The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-31
MIDDLE WEST LOOKING UP.
PREsIDENT INGALLS, TELLS OF
REYIVED HOPEFULNESG.

dorf. His business IN new iork At this time 10 |
TO attend the meeting OF the Presidents Of the
trunk line roads. During the past ton days Mr..
ingalls, has travelled over $500 miles OF rail-
road in the West One Of his chief reasons for
making the trip was to find out. from personal
observation and personal inquiry, Just what Is
the condition OF the Western country and Just
what 10 tho condition and feeling Of the people.
He wanted to know whether the people are
hopeful OF better times, and, II 90, upon what
those hopes are based. He found out, and he
told a SUN reporter yesterday Afternoon what
ne had learned and how he learned 1t. Mr.. |
ingalls, said:
"If THE SUN one year ago had asked the three
wisest mon In this country to write three ARTICLES
embodying the views Of tho writers as to the
conditions ncedful to bring the greatest pros
perity to this land, they could hardly have
named conditions differing from those prevail
ing In the West to-day. This may seem an ex-
travngant statement. Now let's sec IL It's truo.
It is generally agreed, I think. that the basis of
oil prosperity 10 tho land. Political agitators
may rant, politicians may scheme, political
economists may spin theories, and legislators
may pass laws, but II the land be unproductive,
their efforts will fail. Tho next primary requisite
u a market for that which tho land produces.
During the past ten days I have travelled
over $500 miles of railroad. The country
through which I travelled was the middle West.
The frst thing l made It my business to find out
was the condition Of the crops. This 10 what I
learned: Not In the memory of the oldest inhab-
itant Of that country has there been such q crop
Of hay. The wheat crop, while not large, 10 of
ss fine quality as has ever been produced. OF
corn there will be an abundance. and there are
oats galore. Fat cattle arc in demand and hogs
are bringing n good price.
This shows that tho farmers Of the middle
West have got something to sell. II they can
dispose Of their products at good prices they
will have money to spend. They must spend 1t,
because they are human and have wants. In
proportion to their income, II they are wise,
will their wants DO gratined. A country enjoys
good times when high prices prevail and tho
people have the money to pay those prices.
Don't forget for q moment that during tho
past four years, whom our people have
been living by the grace of God. as it were,
plenty Of business has been done. Your Clear
Ing House statements will show that The
trouble has been that men got little or nothing
for doing business. Now. then, II the farmer,
the source Of all production, has something to
sell, II he gets n fair price for 1t and 10 thus able
TO pay q fair price for what he wants. money
will be put In circulation according to the nat
ural law. and. according to the same natural law,
prosperity must follow.
Now. let's see what tho farmers prospect is
Tut BcLlluB diT pTlCce tuE uAS pEOuuCtos ho IL
nature had taken particular compassion on the
distress OF our people. the wheat fields of other
countries, that have usually borne abundant
harvests, have this year failed to bear crops of
any size. or crops that promised well
eehi nS. e Tse y Ihsss t BY a Of plight fnd,. Of ars s0% as
the average, Ensl, nd, Frtnee. Turkey. Austria.
and the D%,nubian provinces are short of wheat.
and the locusts have dropped down on. the
wheat fields OF Argentina. Therefore, il the
world Is to have any wheat this ye T. the gran
"Gnder the impulse Of the demand for our
wheat abroad, the price here has jumped to 70
who SHOULD Know think it win go higher. But
the high price O, wheat will lead to economy in
pr an other breadstufrs, But when corn
frelhn ans softR n sSHae Hla 4 The 'f seld ,ae of ths
West need no voucher from me: or from any one
i s5sei is &c as,sS! sae fs,eR S sehs Knows sISSs. w nRss spes OK
not there win be a demand for those crops. Tho
P prose OF ~ 81 srsi tS-S @iil +, ree ep ssr fr tb Of p proaue ehs
Therefore. prosperity, must be in store for the
farmer .Hey and ID; through so.u.s l1b him &c for ss the co Oq ,SIs co,d,.
slrssdy: During my trip I took particular pains
shSertpi now than they did a year ago: DID /
talk with farmersi Yes, And with farm
lhOOTeTb, WIFI UOOLDIdCkS ana HeWSOCy5 III inc
cities, with mine owners and mine workers. with
skilled laborers and with those who have been
fhheS' e a@fiedp 70 t Dc. p eo keep tepf t aSars; u sst a a@dyt lheiF
families from starving.
This is what learned: From all those who
s Thee eie ecnfG ! Eo1 Dd 1qst what nat, Ley ! expected pet : to to g get
open and the horsemen had entered, bringing in
tn ir train prosPerity's triumphant car. That
was all very wtl as far as it went. But l was
looking for q consensus OF opinion. / wanted
bedrock Information. / emembered that there
she sxo siafs 20 Of sv ths s ssRc t fnf Il. / f ths seSdo%
Of the two SUES Of a story the truth may be
II went to men who had shouted for free
oliver in the last campaign and who hailed
Sryan as The n, Noses who should lead them hem out out
shouted for gold and Mckinley from reasons Of
policy. but voted for Bryan. In these did no.
con ition Of affairs. I did not expect It. But
did End that even those who voted the Popo-
tookinG up and that. with good times in sight,
Hckinley vas Just as good a Moses as
farmers, without an execution, had come to the
conclusion that wheat at 70 cents a bushel. with
and their cattle. is a better nosirum for the ills
from which they have been suffering than free
silver must have another boost or they will die
from lack of advertisement and sleep in for
,"Psrh!ps I can best illustrate the feeling of
fhe people Of the middle West BY telling a story.
aStoppe at ~ a Little LILLE town Tlm IN oh a. IN the &c ire
State. i had been talking at random with those
met about the business outlook. l came across
an old farmer who was exceedingly well in.
form d. but VINO, rs happened to know. was a
dye t.in-the-wool Democrat, OF the free silver
stamp. He said TO me:
WHATS the prospect. Mr.. IngallsI Well,
u might be a heap worse. Crops are good, and
tlooks now as ii wheat would go pretty nigh a
dollar a bushel. l don't quite understani, bat
things seem 10 have been on the mend ever since
Mckinley was elected. The Improvement has
come slow. to L6 sure. but IL seems 10 he
coming. II the election for Governor had
been held In this State II month ago the Demo
craLs would have had a walkover. II IL v, re
fe,f to-day it would be a pretty close fisht. but
the election in November, n things keep on i'm
proving, III be q rned III don't think Bushnell
vii pull through. or course I'd rather have q
Democratic Governor, nut I don't, knows II
MAKES much difference to me. 80 long as M
crops are good and | can get d fair price fol
them them Money talks. Mr.: ingalls,; money talks,
pie are hopeful. and they have The best possible
ioandstion for their hopes. They are getting
9nence, do not feel the need of nostrums. II Ii