The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1890-12-06

of March /, 1890, has been completed and
will be at once officially communicated to
The completion of this deem
NAL enumeration devOlves upon con-
gress the duty of making a new apportion-
II REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRI-
CULTURE
deserves special attention in view of the
fact that the year has been marked in a
very unusual degree by the agitation and
organization among the farmers looking to
an increase in the profits in their business.
1t will be found that tie efforts OF the de-
partment have been intelligently and
~zealously done to the promotion of the in
terests Entrusted to its care. Very sub
stantial improvements in themarket prices
of leading farm products occurred during
mails has been largely increased. The
efforts of the secretary to establish
healthfulness of our meats against the dis
p%araging imputatiOns put upon them
abroad, resulted in substantial progress.
The veterinary surgeons sent out by the
department are 10Y allowed to participate
in the inspection of live cattle from this
country, landed at English docks, and dur
ing the several months they have been on
NAuty IN NooO VI COuOQSAOuo pASuAO pANo
monia has been reported. This inspection
abroad and the domestic inspection will
guarantee wholesome meats for export.
THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
Information aiven by the secretary of the
progress and prospects of the beet sugar
industry is full of interest. 1t has already
passed the experimental stage and is a
commercial success. The area over which
the sugar beet a be successfully cult
waited is very large. and another field crop
of great value is offered to the choice of
the farmer. The secretary of the treasury
concurs in the recommendation of the Sec
rotary of agriculture that an official
supervision provided by the tariff law for
sugar of domestic production shall be
transferred to the department of business.
at so late a period that the beneficial
effects upon commerce which were
in contemplation of congress have as
vet but partially manifested themselves.
The general trade and industrial cOndl-
ton throughout the country during the
year have shown marked improvement.
For many years prior to 1888, the merchan-
disc balances Of foreign trade had beer
largely in our favor, but during that year
and the year following they turned against
us. 1t is very gratifying to know that the
last fiscal year again shows a balance in
our favor of over $68. 100000. The bank
clearings which furnish a good test of che
value of business transacted, for the first
ten months of the year 1890 show a. com
pared with the same months of 1889, an
increase for the whole country Of about 81
per cent, while the increase outside from
the city of New York was over IL per
cent.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
The agriculture. law relating to civil
service. as far as l can learn, has been exc
cuted impartially and faithfully.
BENEFICIAL LAWS.
congratulate congress and the country
upon the passage at the first session of the
Fifty.first congress of an unusual number
of laws of very high Importance; that the
result of this legislation will be a quicken
ing and enlargement of our ;manufactur.
ing industries; larger and better markets
for our breadstuffs and provisions both at
home and abroad; more constant employ
ment and better wages for our working
people. and an increased supply of safe
currency for the transaction Of the bust.
ness Of the country. There were
800 less failures reported in October
1890, than in the same month of the pre-
by about $~5OyOO0,0O0. The value of our ex-
ports of domestic merchandise during the
past year was over $l15,000,000 greater
than the preceding year. and was only ex-
coded once in our history. About $780,.
100000 of this excess vas in agricultural
pursuits. The production of pig iron, al
ways a good industry, is shown by the re-
cent census bulletin to be 1858 per cent
greater in 1890 than in 1889, and the pro-
duction of steel 290 per cent. greater
II GENERAL TARIFF ACT
has only partially gone into operation,
some of its important provisions being
limited to take effect at dates yet in the
future. The general provisions of the law
have been in force less than sixty days.
Its permenant effect upon trade and prices
still largely stands in conjecture. 1t is
articles wholly unaffected by the tariff act,
which are by many ascribed to that. No
tice was taken of the fact that the general
tendency OF the markets was upward from
influences wholly apart from the recent
tariff legislation. The enlargement of our
currency by the silver bill undoubtedly
gave an upward tendency to trade and had
n markell 0ltCt upOIl pIlCCSs UOG tAo u0tuA
al and decided effect of the silver legisla.
ton, was by many enormously attributed
to the tariff act. There is neither wisdom
or justice in the suggestion that the subject
of tariff revision shall be opened before
this law has had a fair trial. 1t Is quite
true our tariff schedule Is subject to OBJ
jecti0ns. No bill was eve framed, I sup
pose, that in I'll its rates and c~lassiicatiOns
had full approval ever Of a party caucus.
Such legislation is always and necessarily
the product of a compromise, and the pres.
ent law is no exception. But In its general
scope and effect, l think it will justify the
support of those who believe American
legislation should conserve and defend
American trade and the wages of American
wOrkmen. M~isinfOrmatiOn as to the terms
Of the act, which has so widely dis
seminated at home and abroad, will be cor.
rected by experience, and the evil auguries
as to its results COMPOUNDED by market re.
ports, savings banks, international trade
balances and the general prosperity of our
people. Already we begin to hear from
abroad and from Our custom houses that
the %prohibitory effect upon tmpOrtatiOns
imputed to the act is not Justified. The
imports at the port of New York for the
first three weeks of November were nearly
8 per cent. greater than for the same period
in 1889, and 20 per cent. greater than In the
same period in 1888, And SO far as being
an act to limit exports l confidently believe
that under it we shall ecure larger and
more profitable participation in foreign
trade than we have ever enjoyed, and that
we shall recover q prOp0rtiOnate participa-
ton in the ocean carrying trade Of the