The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-06-08
BETTER TlMESAT HAND
Walter Wellman Scents Them
From Afar.
BUSINESS IN THE COTTON BELT.
Recovery slow In the West-Lessons of
the Hard Times-Farmers Are Begin
ming to Buy-An Optimistic View of the
Business Situation.

ming to Buy-An Optimistic View of the
Business Situation.
WASHINGTON, June Especial THAT
the times are getting better in most parts
of the country, that at last business is i'm
proving slowly but surely and the people are
regaining little of their former cheerful
ness is the testimony of most of the sena-
tors and representatives with whom have
talked on this subject. 1t must be remem-
bered that our members of congress come
from all parts of the country. that they
are In close touch with their constituents
and that it is only natural they should be
able to feel the public pulse quite as
quickly and accurately as any one. The
representatives from the southern states
are perhaps the most encouraged Almost
without exception they speak of better
conditions now prevailing among their
people While the price of cotton has not
been high. 1t is little better than 1t was
OF one time few years ago The most
important thing is that in many parts OF
the south the planters have learned to di-
versify their crops little, and they have
particularly learned to exercise greater
economy in their operations. They find
they can make as much money with cot
ton at cents as they used to make at 10
or IL. The only difference is that they
have to cut little closer, watch the small
things, manage more judiciously.
Years ago the cotton planter, for In
stance, never thought of raising corn upon
to which to feed his mules, or vegetables
his family and help. AS rule he
bought all such things from the north, or
from other parts of the country, and con-
fined his attention solely to cotton. Now
he looks to it that his corn and vegetables
are raised on his own place. and also that
the pigs produce bacon at home and the
hens eggs and poultry. In many such
ways farming has undergone quite revo-
luton in the cotton belt, and the result Is
That the south is returning to prosperous
days.
Hard Time Lessons.
The times have been very hard in the
western states. There the recovery Is pref
ty slow, but it is coming A senator who
has lust returned from q journey out
through the Mississippi valley and the
prairie states farther west tells me the
people are beginning to feel a little better.
They have had such hard conditions to
face that any change seems to them one
for the better. The hard times have taught
| several lessons. Chief among these is that
| debts never make man well TO do
Another thing the hard times have done
| is to put a stop to the wild and reckless
speculation in town lots and other real
J estate that has been going on in the west
| for several years. Almost every man OF
business in the western country was caught
| in one or another of the various promising
| town site speculations. Money was to be
made hand over fist. Values were to
! double in few years. The boom was on,
| and merchants and professional men and
! thrifty farmers were attracted by the won
\ derful possibilities. They put In their cap
ital or their savings, and the only lucky
! ones among them have been those who
got out while the booms were still on.
Men who have travelled through the west
! say that all the speculative fever has been
| taken out of the people. Probably 1t will
be q good many years before the disease
returns to plague them.
Signs of Prosperity.
l am told that the farmers of the coun
try who stopped buying things they ooulc
| do without as soon as the hard times strucR
the country are now beginning to stock
ND. They shut down buying clothing ~
much as possible, and boots and shoes, ant
harnesses, and wagons, and books, anf
wall paper, and paint for their houses anf
barns They wore out their old things
or pegeed along with the old vehicles
tools. wall paper, machinery, etc. Ihos'
who had money stopped buying becaus'
they were too thrifty to spend more thar
their income. Those who were withou
money stopped because their credit ha'
run out Now they have reached the turi
of the tide They are ready to replenisl
their stocks. They are feeling littl
more hopeful for the future. The small
merchants are the first to note the signs o
more active trade. Soon 1t will be Eel
among the jobbers and wholesalers. Thel
it reaches the manufacturers, more peopl
are put to work, and prosperity shows &c
tual signs of returning.
In some of the states OF the west, at
told. the landlords of hotels in many smar
cities are just beginning to pay rent 10
{ the first time in three years. All throug
the hard times the owners OF the building
have given their property rent free ratne
than have the hotels closed. A man wh
knows whereof he speaks tells me ne
, able to name dozen well known hotels l
western cities which have not palo 90
lar of rent SlDCG loJt many oN''N'' 80
paid only nominal sums The proprietor
! knew that if the houses were closed thel
property might be irretrievably damaged
1t was cheaper by far for them to go for
wear or two without revenue than to hay
= the cobwebs in the windows Now On
j., trade is picking up little and the lane
0 lords are either beginning to pay rent
are expecting to do SO in very short TIM
where We Are Behind.
: Delegates to the international posts
n congress say they find many things IN IN
o country to admire, but in some very III
!: portant particulars they think they a.
ahead of us in the old world For instanc
y Herr Fritsch. director of the 6erma
3 postal system, wonders that the people
d the United States have given mp the
= streets to all sorts of monopolies For y
d stance, he says that in Berlin. where u
e telephone is managed by the governme'
% as an adjunct to the postal system the
!. are no fewer than $4,000 subscribers
) the exchange This seems an incredlu
number, considering that there are on
600 ooo On, hocribcrs In tClephOne q