The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-11-15
A FAVORABLE EXHIBIT.
The Industrial Condition Of the
Great Northwest.
4 Favorable Outlook for the Mer-
chant, the Farmer and thu
Mechanic.
From The Chicago Tribune.l


Noting the anxiety with which financial
signs and portents have been considered by
the people everywhere, of late, tho Tribune
has called upon It's correspondents to furnish
simultaneously q candid statement OF the
condition Of trade and manufactures In their
several localities. The reporters whose re-
plies are here collated are in nearly all cases
centrally situated in their counties, where
the people coming to court and TO pay their
taxes have given their opinions as to the
good or bad aspects of the times.
Three things become Mt once apparent m
casual scanning of the dispatches:
/. Two or three OF the great crops have
proven disappointing.
2. An enormous amount OF money has
been sent out West which accounts for the
wonderful development OF Dakota and that
region.
3. The great farming class within the wide
compass of this inquiry is wealthy beyond
common belief.
Just now the farmers have been touched by
fears of need I'm consequence OF short crops
In fields here and there, and have restricted
communications with the distributors, and
made close times for the non-producers. But,
even with the thrift and caution OF the farm
ers, we see the manufactures in full blast,
and the reader will probably be astonished
with the array and the diversity of industries
which he may have believed fourshed only
at the intersection of scores of trunk lines.
One OF the States Wisconsin, IL would
seem, has never seen husher times than now.
The complaints are loudest in Iowa and Mich
igan.
For the convenience of the reader, pains
have been taken TO tabulate the answers
which accompanied these general reports.
BY this means it is seen that two-thirds of
the farmers will not sell ut the present prices,
which alone leaves large amount OF actual
wealth I'm their hands. With all this food
treasure, the tables will make plain that the
farmers have little need of extra money. in
two-thirds of the towns trade is good. No
more than the usual trouble, on the average,
is realized In collecting, and the merchants
are in no sense Overstocked with goods. The
manufacturers are practically al running on
full time ut "a good profit Less than 10 per
cent. of the whole population labor under
discouraging conditions. Eighty per cent. OF
the correspondents answer the concluding
question of the circular with the word "Hope-
full"
The following circular was addressed 10 the
correspondents;
In order to furnish us with Information as TO
the condition of business in your vicinity, will
you obtain for rs answers to the Following
questions:
Are present prices satisfactory to farmers?
What proportion OF their products remains In
their handsi
Are farmers borrowing more than usual from
banks TO carry their stuffp
Ia money tighter or easier than at this time
last Year,
Is mercantile trade good?
Are the farmers paying their store bills
promptly2
Are the stores overstOcked with goods?
Are the manufactures in your vicinity run
ming on full time or half timer
Are they making good profit!
The replies are tabulated as closely as pos
sible below: