Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-09-30

are in good spirits. They can look
ahead out of the darkness which has
surrounded them the past years. Money
is a wonderful leaven for hard times
and depressed spirits, and as the farm
ers are getting largely increased prices
for their wheat, corn, meats, etc., even
now, the effect is apparent. Not only
this, but the price of corn will rise still
higher. An increased demand for corn
will necessarily occur, by reason of the
insufiiciency of the wheat supply for
brcadstuffs. The crops of both wheat
and corn will not, however, be rs large
through the West as many think. A
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 1t all.
The merchant, the laborer and the man
ufacturer are directly dependent upon
him for a market and If 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
,,racont N nj IaVnonI
81 saw some few people with doleful
countenances," continued the Secre-
tary. ''They were the pessimists and
they realize that they are playing in
hard luck, with all Nature against
them. l heard 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 i'm wheat is of course not due to
Republican administration, yet that the
general confidence and prosperity all
over the country are due to nothing
less than the return to power of the
principles of protection and sound
money. l was much pleased with the
interest which has been manifested in
sugar beets. Over twenty-five thou
sand American farmers are now expert
menting with sugar beet5 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 milch
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 double crop with in
creased prices over last year. The
southern part Of the State will receive
two and a half 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 agricul-
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 n dozen cities.
The general outlook for corn is full of
promise. The price now stands about
II cents in advance of last year. The
foreign demand has jumped the price
up since July 1 about cents a bushel.
Thus, on a crop conservatively estimat-
ed at SOO.OOO,O0O bushels the increas-
ed value will amount to from $1GO. OOO.-
600 to $1G5, 100000. This mere increase
amounts TO half as much as the value
OF the whole wheat crop of last year
and is equal to one-third Of the value
of the enormous corn crop Of last year.
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 corn market
Is the fact that Notwithstanding the up-
ward run in prices, the European de-
hiNnd still continues steady and the ex-
ports enormous. 1t Is estimated that
more than 2OO,OOO.OOO bushels of Amer
lean corn will be sold to the foreign
countries this year. In addition to the
large crop Of the present year, rs 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 source The extent
to which Europe is using corn Is a sur
prise to those who have looked upon
corn as 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 1t 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 I'm wheat the Importance
OF corn has doubtless, by most people.
been overlooked, but 1t seems entirely
probable that the growing of corn will
be, during the next two or three years.
attended with considerably more profit
than of late years. The European de-
mand will tend to keep the market
steady and the revival Of trade and In