The Norfolk weekly news., 1900-10-18


Steers, for instance, sold July 31st,
1900, they brought $3.50. Hogs sold
1900, the price was $500. The prize
paid for sheep July 8lst, 1896, ranged
from 81 to $3.50; July 3lst, 1900, the
range was from 81 to s5.45. In the
month OF July, 1896, the receipts of
hogs were $4,000; in July, 1900, 179 900
Tin round thousands), and the price,
as given above, but little more than
half In 1895 of that in 1900
THE WHOLESALE TRADE.
Information gained from large
number Of the principal business men
Of Omaha through letters OF inquiry
and personal interviews iiscloses the
fact that, without a single exception.
OF business in Nebraska's chief city
during the four years the republican
there has been a marked expansion
party has been in charge of national
affairs. In securing this information
no regard whatever was had to pollti-
cal affiliations, the desire being to
make the exhibit a perfectly fair one
In every respect. The line of inquiry
covers comparison Of amount OF
business in 1896 with 1900 comparison
Of the number OF employees then and
now, and also Of the wages paid. The
replies show, with one exception. that
the lowest increase in amount OF bus
mess is 20 per cent, ranging from that
up to $50 per cent, with large pro-
portion Of instances where the per-
centage of gain was rs per cent to 100;
the increase In the number Of en-
ployes ranges from Is to zoo per cent,
and the range of increase in salaries
paid is from 10 per cent to SO per cent.
The increase in large proportion OF
cases is from rs to SO per cent.
WOULD ENDANGER PROSPERITY.
The secretary Of the treasury, In his
reply to Mr.. Schurz, with reference to
the money question, said ut ought
| to have been apparent to you, as 1t
no doubt was, that | was speaking Of
possibilities of the case under circum-
stances and conditions as they now ex-
| list, but you proceed to point out how,
at the next session of congress, which
will meet in December, legislation
could be had which would completely
forestall unfriendly action toward the
gold standard, even If Mr.. Bryan we're
elected and should cherish the flrm-set
purpose declared by him on September
l6, 1895, at Knoxville, Tenn, where he
said: III there Is any one who believes
that the gold standard is good thing
or that 1t must be maintained, / warn
| him not to cast his vote for me, be-
cause ! promise him it will not be
maintained in this country longer than
l am able to get rid Of it,
you rebuke me in polite terms for
sounding false note of alarm dis
quieting the business community, and
especially when uttered by one in au-
thority. am not at all skilled in con-
troversy and have had no practice in
dialectics, but l will indulge in few
words In the way Of rejoinder to your
criticism.
"In 1895 you are yourself quoted as
saying, The mere apprehension OF
possibility of substitution by Mr..
Bryan's election and of the consequent
placing of our country on the silver
basis has already caused untold mil
| lions Of our securities to be thrown
upon the market. Scores of business
orders are recalled. large number Of
manufacturing establishments have re-
stricted their operations, enterprise Is
already discouraged and nearly para
lyzed. And IL these are
the effects of mere apprehension of
a possibility what would be the ef-
fects of the event itself? There Is
scarcely an imaginal limit to the de-
struction certain to be wrought by the
business disturbance that Mr.. Bryan's
election would cause
81 am unable to perceive" continued
Mr.. Gage, why the consequence, in a
minor degree, perhaps, would not en-
sue now, which you so forcibly fore
shadowed then. When consequences
30 great as these are involved the
forces operating to inaugurate them
should be resisted at every point. Even
the possibility of danger should be
avoided. 1t Is familiar fact and one
altogether too much in evidence that
an administrative officer, filled with ha-
tired and contempt Of particular law,
can, by perverse ingenuity, practically
nullify its operations
Referring to Mr.. Schurz's suggestion
that Mr.. Bryan's hands could be tied
by the present congress, Mr.. Gage said
that it would require new legislation
by party whose policy would have
been rejected by the people through
their last expression at the polls; that
pire March 4, 1901; that the free sill
yer minority would be justified by their
constituents in using all the resources
of dilatory procedure to prevent such
legislation and that such legislation
would probably be impossible. Your
remarks seem to show tt at you rely
upon the exercise of power already
/ conferred upon the republican party
to prevent the country from experience
ing disasters which Mr.. Bryan will,
If he can, bring upon u.s. said the Sec
retary. May not suggest that the
way to secure safety is not to take
power from those upon wnom you rely
for protection and confer 1t upon
those whose action you may have good
cause to regret?
But even admitting that congress,
dating from March 4, 1901, will not
be able to effect any change in our
present financial legislation, what may
we fairly expect will be the effect of
the continued agitation of the question
upon business and industry set In mo-
tion by president bent upon the res
toration of free silver at the ratio of
l6 to ! and elected upon that plat
form?