Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-10-08

large portion OF the corn crop Is liable
to get caught by frost. Still the people
of the Northwest have enormous guam
titles of corn left over from last year,
and this will share the advance in
prices. The general result of the whole
condition is prosperity for the country.
The farmer is ut the bottom Of it all.
The merchant, the laborer and the man
'ufacturer are directly dependent upon
him for a market aud IL you give him
an increased volume of money, you give
1t as well.to them. The farmer, when
he has money, spends it freely. He has
been scrimping himself badly Of late,
and now he has lots Of things to buy
with his surplus cash. The merchants
in the large cities are beginning to feel
the effects. Every little country CROSS
roads store is stocking up to meet the
present and prospective demand.
IL saw some few people with doleful
countenances," continued the Secre-
tary. 'They the pessimists and
they realize that they are playing in
hard luck, with all Nature against
them. I heard a good deal, too, about
Mckinley luck and that sort Of thing,
but the truth is that most Of the peo-
pie are happy and thankful that the
majority voted for Major Mckinley,
realizing the fact that while the direct
rise in wheat is of course not due to
Republican administration, yet that tls
general confidence and prosperity all
over the country are due to nothing
less h the return to power of the
principles of protection and sound
money. 1 was much pleased with the
interest which has been manifested in
sugar bects. Over twenty-five thou
sand American farmers are now experi-
menting with sugar beets in twenty
seven States. One item of considerable
interest and Importance connected with
the beet industry is the fact that the
waste of the beet, after the sugar is
extracted is very rich in heterogeneous
matter and equally as good for mich
cows as bran. The dairy business will
thus be stimulated by the production of
beet sugar."
Even pessimist-ridden Colorado
comes along with reports of exceeding
prosperity. The gold mining sections
of the State. It is said. will show an in
crease over last years production of
six million dollars. The increased value
of the wheat crop will be in the neigh
borhood of four million dollars. The
fruit section has a double crop with in
creased prices over last year. The
southern part Of the State will receive
two and a nalf times as much for its
wool and lamb crops as last year. The
cattle districts are booming as never be-
fore. The northern part Of the State
will yield more Of all kinds of asricul-
tural products than in any previous
year. The manufacturing enterprises
OF the State are employing more men
than they have for three years. Rail-
roads are being built in the State and
creameries. ice plants and factories are
being put up in q dozen cities.
The general outlook for corn is full of
promise. The price now stands about
IL cents in advance of last year. The
foreign demand has jumped the price
up since July 1 about 8 cents a busbel.
Thus, on a crop conservatively estimat-
ed at 1,600,O00,O00 bushels the increas-
ed value will amount to from 100000
600 to $165, 100000. This mere increase
amounts to half as much as the yalue
Of the whole wheat crop of last wear
and is equal to one-third Of the value
Of the enormous corn crop of last wear. |
1t makes the smaller corn crop of 1897 /
worth more in the markets than the
vast crop Of last year. The most en-
couraging feature Of the corr market
is the fact that Notwithstanding the up. /
ward run in prices, the European de. /
Mand still continues steady and the ex-
ports enormous. 1t is estimated that 1
more than 200.000.O0O bushels Of Amer.
lean corn will be sold to the foreign /
countries this year. In addition to the
large crop of the present year, as COM
pared with the yield Of 1894 and prior |
years. the granaries of the West are
still burdened with millions Of bushels |
of last years crop. 1t is difficult to es-
innate the additional wealth of the
farmers from this PURGE The extent
to which Europe is using corn is a sur
prise to those who have looked upon |
corn as q staple but somewhat I'M
profitable crop. The great crop and
low prices of 1896 forced corn abroad
and developed an European market,
and the result is that the demand con-
tinues even with the increased price,
and it is certain that Europe will con-
tinue to absorb far more Of this Amer
lean product than was the case prior to
1896. in the excitement incident to the
great advance in wheat the Importance
of corn has doubtless, by most people,
been overlooked, but it seems entirely
probable that the growing of corn will
be, during the next tsto or three years, /
attended with considerably more profit 4
than Of late yeaEa The European de- /