The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-26
BUSINESS TO BOOM.
Great Improvement in the Con-
dltion of Crops.
A Cheerful Disposition in Busl-
ness Circles and Good
Time Anticipated.

The Juue report of the department of
agriculture showed an improvement in
condition for the month of 2.3 points in
winter wheat and 15 points in spring
wheat. This should bring the official estl-
mate of the wheat crop up to about 428,-
100000, which, in view of the unfAvorable
crop situation abroad, promises more
favorable results to the farmers and rail-
roads here. The most important crop,
however, at the present time, is the corn
crop, which, based upon the departments
figures, is capable of reaching 900,000000
to 2,000,000,000 bushels, should we have a
continuance of favorable weather. 1t
should be remembered that the corn crop
of 1887 amounted to only about 80 l,000,
600 bushels which was also of
an inferior quality; and this of
itself was a serious disaster, either
directly or indirectly TO the whole country.
1t particularly affected the roads travers-
ing the corn belt', such as Chicago, Bur
lington and Quincy, Rock, Island, Northwest,
Missouri Pacific, Missouri, Kansas and
Texas, Texas Pacific, &C.; aud though
some of these roads had other adverse in
huences to contend against, still the
shrinkage in the grain movement was
the most important of individual draw
backs. When the corn crop reaches 1900
millions and over, good year for rail
roads and general business can generally
be relied upon; and when the crop falls
below 400 millions the reverse may then
be generally expected. 1t may also be
added that since the issuing of the de-
partment's report we had an additional
two weeks of favorable weather, at a time
when such is particularly valuable. To
this extent, therefore, the departments
figures may be safely augmented.
Regarding the business situation that
has been decidedly benefited by the crop
outlook. much more cheerful DISPOSE
ton is in consequence developing among
business circles everywhere, and, though
trade is quiet, as is always the case at
this season, merchants are beginning to
look beyond the one eidtd hindrancss of
tariff agitation and railroad wars to the
facts that the country at large is in a
wonderfully prosperous condition, and
only needs the stimulus of a good harvest
to make this manifest and create very
different sentiment from what has ,tely
existed. 1t msy be true that political
campaigns, tariff debates and railroad
bUtuXRloS letu pOrdIiy uusobbio ucpiuoorJ
but they can only defer, not permanently
prevent, progress; besides which, our
people have been so long occupied look
ing at one series of complaints, that they
completely overlooked in the meantime
what has been going on in other
directions. Public attention has been di-
verted from recognizing the great growth
of the country, not only in population but
resources. la almost any of the larger
branches of trade, particularly the great
staples it viii be found that consumption
is on an unprecedented scale. In many
instances production has fallen below con-
sumption; aud, supplies being limited
and prices low, it is not improbable that
before many months have passed we shall
witness an era of advancing prices 10 the
merchandise markets. Almost any OBJ
server can notice the exceptional state Of
affairs in business circles; such as that
consumption is heavy, supplies low,
profits small and prices low.
Our Austin business men are decidedly
cheerful over the outlook and anticipate
big business in the fall and winter.