Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-12-04
THE COMING or CONGRESS.
Increased Expectations of American
Products Agricultural Prosperity.

NAShlNOiON, NOV. ,So.---~ll tue aver
age farmer did not enjoy his Thanks
giving turkey this year it was prob
ably because he was too busy with
prosperity which this first year of the
Mckinley administration has brought
him. The official figures continue to
show such prosperity as the farmer
has not known for many years. The
November expectation of wheat has
been nearly fifty per cent larger than
during last year and the shipments
of last week from the Atlantic ports
are the largest recorded in any week
for many years, If not at any time in
the history of the country. The act
nal exports OF wheat frou all ports for
the crop year thus far has been, in
round numbers, hundred million
bushels. When the increase in prices
is taken into consideration also it will
be seen that the farmers are getting
very large sum of money for their
wheat product this year--far in excess
of that in many preceding years. The
expectations of corn are alsoincreasing
those for the present month being
nearly million bushels in excess of
November of last year.
And while the farmer has occasion
to be thankful for his fortune in good
crops and good prices, other citizens
of the United States have occasion to
be thankful to the farmer that his
prosperity. has brought prosperous
conditions to others and to the coun-
i try itself. The alarm which was felt
at this season during those years in
which gold was being drawn out Of
the country, and the Government
compelled to sell bonds to replenish
the gold in the Treasury, no longer
troubles the lnanciers or business men
of the great cities. nor the admins
tration. The fact that the farmers of
the country have many millions Of
bushels of wheat TO send abroad, for
which gold is paid by the gold-stand-
ard nations purchasing it, obviates
the danger of reduction OF the guam
| ity of gold in the country, or OF. raids
upon the gold in thetreasury. Treas
ury officials say they are getting
greater quantities of gold than they
need or even than they desire, the
gold reserve now reaching nearly
| $500, 900, 900, while the official figures
showing the amount of gold in the
United States and in circulation con-
tinue to indicate an increase, due
doubtless to the fact that our exports
are now largely in excess of our i'm
potts. which have fallen materially
since the enactment of the new tariff
law.
Congress, when it meets in its reg
ular session next week, will have no
occasion to regret its action in the
special session by which it placed the
Dingley tariff law upon the statute
books. The dolefnl predictions made
by the Democrats about the prospec-
tive operations of the Republican
tariff measure which WIS enacted at
the special session few months ago
are not being realized. On the con-
trary, the four months in which it has
been tested have proven that the Re-
publicans made no mistake in their
action with reference to this measure.
Its earnings in the four months in
which it has been in operation are
many millions in excess Of those Of the
corresponding months in the history
Of the Wilson law and are sufficient to
fully justify the belief Of the Republi-
cans that it will. when normal condi-
tons are resumed, prove ample in its
qualities as revenue producer and in
its effect upon our commerce. The
receipts OF the Treasury during the
first four months Of the operation Of
the law will amount in round mum
beTs to 500. 600, 900, while the Wilson
law in its first -four months earned
about $83, 900, 600. When it is con-
sidered that the Wilson law had the
benefit Of enormous importations
which had been held back in order to
get the advantage OF the lower tariff
rates which it gave, aud that the
Dingley law labored under the disad-
vantage of very small importations
because of the heavy shipments into
the country prior to its enactment, it
will be seen that the operations of the
new law indicate that it is to be much
more successful as revenue producer