The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-08
l'HD WESTERN FARMERS
Secretary Wilson Found Them in
Especially Good Spirits. a
RESTORATION OF CONFIDENCE.

The Head OF the Agricultural Depart.
ment Declares That the Country Is
Justified in Its Anticipation Of Bet
ter Times-Predicts Higher Wheat.
IlWashlngton, Sept. 8.-Secretary Will
son was at his desk in the agricultural
department yesterday for the first time
/; for month. having just returned from
his tour of the trans Mississippi states.
He went as far west as Montana and
Utah, giving special attention to the
agricultural interests of the states Wis
tied, with particular reference to irri-
cation, horse raising and sugar beet
growing.
II found the farmers in especially
good spirits wherever went" he said
to a press representative There 10
no doubt that confidence Is restored
and that the country is justified in Its
anticipations of better times. The peo-
pie are all busy in the west. Indeed,
/ do not believe there is an idle man
west of the Mississippi who wants
work"
Mr.. Wilson predicted q still further
advance In the price of wheat, due to
the fact that there Is not only short
crop abroad, but also because of the
fact that, according to his observation.
the crop will not be SO extensive in this
country as has generally been antici-
pated.
"With the improvement Of the times"
he said, "the average American is go
Ing to have all the -four his family can
Z. consume, even though he may have to
nav a little more for it. I believe that
even without the shortage In the for
elgn crops the conditions in this coun-
try would have forced wheat to dol
lar a bushel. But the improved con-
tiition Of the farmer is due not alone to
the enhanced price in wheat, but there
has been a corresponding Improvement
in all farm products"
Mr., Wilson said he found the people
of the semi-arid region disposed to
think that the government should ap-
propriate money for the building Oh
storage reservoirs. Il told them, ne
said, that could not recommend that
system, but that felt sure that with
the vast increase in the value of arid
land produced by the addition OF water
capital would certainly be attracted to
such enterprises. When we consider
that the addition of water to those
lands makes them worth 500 an acre,
and their planting in fruit trees, as at
Grand Junction, Colo, worth $1,000 an
acre, capital will certainly in the end
take hold. I also told them that a
change of their sentiments on the cur
rency question, on the IL to luea,
might be conducive to prosperity, as
such a change would no doubt have
tendency to influence eastern capital
Secretary Wilson said that the re-
cent decline in the price of silver was
closing many mines which were de-
pendent entirely on silver, and would
inevitably work hardship in individual
cases. But" he said, "the miners who
are losing their places are generally
getting employment In mines where
other minerals are produced
Mr.. Wilson said that he advised the
western farmers TO feed their horses In
the winter months, as by so doing they
could 80 Increase the weight OF the an
b, finals as to make a demand for them
In the European markets for army ana
graft PURPOSES. He found the FARMERS
in The irrigated regions generally dis
nosed to experiment with the sugar
beet. and made the prediction that 20
new beet sugar factories would be
built next year.
OF, W.P. Atwell, commercial agent OF the
limited States at Robaix, France, sends
10 the state department report on
the short crop in France. He says the
crop Of France, and in fact in all
r. Europe, has fallen much below the
average, and that it Is estimated that
the United States and Canada Will be
called upon to export from 800 600 to
1870 0oOo 900 bushels more than they eX-
ported to Europe last year. France viii
REQUIRE about 60, 900 to meet the de-
ficiency in that country
Consul Heenan, at Odessa, Russia
has made quite an extensive report to
the state department concerning the
failure of the crops in Russia. The re-
mort predicts that little wheat VIII be
exported from Russia during the sea-
son of 1878, as there Is little available
for that purpose, the old stocks being
practically exhausted and the new
crop little more than sufficient for home
demand. The failure of the wheat crop
in Austro- Hungary, Roumania and
Bulgaria. Consul Heenan continues,
has brought buyers from those coun-
tries into Russia and wheat which
would ordinarily leave Odessa ny
steamers is destined to so by rail from
the interior into the countries named.