter
I :
significant one that during the wiuteriust past
.liIons Of bushels OF gr~n have found then
>av to the soaboard at reduction of from l.
! 10 5 per cent. in the matter of transportation.
/ shippers are rather inclined TO look comp!a-
Gently on the dog eat dog fight of the rail
/ road ma -uates, and TO confidently anticipate
/ lasting benefits from the cut throat struggle.
( so tar as Minnesota Is concerned the sit
/ uation is the reverse OF disc0uragiug.
/ Whether the southwestern portions Of tn,
state are again to be deSpOiled Oy tue swarms
1 of l0custS which have for several wears swept
, it Of growing crops, can alone be determined
! by time; but the farmers of the "grasshopper
counties are strong III the faith that thev
/ have passed through the Red sea of their
affection, and that me hosts Of thu DESTROYER
have done their worst The newspapers Of
the threateued districts reflect the faith of
the farmers in tangible form, from every
quarter announcing chat thousands of acres
which were last year abandoned in despair
the present season been sOwn TO wheat aud
other small grains In other portions Of the
state-in southern and central VI nnesora.
along both branches of the st. Paul & Pa
citic road, on the Northern Pachc-in fact
all over the commonwealth the acreage TO
small grains has been immensely increased
while the corn crop OF the season viii uu
douotedly be by far the largest ever planted
in ghe state. More propitious weather than
that with which the farmers were blessed
during seed time could not have been asked,
and oniy some unforeseen Providence can rob
the state the Ct ming tall Of a most bounteous
harvest.
From every quarter of the state comes the
announcement OF an unusual influx Of emigra-
Ji0n. along the southern border settlers are
pouring in by scores and hundreds, and it
ceI tajniy seems as though the tide of emigna-
ton which for the past few years has passed
Minnesota by, has turned again to her Dor
ders The causes for this are not hard to
divine. The great BODY Of that portion of
the state oil which timber in its natural growth
is to be found having already passed into the
hands of actual settlers and the curse OF the
iocusts having come upon us, the hardy pho
neers naturally sought for homes in more
promising regions. But the success of tree
culture in Minnesota having been demon
strated. and the fact established that it is
both cheaper and easier to grow timber on
the prairies than to hew out a farm from
natural forests, and because Of the growing
faith that the sad ravages Of the grasshoppers
are nearly over, the attractions OF our rich
soil and healthy climate demonstrate them