The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-11-06
THE SITUATION SIZED UP
FARM PRODUCTS RAPIDLY FALLING.
Markets For All Glasses OF Farm Products
Badly Depressed-The Financial Out
look Full of Interest-some Bless
ings of the Tariff.

DETROIT, Oct 29.-[special.l -Gillett &
Halls monthly letter is as follows:
clustering November is already nigh, ad-
monshing eastern shippers to expedite their
lake cargoes.
Prices of farmers products continue falling
with the autumn leaves. Note quotations:
Wheat roc, against sl.14 last year; corn sc,
against 45c; oats dc, against Soc; cloyerseed
$3.50, against $780, pork $40, against SO; bar
ley ST. against $l.50, etc. Foreigners can scarce
ly complain of prices but are slow buyers of
wheat, figuring on getting our Pacific coast
crops-lacking other ortlets-at still further
reduction.
Exports of coarse grains and meats are heavy.
Receipts of northwestern spring wheat are
farmers to hold. Corn and oats, hardly paying
TO move, are being stored at home, and will
walk out on the hoof later on.
Winter wheat is mostly of inferior quality.
Choice samples are eagerly sought by millers
or used to bring up lower grades.
Stocks at grain centers are small. At Detroit
elevator owners gaze sOrrowfully on empty
bins. Wheat stocks only 100000 bushels,
against 100000 bushels last year.
Drought in the West and and deluge in the
East oppose each other with an energy rivaling
the contest of the "wets" and "drys" on the
the temperance question. The growing wheat
plant with little or no root, is i'll prepared for
winters vicIssitudes. A crop scare might be
rather premature at present, but is likely to de-
velop into a certainty next May.
Further west the granger legislator girds on
his armor for deadly fight against trusts and
railway syndicates. He fairly foams at rumors
of bond purchases and rise in watered railway
stocks. Fossil statesmen can no longer gull him
as to the benefits of indirect taxation.
'The law will not permit any one to kick you
down stairs )" advises the attorney as he pock-
cts his retainer. "But | have already been
kicked down stairs" responds his aggrieved
client. And so the farmers products. having
been kicked way down stairs, it is difficult to
convince him that war tariff is even "a bless
ing in disguise"
The Pan-American scheme is now offered as
a panacea for commercial depression. Can
America compete with Britain while keeping
this list of manufactured commodities % to 80
per cent. above foreign prices? bagging, car
pets, crockery, iron, leather, linen, lumber,
silks. woolens. etc.
The southern delegates while at Detroit
sailed up the placid stream that separates the
asylum of the boodlers from one of their favor
lite fields Of operation. They were impressed
with the idea that champagne and partridge
are the daily diet OF this proud republic. As
their palace train glided over western prair1es
government mentors pointed with pride to
''Our peaceful peasantry, who complacently
kiss the rod that smites them" Will this rep
resentative meeting lead to the wise CONNER
cial policy that has made little England the
banker manufacturer and carrier of the world?
Foreign affairs show slight changes. The
car and William having kissed and made up,
war is relegated to back seat until spring,
when We trust a handsome republic may be
carved out of Holland, Belgium aud Alsace-
Lorraine. Directors OF the French copper
trust syndicate are reported threatened with
life imprisonment. Should we undertake to
contine all our smart operators" where would
we find jails to hold them?
The financial outlook is tull of interest Wall
st. brokers are wildly serambling for funds.
The trusts are succumbing to deadly broadsides.
Savings banks are shaking in their Shoes find
ing that western mortgages fail TO satisfy clam
orous depositors. Frantic efforts OF railways to
show increased earnings are resulting in acct
dents that will necessitate the old expedient of
claiming directors on the cow-catchers. Mer-
camille collections are slow, and farmers poor
buyers. a few branches of trade show a spas
modic activity. Reckless investment of
English capital in industrial enterprises is like
ly TO be short lived Conservative bankers and
the London press already sound notes of warn
ing.
Capitalists chuckle over increased interests
rates, and millionaires, intrenched behind a
hedge of high priced bonds, rejoice that they
are safe whatever happens. When discoursing
their Thanksgiving turkeys, how few of the
plutocracy will give a thought to the hardy
western pioneer on whose courage and sacri-
fees so many of their fortunes are founded?
granger sits moodily in the shaky cabin that
lumber lords have left within his means. The
native blizzard whistles through the cracks,
threatening 10 blow in shreds from his back, a
shoddy suit the wool tariff confines him to. He
toasts his feet over a fzzling fire of 10 cent
corn, and solaces his attenuated stomach with
10 cent oatmeal Cruel. He signs as he sees his
semi-annual interest soon coming due, realizing
that his corn crop will hardly bring the cost of
carting to market. Dolefully he huns the
1 Il Il.
stay" but is shocked to reflect that with an un-
dertakers' trust in the field he can scarcely
afford TO die. The benehcent statesman who
represents his 'deestrict" advises him, as a
remedy to restrict production"
A happy thought strikes him. By offering
liberal divvy to the agent of some farmers loan
| company" he can re-mOrtgage the farm for
twice its value and betake himself to the fasci-
nations of city life. Dumping his goods and
| chattels on the "prairie schooner" ne bitches
| up his steers and points for some happier
| haven.
Six months hence, about interest day, will be
seen some female representative of the Silurian
! epoch from New England's granite hills, seek
ing more accurate information as to the invest
! ment her spinsters' savings bank has recon-
nended. An abandoned hut and farm, instead
of fertile fields, greets her astonished eyes and,
! inveighlng against the depravity of the human
race, she hounces homeward to "give that
cashier piece of her mind, there"
Our granger friend will probably hnd himself
unadapted to city life. Every Joy has its sor-
/ row. His daughter, Mary Ann, despising do
nestle service, will prefer the dubious surround
ings Of factory life. The flash novel from the
4 public library will infect her with false ideas.
/ A Bridget" must be hired to ruin the family
| digestion and deplete the paternal pocket
book.
Do picture scene in some foreign land?
/ No. my country, tbs of thee, sweet land of
| liberty, of thee | singw Respectfully yours,
| GILLETT & HALL Detroit Mich