, 1900-06-28
NEBRASKA REPUBLICAN.
Hon. d. H. Mercer Thinks McKiniey VIII
Beat Bryan.

Washington.-"1n my opinion there
is more than a fair nance that the
electoral vote OF Nebraska will be re-
corded this year for the reelection of
President Mckinley, even IL Mr.. Bryan
hould be the opposing Democratic
candidate" said the Hon. David H.
Mercer, member of congress from that
state.
My reasons for this conclusion, at
which / have only arrived after a care
full study of the conditions in Ne
braska. are several. First of all comes
the general prosperity that has ex-
tended TO all classes of the people dur
ing the present administration. An
other reason is, hat the people out
there have seen for themselves that
the free coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to / was not necessary to bring
about prosperity. mother reason Is
because farmers have been selling
their crops at much better prices IN
der the gold standard than they did
when the silver agitation was at Its
height. Another reason is that better
wages are being paid all over Ne
braska, and 1t is difficult to find a man
out of work. The advertising columns
of the Nebraska papers are now filled
with people who a labor. Four or
FIVE, and six years ago there were col
umns of advertisements from people
who wanted work.
Nebraska big corn crop has sold
at excellent prices. and money has
been rolling into the banks there to
the credit OF the farmers. Ban de-
nnQito in ~ ctota Ioct uaar q nnIntad
to almost 1923. 900. 900, as compared
with less than s14, 600, 900 in 1894. Di.
vide this increase of 50, 900 900 among
our population of one million and a
quarter people. and they cannot but
feel that money talks.
ut is not so many years ago since
corn was used as a fnel in Nebraska.
and only a few years since farmers
were feeding even wheat to their hogs.
But under the broad expansive policy
OF he present administration. the
markets for American products are In
creasing, INT the demand for our food
stuffs is becoming greater and greater
throughout the world.
Only five years ago when Grover
Cleveland was president, and when
free coinage of silver was being wide
ly agitated. the value of all the live
stock in Nebraska was S45 .65s 900. At
the beginning of his year u live
stock were worth, excluding hogs, as
much as S102, 900, 600. This alone add
ed $50. SOC. 900 of wealth to farmers in
the state which l have the honor to
represent. An increase like this of
considerably more than 100 per cent
ia ram h1a Mu1ac p wNrth rnnra
Horses have increased 60 per cent In
value. The number of sheep in Ne
braska is not large, but they are
worth just three times as much money
this year as they were in 1895 when
American wool had no protection. The
wages of the laboring man have in
creased in proportion and he always
has a job.
Now, let me give you the following
comparison of prices at which farmers
sold their products in 1896 and 1900.
The figures are taken from one of the
Democratic papers in our state, and
they represent the difference in a
farmers Income:
FARM PRICES IN 1896.
1000 Blu. of wheat at so cts...S 10000
1000 blu. Of corn at 16 cts.... 5000
1000 blu. Of pats at 10 cts...... 1900
5000 lbs. hogs at S2.S5 per cwt- $3.50
10000 lbs. steers at 50 per cwt. 10000
Total 81 1850
For these same products the farm
err received on April 81, 1900, as fol-
lows:
1000 blu. of wheat at so cts....$ 50O.O 90
l 900 blu. OF corn at 80 cts.... 3OO.O 90
1000 bu. of oats at 90 cts. -. 23O,O 90
5000 lbs hogs at s4.95 per cwt. 14S.5O
10000 lbs steers at IS per cwt. 10000
Total 81. 67S.50
Here is a difference of $500 in a
farmers income from these small
quantities of his products. And the
figures are the actual prices that were
paid in the two years. On the other
hand lat is there that the farmer Is
buying for which he pays more
money? Sugar and coffee are cheaper
now than they used to be. There has
been no advance in the price of cloth
Ing. or in farm materials. and these
are the principal articles that farmers
nave to buy.
S'eAh hi NhS
represents much to him and to our
state. 1t enables him to pay off his
mortgage, or at least pay on a part
of IL. He can moreover borrow money
now at a lower rate OF interest. He
has been able also to improve his
property, and to add very materially
to the comforts of his home. besides
having money to spare for the better
education of his children. All these
things are facts which the Nebraska
farmer has experienced. and 1t will
take an almighty lot of talking and
theorizing to Offset the benefits that
have been derived under the results
of practical experience"
Price of Wire Nails.
Ths average price of wire nails in
the United States last year wss $2.57