The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-13
Condition of Planners in Illinois

The New York Herald, through the
medium of correspondents, has been study
ing the condition Of the northwest in regard
to the business condition. Such informa-
ton is of unusual interest at present, when
we are within three weeks of the resump-
ton Of specie payments. Everybody will
be glad to learn the real situation of the
country at the time when this great ex-
pertinent is about to 80 into operation.
The Herald proposes that this informa-
ton will hereafter serve as a basis fer
judging of the results Of resumption when
the experiment shall have made some pro-
gress. 1t says Of this state as follows;
In Illinois the people are not so pros
porous as would have been expected from
the crops of the year. The decline in
prices offsets the great abundance of the
harvest, and there is less money in the
hands of the people than there was year
ago. There is less case and contentment
in Illinois than in any other of the North
western States, with the exception, per-
haps, of Minnesota, where the wheat crop
was injured and rendered nearly worthless
by severe rain storms just in advance of
the harvest In Wisconsin, lowe, Nebras-
ka and especially in Kansas the farmers
are doing reasonably well, in spite of the
low prices they receive for their products.
The discouraged feeling in Minnesota is
accounted tor by accidents of the weather;
but how shall we explain the fact that
Illinois, the wealthiest and one of the
most fertile States of the Northwest, finds
itself at the close of fruitful season in q
condition bordering on distress? Its far
mers are in close proximity to the greatest
grain mart OF the West; they pay com
paratively little for transportation, and
should naturally be the most prosperous
agricultural community on the face Of the
earth. And yet the farmers of Illinois are
an exception TO the moderate revival of
hope and confidence in the ether grain
growing States. How is this to be &C
accounted fOr2
Our Chicago correspondent supplies the
data for solving what seems 50 odd pro-
blem. 1t is because Illinois is an older
and longer settled State that her people
have yielded 20 the besetting temptation
of ooeupiers of the soil. In a new State
like Kansas, where great tide OF immi-
grafton is still setting in, the land is taken
up in small amounts, proportioned to the
moderate means of the new settlers, aud
the wants of these new settlers, until they
have harvested their first crop, afford a
home market for their neighbors. The
Illinois farmers have been more aspiring
and ambitious. The false prosperity of
the Initiation era inspired them with the
characteristic wish Of rising farmers, Ito
own all that joins them The greed of
possessing more land induced them into
purchases beyond their means, and loaded
them with mortgages which they now find
they cannot discharge, The prices at
which they bought were founded on the
then price Of agricultural products, and in
the great decline of prices which has since
ensued they find themselves not only un-
able to pay off their mortgages, but even
to keep up the interest. Multltudes of
them are being sold out under foreclosure
The average rate of interests in Illinois is
ten per cent. which is staggering load to
carry on property bought at nearly
double the price it will bring at present
The Unsuitable greed of land has operated
detTimentally In another respect. Enor-
nous farms are inconsistent with good til
lage and careful economy, all experience
going TO show that subdivisions OF land Is
favorable to Its productiveness. The
Southern people are learning this lesson,
and are wisely partitioning the great plan
tations into small farms, which are let to
tenants when they cannot be sold. The
State OF Illinois has been reversing this
practice and is paying the penalty.