New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-25
PROSPERITY IN THE WEST
CONDITIONS TO-DAY IN MARKED CON
TRAST TO THOSE OF FOUR
YEARS AGO.


and adjacent States OF the West show a condition
N marked contrast to that prevailing four wears
ego -Four years ago at this season Nebras ska WAS
abIaze with political activity and the excitement
IN the adjacent States was equally turbulent Bust
ness was at a standstill in many sections of tho
West and commercial institutions were ssrious1,,
nenaced. Omaha banks had suffered such an er
traord.nary withdrawal Of private deposits that
many Of them found their reserves depletad ~
such extent that their managers were alarmed
One by the smaller State and savings hanks
had succumbed 10 the strain, and then the National
hanks in spite OF their massive capital were
threatened. Gold was being paid out guardedly and
In small quantities All over the West people vera
resortIng to primitive methods of presery-in, tb,r
wealth Old tin cans, buckets and stockings vera
brought into use, and money drawn from the hanks
found s temporary resting place in garrets holes
n the wall and out OF the way places It was nor
until some time after confidence had been estab-
Ished by the election OF William Mckinley that
this boarded wealth began to drbble back to the
banks It was several months before the com,
mercia industry OF the trans Missouri region as
suned its normal status, and 1t was several more
months before the various firms got their travelling
men back on the road, from which they had bsen
forced to take them by the falling away of trads
and practical stagnation of business affairs gen.
orally.
The difference to-day. on the eve OF the National
campaign, is so marked as 10 provoke comment
throughout the West. Not in the history % the
has there been such positive evidence of com
mercial and Industrial prosperity as to-day To-day
there from 10 10 Is per cent more travelling
men making this territory than ever before. The
great jobbing houses OF Chicago, St Louis Boston
New-York Minneapolis, Kansas City and Omaha
have more business by from 10 to 20 per cenr
Though the West than in any previous year and
are employing proportionately more travelling men
While the people OF the region seem peculierlv
alive 10 the political situation they are carrying
their discussions after business hours and in a
more dispassonate manner than four years ago
DC 81
permeate the very atmosphere Of four years ago
visible to-day through the West The consensus
Of opinion among business men generally now seems
10 be that there are no grounds for alarm and
that prosperity is too completely established to
be disturbed. Jobbers through Nebraska and ad-
jHcent States say their information is that the
volume Of business Will not be restricted because
Of the pending campaign. At any rate, retailers
from the Missouri River 10 the Pacific Coast are
ordering in unusual volume to-day and giving every
evidence Of preparing for continued heavy bust
ness for the remainder Of the year.
THE ELEMENT OF CONFIDENCE
OF course the extraordinary agricultural situation
contributes very largely to the prosperity Of the
West. At the same time. there were as fattering
prospects in 1886 to-day. and this not serve
10 prevent panic among the very farmers who
owned the broadcast acres and the fullest store
houses OF grain. The element o: confidence then
was wanting which to-day seems to be so com
monty accepted a matter Of course This IS
the farmer has IN one sense ground for real
complaint than he had four years ago True he
has splendid crop prospects. but his furniture his
farm machinery, wagons. buggfes. lumber. wire
fencing. nails groceries, boots and shoes clothing
in fact every article Of commerce which he must
purchase. is higher By from 10 200 per cent than
i was FOUR years ago For all these things the
western farmer to-day must pay great deal more
money than he did IN 1855.
Still the farmer shows confidence IN the CONNER
oa! situation and apparent saisfaetion with prices
as they exist Where ne received In Nebraska 81
7TE HOG hE s. wing 7f;rH
proportionate advance in all other live stock, cat
tie. sheep. horses and mules. but these figures
not too high in proportion TO the advance in the
price OF the commodities the farmer IS compelled
70 buy He recognizes the fact, however, in Ne
brasa that It is en- era Of high prices and Of gen
vanced in value Farms that sold at SO an acre in
Nebraska four years ago TO-DAY bring SIS an acre.
farming land IN Nebrasta iowa Kansas and South
The demand, in fact, for farming land has placed
an extra ordinary premium upon good land through
out the West This IS an Interesting feature Of The
since 1898 many mortgages have been paid
of IN Nebraska and Kansas especially. In Ne
cancelled In 1885 100000 in mortgages was can
ecelled. and last year the grand total ran gp 10
Most Of this money went back East 70 the loan
States. To-day the West Is doing loan business
itself and securities are commanding q premium.
wiped out the last 5000 Of its 500 90 ndebtedness
Earrants command three cents premium, me
State. county, municipal and school securities OF
situation is most remarkable from the Standpoint
q he econoGigt and SUI Is little , a8Tent IN
States. Prosperity has been too much associated
simply rampant in the West Figures are used on
Nebraska because they are more easily available
the same condtions prevail IN all the States west
Of the Mississippi River.
REPUBLICAN SUCCESS PROBABLE.
For instance, in 1897 Nebraska's surplus products
according TO the tabulated matter file IN tho
State DEPARTMENT represented a money value OF
s072 z94 a. In 1898 the tabulated matter from the
same source shows the money value OF the State
surplus products to have been sl878580l &c. an in
crease over the previous year Of $4767,S6 g. Last
year the surplus products Of the State were even
greater. and this year it is estimated by tho
Agricultural Department OF the State that the sur
plus products Of the State will exceed $2Oo,Go09o.
5s "a GAZE in IrS of Nebraska The same can
6 said truthtuy OF most OF the other states OF the
The agricultural prospects Of the West are Of the
brightest and the same IS true OF me STOCK inter-
ests and the commercial industries NeDTasKa VII, VIII
produce 70 600 bushels Of wheat this year ABOUT
snail gram RlS hogs " Vailed l at SIS 5000 cattle
90 and other things in proportion The agticu!tqra
IL is IN Nebraska. These figures show the difference
in the situation now and during the campaign Of
four wears ago: while the banks that were on the
verge Of collapse then to-day increasing their
rates on deposits because deposits really heavier
than the demands Of the banks borro%erS require
This is the situation that contronts ne @
Of w. J. BRYAN when they meet at Kansas CITY
the West the fusion forces viii scarcely have the
audacity 10 undertake the campaign methods thaey
reports q what might happen T. Bryan was not
Bryan and he rainbow chasers who surround him
Will have 70 assume new tactics. just WhaL they
will be has not yet been outlined as far as known
by his Nebraska adherents Here II Is the popular
opinion that Nebraska viii return 70 the
ranks Inevitably II looks that way and EYER th r
seems 10 be contributing TO that very thlng; ne
i'ue different line from previous G3nteS{pS q tbe
Las growing Iees IA me " GSo p ber, is falIing