Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-08-11

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A comprehensive enquiry into present
yricultural conditions at home and
broad has been conducted by the Or
age Judd syndicate OF agricultural
eeklies. 1t leads TO the conclusion
lat America in particular and the
orld in general will see several years
good times based upon the bedrock
( agricultural prosperity. One thous-
nd millions of dollars will hardly
leasure the increase in the farmers
eceipts for last years produce over
he values that prevailed as late as 80.
lore 800, 100000 OF farm mortgages
Jas been paid of during the past two
ears. Millions i'm chattel mortgages
Aave been wiped out, and the paying
I'D of other forms of Indebtedness has
become almost mania in the West.
This has been attended with such an
Increase in bank deposits that through
)ut much OF the trans Missouri country
interest rates on farm loans are down
20 from to s per cent. contrasted with
from to 10 per cent. or more as late as
Two years ago. In conclusion they say;
We look for an Industrial activity early
this fall quite unparalleled, with quick
markets at home and abroad for the
surplus OF American farms. We find
no reason to anticipate higher or fancy
prices for produce, but with economy
in production and marketing, brought
about by recent improvements, and
having regard also to the cheapness OF
manufactures (also due to Inventions
and the ease of money, our deliberate
conviction is that the average Ameri-
can farmer is to have the largest pros
perity he ever enjoyed. This forecast
is measured by the standard of the
present, by the exchangeable power of
farm products for the products of labor
in other vocations.
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Among the great incidents of the
war, and quite as fortunate for the
United States as any of them, history
will set down the victory that Presi-
dent Mckinley won in the text of the
declaration of war. 1t has rarely hap
pened to this republic to be so much
indebted to the forethought and firm
ness of the Chief Magistrate in any
single emergency as it is TO President
Mckinley for his insistence on the elm
ination Of the recognition OF the indie
pendence Of the Cuban republic from
that declaration. 1t has rarely hap
pened to a President or TO any other
public man to have so thorough and
prompt a vindication Of his policy as
the events of the last few weeks have
brought to President Mckinley, and
we may perhaps be permitted to ex-
press the hope that it will never again
happen to IA majority of the senators OF
the United States to be so crushingly
rebuked as the supporters of that i'm
aginary republic have been by the
events that have indicated the Presi-
dent.-Washington Post.
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The war balloon used in reconnoiter-
ing the position at Santiago was de-
stroyed. The balloon was held by
eighteen men by rope which was
1000 feet long. The men moved about
in various parts of the field, carrying
the captive balloon with them. A tel
egraph wire connected the basket of
the balloon with the ground, and OBJ
servations were transmitted TO the Off
GERS below. The balloon was received
by scathing FIRE. Three shells from
a shrapnel battery tore great holes in
it, and the showers Of bullets made ii
resemble a great sieve. The three
men who were in the basket at the
time the balloon was destroyed escaped
with but one slight injury. The bal
loon was finally landed in the middle
of stream waist deep, just as two
regiments of dismounted cavalry were
charging a Spanish ambush. The bal
loon has been an effective adjunct in
accommodating in the Santiago cam
paign.
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Probably many of our people do not
know the meaning and sentiment which
is attached TO the Cuban flag. 1t has a
single star set in diamond field OF
blood with five stripes leading to it.
The five stripes represent the five states
in the isle OF Cuba. The star represents
the union OF the whole island toward
which they are all tending, and the red
field around it represents the blood
through which they must pass to OBJ
tain their independence.
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Yellow Jaundice Cured.