The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-09

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operation of paying honest debts.
Business Condition or the Northwest.
For the last two or three weeks the
HERALD has been employing a large num-
Der of alert correspondents, distributed
through all parts OF the United States, in
making inquiries and gathering informa-
ton respecting the business condition OF
the country. Such information is of un.
usual interest at present, when we arc
within three weeks OF the resumption OF
specie payments. Everybody will be
glad to learn the real situation OF
the country at the time when this
great experiment is about to go into
operation. We printed on Saturday an
extensive correspondence relating to the
condition Of the South; to-day we present
a long and careful letter, the fruit of much
investigation, on the business Of the North
west. These will be followed by other cor
respondence describing the state Of affairs
in other parts of the country. This extern
sive collection Of facts will hereafter serve
as basis for judging of the results Of re-
sumption when the experiment shall have
made some progress.
In the State Of Illinois the people are
not so prosperous as would have been cx-
pected from the crops OF the year. The
decline in prices Offsets the great album
dance of the harvest, and there is less
money in the hands of the people than
there was year ago. There is less ease
and contentment in Illinois than in any
other of the Northwestern States, with the
exception, perhaps, of Minnesota, where
the wheat crop was injured and rendered
nearly worthless by severe rain storms just
in advance Of the harvest. In Wisconsin,
Iowa, Nebraska and especially in Kansas
the farmers are doing reasonably we'll, in
spite Of the low prices they receive for
their products. The discouraged feeling in
Minnesota is accounted for 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 condition bordering on distress? It's
farmers are in close proximity to the great
est 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 other grain
growing States. How is this to be ac-
counted for?
Our Chicago correspondent supplies the
problem. It is because Illinois is an older
and longer settled State that her people
have yielded to the besetting temptation Of
occupiers Of the soil. In new State like
Kansas, where great tide of immigration
is still setting in, the land is taken up in
small amounts, proportional to the mod
crate means Of the new settlers, and the
wants of these new settlers, until they have
harvested their first crop, afford home
market for their neighbors. The Illinois
farmers have been more aspiring and am
bilious. 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 seduced them into purchases beyond
their means, and loaded them with mort
cages which they now find they cannot dis
charge The prices at which they bought
were founded on the then price of agricul-
tural products, and in the great decline OF
prices which has since ensued they find
themselves not only unable to pay off their
mortgages, but even to keep up the inter
est. Multitudes Of them are being sold out
under foreclosure. The average rate Of in
terest 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 detrimentally in an
other respect. Enormous farms are incon-
sistent with good tillage and careful econ
omy, all experience going to show that SUBJ
division of land is favorable to its pro-
ductiveness The Southern people are
learning this lesson, and are wisely parti-
tioning the great plantations 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.
Quite apart from these general lessons
the facts and statistics relating to the North
western States which we print to-day are
replete with interest and instruction. The
long and exhaustive letter of our Chicago
correspondent deserves the thoughtful
perusal Of all who desire to understand
the real condition of that interesting Sec
ton Of the country.