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

economy 81 Western production, whether We con-
slider its capacities for grains or cattle and It. should
have no smell weight in making up the verdict az to
the condition Of the far West. materially and imam
cialiy: In locking the record OF Kansas we find
that the development of the State has gone on win
astonishing rapidty, but during all the years OF its
settlement its era OF prosperity has not been great
have been a new impetus given to the tide OF immi
grafton. and large proportion OF that which was
sweeping away to the vast plains Of the far North
west has been detected to the Southwest and out upon
the fertile fields of this productive State The tcst
mony Of hundreds Correspondents who have settled
in Kansas, and have begun the tillage OF its virgin
SOIL received by me, is that they have reaped far
greater advantages than they could in any other
tion of the West, with the great Inducements
elsewhere held ont. This is by no means written in
the spirit OF special or personal interest in KANSAS
Cor the writer has individual interest in anything
beyond the general good of the entire country-if u
local pride in Chicago may be excepted-but cannot
ignore the fact Of the wonderful and fairly start
ling advance which the "bloody border" has
male. The constant influx OF population. all
seeking homes, has given renewed impetus
10 trade and we find the chief commercial points in
that section experiencing revival OF trade which,
after the somewhat protracted dcpression Is well cal
cuated to astonish even the old settlers. Iraic III
lands government and private, has set afoat an in
aGscd volume OF currency local trade has picked
UP, the crops have been good, and for wheat the
prices particularly satisfactory Farmers investing
in moderate sized farms and paying down nearly the
total value OF the same, find themselves compare
lively able TO cope with the bugbear of encumbrance
and see their way early relief from the financial
burden. There can be no doubt then. Judging from
the influx OF settlers at least that there must be an
year. All who have gone III this year have
broken ground and put in crops Of winter wheat
while they have also made ready, 10 certain EXTENT
for the production of corn This year the price OF
corn, as elsewhere West. has been wonderfully do
pressed in Kansas and the consequence is its princ
pa market has been in the mouths Of swine.
STATISTICS OF INCREASE.
There was large increase OF acreage Of winter and
spring wheat in State this year that OF 1871
the exceeding that of the last mentioned year by
67?33l acres Along the counties adjacent to the Kan
Pacific main line alone the increase
Was 294,o23 acres more than forty-three
per cent of the entire increase of the State
One simple statement must suffice to show how ma
teriay the farming interests OF this State have adj
yanced within three years. and it will show that al
though the times have been what men call hard"
ratio with the development of the In 1875
Kansas grew 13O000O0 bushels wheat and 81 ,0O000O
bushels corn in 1876 this increased to 15,O00U0O
bushels wheat and 80. 100000 bushels corn in 1877
the State produced 1500O,0O0 bushels wheat and
900 bushels corn and along with these staples
there has been q proportionate advance III all the
other articles Of mixed husbandry. In 1877 her
crops altogether were worth $46,OOO.0O0. This
year the State steps to the front as Of
the first in the Union i'll the production OF wheat
In the successful rearing Of live stock the ratio of
increase of total value is rapidly pushing Kansas
toward the head The percentage of increase is rcgu
lar and noteworthy in horses CATTLE sheep and swine
that OF hogs being most remarkable, the increase in
1877 being III cent and for eight months OF
1878 70 per cent.
MINNEsoTA's DRAWBACK THIS YEAR.
The natural suppostion would be that the great
and fertile State OF Minnesota which has the past
year received such large influx OF population, would
be in advance of many of its neighbors SO far as
the matter of financial prosperity is concerned. But
the reverse appears to be the fact Mr. r. G. Judson
secretary OF the State Board of ASricul-
tare writes me, under date OF November
has not improved Farmers in many sections
have run behind this year owing to the dry weather
and the storms, which played havoc with the crops in
the southern portion or the State The movement OF
crops, he thinks is not so large as it was two and
crops and those who are blessed With capital show
disposition to invest farming. so far rs the I'M
proycme,lt OF farms is concerned people in Mime
sofa are better of than formerly but otherwise there
is not much to be said Local trade shows little inn
provement but confidence i'll general business is re-
turning. There is not says the writer more
money among the people large than there last
year or in the preceding two years" In considering
the condition OF the people of Minnesota we must bear
in mind that the southern portion OF the State contains
by far the greater proportion OF the population.
and consequently produces. or would produce. with
out drawbacks the bulk or the wheat crop OF the
State This year. inst before tho harvest, occurred
hot weather and storms, which dried the berry and
lodged the straw, SO that thousands OF acres were
rendered vauclcss On that saved the yield has been
comparatively low The wheat harvested in South
and Southwestern Minnesota this year grades,
nearly all of it. Nos. and 5, with some as No. 4.
while that grown along the Northern Pacific Railroad
and in the Red River Valley grades No and CONF
mands the highest price OF all raised ON this conti-
nent. This has been raised by wheat kings on en-
ormously large ranches and the prosperity Of
that region does not affect the actual condition Of tho
landowners and hard working farmers of the State.
The entries of land in this state this year have
reached 1,324,0O0 acres These have been along the
latcrs VINO nave gone IN TO make money ana DO not
stand tor honest Industrious husbnndmcn with
the sole aim Of improvement in view SO, while it
would that much money has been invested here,
it really has found its way into the hands Of tho
people. but has been swept into the Golfers OF corpo-
rations.
Ny intelligent correspondent, 81 I. t." Of Bur.
lington, Iowa, under date December ,, says, Yes,
most certainly the condition of this part of the
country is improved. Farmers have made more
money this year, the having been favor
able The movements OF crops are larger and more
active than i'll 1879 crops have on the whole been
better also. The prospect for All increase of crops
next year is very good. People are investing more
freely III farm lands and are whole certainly
OH than last year. Local trade is very close
and does not make any improved showing. Yet con-
dence il returning all hands, and the general BUSH
outlook for the coming year is rather encourage
ing There il not 30 much money among the people
at large AZ there was last year. all prices being SO
much lower and less currency being required to do
the same business The same correspondent then
adds--
.'Our farmers are now completely divided off into
landlords and renters or tenants The former are all
wealthy, keep out of debt, hold farms ut 800 to $500
acre, and usually rent for share OF crops-one-
third when tenant finds tools and CATTLE twothirds
when landlord finds everything. Tenants ought to do
better than the landlords. but class bad
managers and improvdent, saving little. / would
prefer renting farm valued at $3.50 an acre. usual
terms, than to buy it, But tenants do not IL this
way and generally consider themselves oppressed.
Our lands better suited for grass and stock than
for grain and require capital to work them to advan
tagc AS rule FARMERS Of both sorts doing very
and this country is better suited to Withstand drouth
teven excessively than wes Generally speaking a,r-
culturists doing better than townspeope. Build
ing has ceased altogether and there are no maufac-
turcrs To semploy aborcrs. The towns are slowly
being depleted OF surplus population. but time Is re-
qured to adjust everyth satisfactorily Taxes arc
excessively high and oice-holders yet get war price
salaries. When taxation is 81 and S. to the 500 and
nothing show II but feeding lot of useless beef
caters it is excessive AS rule fairly pros
porous and cannot complain. Most assuredly rag
money or cart wheels and pound weights for dollars
would make matters worse instead of better"
CHAPLAIN BEECHER'S REGIMENT.