Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-07-28
Prosperity Acknowledged by Popo-
Gratis.

The Denver Daily News, the popo-
cratic mouthpiece of u popocratic state
in a long article headed Farmers Max
ing Money" acknowledges that pros
perity has reached all parts of the
country and in the course of the arti
Gle says:
Zone thousand millions of dollars
will hardly measure the increase in the
farmers receipts for last years prod
uce over the values that prevailed so
late as 1895. Over 100000 of farm
mortgages have been paid off during
the past two years. Millions in chat
tel mortgages have been wiped out,
and the paying up of other forms of
Indebtedness has become almost a
mania in the West. This has been &C
companied by such an increase in bank
deposits that throughout the tlans-
Missouri country interest rates on farm
loans are down to per cent to per
cent, contrasted with from 6 per cent
to 10 per cent as late as two years ago.
These gains at the west are largely re-
sponsibla for the vast increase in natl
onal bank resources of over 81 100000.
600 since the low point of 1893, and
over $4O0.O0O,O0O during the last twelve
months.
There is brilliant promise for the
largest tonnage of crops this year ever
produced in America. The Orange
Judd Farmer says prices bid fair to be
reasonably well maintained, compared
to the low values of 1892 to 1895, indi.
eating total return for staple crops of
$1O0OO0,000 more this year than last
year. Railroads may justly expect a
large traffic, and some remarkable fig
ures are given as to the earning capac-
ity of railroads under assured condi
tions. Even if the world should have
bumper wheat crop, its supply for
be some 10O,000,000 bushels less than
the previoustwo- year period of advanc-
ing prices, indicating that the fair
prices paid for the 1896 crop (63 cents
to SO cents at Chicago,) are likely for
the present crop.
All returns agree that collections are
easier among farmers than for years.
Those who do cash business with
the country trade agree as to the I'M
provement in the situation. A large
proportion of the trade in implements
and other bulky goods is on time, but
in this line of industry collections are
from % to 100 per cent better; while
some report collections absolutely per-
feet. The prospects for agricultural
trade are believed to be the best i'm
years. No exceptions to this opinion
are expressed in the more than 500 re-
turns at hand. Many concerns were
forced to run their factories over time
the past winter and spring, and even
then some could not keep up with
their orders. In several cases goods
for next springs trade which usually
are not manufactured until winter,
are now being made UP during the
otherwise usually dull period in such
factories. This sconfidence in the fu-
ture is expressed by all branches of ag-
ricultural trade-implements, vehicles,
dairy and poultry goods, fencing, etc.
1t is strongest in the middle and west
ern states, but appears to be growing
in the south and New England.
The wonderful industrial advance.
ment of the country during the past
year and more is fully reflected here.
We are upon the eve of large and i'm
portant public improvements which
will give employment to labor and
scatter hundreds of thousands of dol
lars In local channels of trade.