Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-10
THIS BALMY WEATHER.
Some Lines of Business, Yet just
The Thing for Siork Raiser-.

1t f. Altogether Too Amiable For
some Lines of Business, Yet just
The Thing for Siork Raiser-.
The weather for this season of the
year could not be more amiable. 1t is
dealing. as the Davenport Times remarks
with more truth than poetry, too gently
with us. 1t is like autumn lingering at
the feet of January-a sort of repentant
Magdalen. who, tired of'of her icy fra'l-
ties, snow filrtations and blizzard aban,
don, seeks to make amends by favoring
US with weather more austral than hyper
borean. 1t has more of the touch OF
North Louisiana than of priarie state
exposed to the exhalations of the Great
Lakes and in line with the western ours
rents of snow drift and low temperature.
On all sides are preparations for Christ
mas, usually mid winter with US, yet an
overcoat is not necessity, and seal
skin saque, smelling of camphor and law
endar, seems as much out of place and
time as would sleigh ride on July the
4. This is all very pleasant for those
who can enjoy it, who reck not of the
old proverb that "a green Christmas
makes fat grave yard" all very fine
and large" for those who look upon it
as Byron did on Waterloo-"a splendid
sight, for him who had no friend or
brother there" but with certain class
of our merchants it is awfully discour-
aging.
The clothing dealers, fur dealers, hat
and cap men and boot and shoe men who
have laid in large stocks are not in the
most amiable mood. They would prefer
a new weather clerk to the new president
who has been popping his shot gun at the
fat quail on the moorlands of Hoosier-
dom. They bought many of their goods
on sixty and ninety days time, yet their
stock has scarcely been disturbed by the
quest of the purchaser. Winter proper
| for this latitude is almost half over and
their bills must be met. They are lucky
if they have an accrued capital to fall
back upon with which 10 meet these obi
cations. Certainly their sales of the past
three months will not straighten them out
financially. And this is not the wors1
feature. Even should the cold weather
begin in earnest and bring their good!
more in demand, few will feel like Invest
ing in costly furs, overcoats or winte1
clothing on account of the small remnan
of winter yet left in which TO wear them
The result will be that our merchants vii
be handicapped with heavy hold owe
stocks, which they must sell al a heav'
sacrifice TO the few who need their good
or run the risk Of carrying goods whic
will prove to be Questionable in the mex
winter season. Certain it is that if PEG
pie 10 actually require anything in thes
lines they can now be sure of buying ther
very chesply. But this is decidedly Sc
we're on the merchants and has a diret
tendency to cripple all other kinds
, business
On the other hand the granger or tn
stock grower comes up smiling and su
veys the trade depression with feelings I
citation. He is supremacy contenteC
, This weather is friend of his. /
4 hopes it will continue so. His cattle a
q not "esting their heads off, so far tn
winter. They are still grazing in Il
yellow and russell meadows, requirir
very little other nourishment. Feed f
bis cattle costs him little or NOTHING
o. What is other mems poison is his mes
o and bis meat is growing on the ri
a of fat kline, who SO far requ
q neither housing nor heavy rations of b
It and corr and stiff not gruels of bran a
q middlings. If this would reduce t
price of meat on our tables we mig
l. feel like congratulating the farmer, b
IL it won't, and hence we cannot but symE
:, thise with the overstocked merchant.