The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-01-01
A REVIEW OF THE YEAR
What the Republican Administers
ton Has Accomplished.
Improved Conditions Among the AK
ricuIturists - MANY Mortgages
Paid on and Debts Dis
charged.

farmer at the present time with that
which existed under the free trade
which the republican party has just
eliminated from the statute books Is
very great, and every farmer will doubt
less appreciate IL. They have contrib
uted very largely TO the expectations OF
he present year, which are shown 10y
recent figures Of the treasury depart
Inent as greater than in any preceding
year in the history OF the country. Of
course the products agriculture form
very large percentage Of our exports.
Up TO this time products Of agriculture
form over 65 per cent. Of the eNporta-
tions Of the year 1897, as they did ia
iSoG. In the month OF October they
Termed 10 per cent. Of the total eNporta-
tons When we take this into consid-
Grafton and then learn that the exports
OF the United States for the year just
ending viii be more than a billion dol
lars. il will be seen that large amount
Of money has flowed into the pockets
Of the farmers.
4 study Of the details Of the prices
received by farmers for the articles
MliifM AAAN 0lN ANN NflllliE CTS WIN
pared with recent conditions viii be in
tercstiug at this close OF theycar Since
August prices of wheat ia New York
have lowered along the dollar line,
sometimes a little below, frequently
little above. and the climax was reached
he other day In Chicago when the price
81 winter wheat touched $l.09. Con
trast this condition with that Of a short
time ago. On January ., 1896. the price
Of red winter wheat No . i'm the New
York market was go cents. On Febru-
airy Z. 1895. il was 81 cents; on October
4. 1894, II was "a cents and fraction,
Ohio medium class wool, which i'm
November sold Ia the New York and
Boston markets at 80 cents. brought
only 20 cents In January Of the present
year Montana fine medium wool
(scoured basis). which I'm November
brought 81 cents per pound. was worth
30 cents at the beginning OF the year
Kentucky and Indiana unwushed,
I which i'm October and November
brought % cents "A pound IN the mar
kets. was worth but II cents at the be-
/ ginning Of the year. Lard. which I'M
September ranged MS high as 1927 is
quoted upon February II. 1897 az $3.05.
Mess pork. which is quoted as selling
! In the New York markets az 1915 In
| September, began the year at SS.25 per
barrel Beef. which sold in the New
York markets at Sl0.50 per barrel i'm
November Of the present year, IS
quoted at $3.50 In the same markets In
July last
In many other things farm prices
steadily advanced. and farmers have
reason to congratulate themselves upon
their improved conditions 4 recent
statement by Bradstreet's, IN which n
compares prices OF nearly 100 different
articles with former rates, shows an
advance I'm November In corn. oats. po-
tatoes, milk. beans peas hemp bar
relied beef, mutton sheep. hogs. eggs
/ and wool while other articles OF farm
produce retained the advanced position
which they had gained earlier in the
year,
That all these things have had their
\ effect apon the farmer and made his
] year a prosperous one is evidenced by
reports coming from every part Of the
/ country showing enormous reduction i'm
mortgage indebtedness Thousands
/ upon thousands OF mortgages hum
\ drcds of thousands, In fact are being
paid off, with the result of a years
/ prosperity under protection and
\ sound money, and hundreds Of
/ thousands of homes will this year have
for this reason as well as for many
/ others mcrricr Christmas and happier
New Year than they had known during
the period OF free trade and its accom-
panyiug troubles
Not only in the matter of increased
earnings do the farmers find their con
dtion improved but coupled with this
has come "A reduction In prices Of many
articles which they must buy. fBrad-
streets statement referred 60 above
shows reduction in November In the
prices of coffee, cotton sheetiues, tin.
print cloths. iron and steel. coal and
coke and many other articles for which
the farmers money must go.
The farmers OF the country have rea-
son 10 congratulate themselves also
upon the change which has taken place
in the management of their own de-
partment OF agriculture since year
ago Uncle Jerry liusk, President Ilar.
rison's secretary OF agriculture, WAS
real friend Of the farmer and instituted
a number of schemes which have
worked out 10 their advantage and
which are now recognized as permanent
institutions Of the country, but the
workings OF his department were large
~ experimental and 81 remained for his
succcssortorcap the benefit Of his work.
But President Cleveland's secretary OF
agriculture Mr. Morton. failed TO inn
prove his opportunities and seems TO
have been about the last man who
should have occupied this important
position. But Farmer Wilson immed
atcly upon his appointment, pulled of
his coat and has had II of ever since.
The department has undergone q transi.
ton and more has been done ia the gem