The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-10-04

| time, While the number OF farms I'M
der mortgage has materially decreas-
ed. In the State of Nebraska alone
the value of mortgages released in
1898 was $27,500,000, as against $1S,-
100000 in 1896. The farm mortgages
released in Kansas and other States
have been in excess of those filed for
years. The great bulk of the mort
cages now in force were incurred to
buy the farm or improve it.
The value of the farmers livestock
(which, after land and improvements,
is his greatest item of wealthy has in
creased from $1,655, 100000 on Janu-
airy /, 1897, to $2,9SS, 100000 on Janu-
airy /, 1900, rise of $633, 900, 900, or So
per cent.
Ten staple crops, including corn,
wheat, oats, cotton, &C., were worth
$685., 100000 more to the farmer and
planter in 1899 than in 1895. Prices
for all products were higher and the
volume of production was generally
greater.
The amount of money in circulation
in the United States on July /, 1896,
in round figures, was 81, 500, ZOO, 900,
and on July /, 1900, it was $2,062, 0OO,-
900, an increase of over $550,000,000.
Of this increase over $312, 100000, or
GA per cent, was represented by gold
and gold certificates, which, of course,
would not have been added to the
circulation had Bryan been elected.
Otherwise stated, there has been
added to the money circulation a
yearly average of $143, 100000. This
has raised the per capita circulation
from SELLS in 1896 to nearly $27 in
1900, an increase of % per cent.
Next in Importance to the increase
in the circulating medium is the in
crease in the country's banking facil-
titles, especially through the creation
of small banks. During the first six
months succeeding the enactment of
the gold standard law applications
for the establishment of national
banks to the number of 464, with over
$4,000, 900 capital, were approved, and
there were organized and put in oper-
alton 312 new banks, with total cap
italization of $10,220,000. OF this num-
Der no fewer than 1913 banks were Or
ganized with capital of only $4,000
each.
Inasmuch as 80 or 50 per cent. of
the country's business is transacted
by means of bank checks, the returns
of bank clearings afford a striking in
dex of the activity of business. For
the entire country these aggregated
within fraction of $4,000, O0O,O 900 in
1899, as against something less than
$50, 000,0 100000 in 1896, being an in
crease of II per cent. in three years.
National bank deposits increased
from $1,6S6,O 100000 in 1896 to S2,6O5,-
100000 in 1899, an increase not far
short of a billion dollars.
In connection with the operation
of the gold standard law it may be
noted that net saving, after all de-
auctions, of over $4,000, 900 has been
effected during the six months ended
September IA, 1900, by the refund
ing of the higher Understanding
bonds into the new per cents.
The number of business failures de-
creased from $4,000 in 1896 to 9,733 in
1899. The amount of liabilities
dropped from $296,O0O,OOO in 1896 to
500, 100000 in 1899
The enormous additions to the ma
tional wealth contributed by the rec
undertaking output of manufactures
and exports of manufactured articles
and general merchandise; the abun-
dant grain and cotton crops and pro-
ducts of the farm, in conjunction
with good prices; the unprece-
dented increase of gold production;
the wonderful coal and iron develop
ment, the large number of cotton
mills, wool and silk manufacturing
plants established, in the last four
years, are incontestable facts.
The excess of exports over imports
for three years only, from March /,
1897, to March /, 1900, amounted to
$1,483, 000,0 900, or nearly four times as
much as the entire excess of exports
over imports from 1890 to 1897
Our foreign trade in the last fiscal
year amounted to over $4,000, 100000,
and the financial balance in our favor
has averaged about $500,000,000 for
each of the past three years. Our ex-
ports have increased from $3.50, 200, 900
in 1896 to $1,37O, 47G, 900 in 1900.
The commercial pre-eminence OF
our country is recognized everywhere,
and. we are today crowding Great
Britain for supremacy in the world
of finance, as illustrated by our re-
cent financing of European loans.
The great results achieved during
, the past four years-only partly out
lined in the above-have been the di.