The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-09-16
PROSPEROUS NORTHWEST.


p.,msrs la Hlgh Glss over Present Con-
,Iiuons-A Revival Of Coiiahshes ahd
Good Crops the Cfn'e''
WINNEAPoLIs, Sept 10. = During
,bs last fortnight two events have TAX
on Mace in the Twin Cities, which have
made II possible TO obtain a very cor
r,ct estimate of the present conditions
,..,,oltlpg among the farmers OF the
49, roiintry, and among the north
,.,,srn farmers In particular. the
W, M these was the Farmers Ma
MAI Congress, which was held in 81,
ungMI and which was attended by rep
1,tatlyes from nearly every state IN
is"nIon The delegates to this meet
wv, ~ ,,,era men who were closely In touch
~ The AGRICULTURAL interests In their
"I'',l,rfiye localities, and are as Wen
Issii,SsB 10 speak Of the present status
p W a5airs ANA the prospects for the tu-
o - amy one could be, The second
'u'r III, was the annual state fair, Which
~ beId ON the soclety's grounds at
IM, W. last week, and which was
i ttr,'i attended, not only by men VINO
"a, Engaged In filling the soil, but as
~ al nv those whose business brings
M, W. INTO close relations with the far
- and are able to speak of them
ram business point OF view
,r,s unanlmity with which all these
,,,asses agree In saying that there mas
I'm n wonderful Improvement IN the
go,dition of the agrlculturists Is re-
arrable. and the arrangements which
~ being made by the business men TO
a. advantage OF these improved con-
Sitions sneak volumes for the conli-
Ssnsa they have In the present outlook
Ia convention in st, Paul, with the
,ycsntlon OF few Populists there was
on greement on the part OF all the del
"ratss that the outlook Is more promis-
tbS nj the present time than II has been
foT wears. and that the farmers are
,nueh better Oft now than they have
hsen for the last few years. There was
a feeling OF hopeful confidence on the
mart Of all that prosperity is really here.
and that II has come to stay
Among the delegates FROM some sec
lions of South Dakota, where the wea-
thar has been too wet for the wheat,
and where the Populist element Is in
Inc majority, a pessimistic feelins was
found the delegates complaining that
times were no better than they had
hsen, and asserting that they would not
he until n different monetary system
was adopted by the government There
was one or two Popullst leaders from
the state ofNIowa who were also in
clined to take gloomy view OF aftairs,
hut the prevailing tone OF the congress
was one of satisfaction with the con-
dtrious prevailing at present and also
with the prospects for the future.
one OF the delegates from southern
Illinois said: I'VE are better off in our
section OF the state than we have been
since 1890. 1t isn't so much that we
are all on easy street at the present
lime. as that we can see our way clear
10 get there In comparatively short
time. | live across the river from Bur
lington, Iowa, and | know the condi-
tions that prevail within n radius or
100 miles around me as well as any one.
They are more than encouraging; they
are perfectly satisfactory. Lumber
dealers say their sales are more than
double those Of the corresponding perl
cd OF last year. That means that the
farmers are making improvements, and
they are making them because the pros
poets are good enough to justify them
in so doing.
"Two weeks before came away from
home, both the banks in my town an
nounced to the customers that they
could not afford to pay interest on de-
posits any longer, as they had more
funds on hands than they knew what
TO do with. And nine-tenths OF that
money belongs to farmers. Last year
cattle feeders could not get money to
buy stock; this year they are almost
begged to take It.. / can go into town
and get all the money l want at per
cent and so can any one else who has
the requisite security. The day before |
started for st. Paul I was offered 800
for three calves and refuse the Offer
Cattle are higher than they have been
for years. Horses are rising In price. l
had to get so bushels Of seed wheat and
] gave a cheek for exactly $50 In pay
mont for 1t. Oats and corn are high,
and when the great CROP that now
stands ripeninE In the sun 70 harvested
and sold at the prices We are confident
we are going to get. we Will NIL be sat
isiled."
DO you attribute this improvement
in conditions to any of the legislation
that vas enacted by the new admins
tfation or 80 the change ih the admin
Is,ration ltself?" he was asked.
40 neither. The shortage Of the
grain crop abroad is n factor. and an
Important one; but the secret Of the
whole thing is found In the fact that
every one is getting confidence in ev-
erything again. 1t Is as plain as day
l!Ght to me that we won't have any
more Of this free silver nonsense for
some years to come II ever, l don't
believe that the present tariff will be
changed for some time to come. W.
have feeling that we are on substan-
tlal grouGd once more, and that 1t Is
safe to make ventures that cannot be
contaminated tn In the future. Conf
dence " the word. We all have IL eN-
Cep. few Of our POpulistic friends, and
they haven't It because they don't want
II. / have spent more time since 1
have been here In this lobby talking
with delegates from the different states
than have on the inside, and, with the
exception that have just noted, they
all feel about the matter rs do"
The Interview reported above Is fair
sample Of many obtained. Every one
was confident that good times were re-
ally at hand, and all the delegates were
fortified with instances that had come
under their pcrsonal observation show
ing that there had been tremendous
upllft all along the line.