New-York tribune., 1900-08-26
BRYAN's PERSONAL PROSPERITY.
SOLD HIS OATS THIS YEAR FOR MORE
THAN THE LAND CosT-wHY NE
BRAsKA FARMERS RIDIcUI.E
HIS UTTERANCEs
HIS UTTERANCEs.

HIS UTTERANCES.
Omaha, Neb.. Aug. 25 (speciaD.--some interesting
political problems being presented in this part
of the West to-day for solution. In spite of the
fact that Nebraska is at present the centre of one
OF the most animated Presidential campaigns ever
waged in the West, the extraordinary business.
conditions continue absolutely unmpaired The
Republican managers regard this as one of the
most significant features of the situation The un-
exampled prosperity is in extraordinary contrast
to the conditions prevailing this time four years
ago The business volume through the West In
1886 began to contract before the real issue had
been announced. Retailers began early in the
spring of 1925 TO contract the volume Of orders TO
tobbers. In turn. the wholesalers OF the Missouri
Valley informed the Eastern manufacturers TO hold
up fall shipments and sort orders. The disposition
to hedge became really contagious
Where the Omaha jobbers had been doing an
average business of 100000 annually up to the
spring Of 1896. the volume fell or until the total
for the year something less than %OOOOO0o
and much Of this was on long time and done on
risky basis. Many retailers succumbed to the I'M
usual wave of economy praotised by the consurn-
ers, and these accounts lost by the jobbers
To-day Omaha wholesalers are doing a heavier
business than In 1885 by go per cent, and
business than they in the habit of doing in
Off years. In fact, the business community does
not appear to be figuring the political campaign
factor in the situation. For the first six
months of 1900 the Jobbers Of Omaha did business
slightly in excess of Ss6OOOOOO For the whole of
laSL year tHe JODDlng volume of Omaha houses
was SOs.Oooooo AT the present ratio the Omaha
jobbers will this year reach the high water mark
and approximate S15O,000OO0.
The politician and the business man of the West
are trying to figure the real reasons for this
phenomenal change The Republican managers at
tribute the business prosperity to the fact that the
business community longer fears an unstable
currency and that the average business man is
satisfied that the present Administration will control
the Government for four years more. The aver
age business man, leaving out the element Of noI-
ltlcs, says the conditions Just naturally right
for prosperity; that the farmers big crons give
MIN money to buy additional machinery, and that
the consuming classes able to buy more heav-
fly than usual and pay cash. In the estimation of
the business man, the assurance that the Govern
ment Will continue along the present policy for four
years more may be a factor in contributing to
the prosperous situation. but he is not considering
that feature; all he knows is that there is not the
consuming fear in business circles that cbarac
terized the situation four years ago. when the
question OF change In the currency agttated the
Western business world. 1t potent factor
then, and all business were exceedingly anx-
ious over the situation.
This is the way they look at It out here in Ne
nraska The nome OF Bryan Is the centre OF such
unexampled prosperity that the claims of the
Popocrats and the fusion managers count for little
Where the business man OF Nebraska looked anx-
lous four years ago and preferred to have his
goods on the shelves than sell any one on credit
to-day ne is too busy to concern himself over the
their books extending credit for unusual lengths
of time wherever asked within the bounds of rea-
son. Again. the Missouri River jobber finds more
bills discounted to-day than at any time in his
history This indicates that the country banks are
lending money on easy terms, and are glad of
the chance to place their surplus funds out among
business men and farmers alike Four years ago
the deposits Of Nebraska banks fell off 60 per cent
and 1t was a common saying that a man could not
borrow dollar even with two dollars to nut
he haD1
not lei their funds go. II not question Of in
terest rates and security. The bankers were simply
afraid to do business All were waiting for a more
| settled condition of things. When the free silver
bogieman had been laid to rest for all time then
the bankers were inclined to do business again
Good crops and succeeding years of business pros
perty did the rest for this section of the West
w. j. Bryan is not in position to talk to the
farmer this year about the low price of grain and
the high price OF the material he buy. Bryan's
own experience with the small farm he owns near
Lincoln, is itself such a refutaton of his previous
fallacies that Nebraska farmers are laughing at
the Fusion leader. Bryan had an oat field of 12O
acres His oats averaged yield of forty bushels
to the acre. These oats sold within two weeks
after being harvested at 80 cents bushel. netting
the Fusion leader something like 81 400. This is
twice as much as the land cost Mr.. Bryan. There
are hundreds Of farmers to-day in Nebraska and
Kansas whose wheat and oats crop paid for their
farms twice over this year. and there is a corn
field in either of these two States to-day that will
not net more money than the land cost on which
the corn is growing. This is the condition that
confronts the Bryan forces to-day in the West
Again. the price of wire nails and fencing wire has
declined in the last three months enormously, keg
Of nails which sold four years ago for g 25 to-day
bringing at Nebraska interior points only 81 25
The Fusion leaders assert that this condition is
temporary. however. and that the Nall Trust mere
ly forced the price of its product down for the
purpose OF forcing out the small stockholders. Be
that it may Mr.. Bryan is fencing his farm to-
day at a cost of one-half less than he could have
done the work for four years ago. and at the
which four years ago he could have sold for only
16 and Is cents busheL In other words. while
claiming through the West that real prosperity
@6sIS @ b; aHI ir ti se ay ne i paIis more
the Republic while he receives less for his products
the Presidential candidate himself knows that the
contrary is true from his personal experience
This is the situation as 1t exists to-day in Ne
from the Popocratic camps cause corresponding
futter among Nebraska business men. For this
admonishing the masses TO beware OF -four years
more of McKtnleyism" are received with jeers and
ago deceived by these same arguments and
were stampeded for the Fusion 81 ticket roo
has alenated large element among the Populists
eensed over the Withdrawal OF Towne They un-
derstand Towne deliberately forced from the
believe Townes nomination the result orig
inally Of q solemn compact entered into by Mr..
Bryan with the Populst leaders. Certain IL is that
Towne the choice at Sioux Falls Of the Popu-
list ,eaders who were in the confidence of Bryan.
sts ' through the West believe to be the result Of
Bryan's compromise with the Eastern Democratic
part. They assert that these same Eastern Demo
Gratis who now pretend TO be friendly toward
alienated the Eastern branch of Democracy from
the cause of the silver forces. Whether true
much effect in the West to-day. and has already
resulted in large losses In Bryan's following.
% iG IN ha doht in