The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-27
PROSPERITY ON ALL SIDES.
PRESIDENT EGAN SHOWS THAT
FARMERS ENJOY IT'S BENEFITS.

All branches af Trade Reflect Good
Times-Farmers Are Paying Debts.
Improving aud nnyinR Places.
Instead of the Cheapest. They Now
Buy the hest ArticIe--Thcy Are
Fortunate an Having Cotton 10 Sell
when the Price Il fiigh-Passcaser
Business HAS Exceeded That En-
josed while the soldiers Were In
savannah-Increase over the Nor
NAL business Il Heavy.
This Is time Of prosperity" said
President John ~ Egan OF the Central
Railroad yesterday. IAN branches Of trade
show t. In the rural districts We see evil
dences that arc very grateful nos only to
the farmers, but to those who have the In
terests Of the agricultural classes NJ
heart. The fsEmers have money. aud
they are spending It with a ilbcrality that
Is IN marked contrast so the careful econ
omy they were forced to practice for Sow
eral years"
business men and bankers tell me
that the Improvement IN the condition of
che farmers is marked. The strongest
statements I can quote are those OF sew
eral who have assured me that farmers
who have held their places on tease. with
the privilege OF buying have come for
ward with purchase money. securing titles
to the places they have cultivated No
stronger evidence OF prosperity could be
found than exists In that ability OF plant
ers 70 own their own places.
but there are other evidences Bank
ers ana merchants say notes against
farmers are met with promptness, and
are taken up rather than extended
| when a farmer goes to a store he buys
the best. not the poorest. as he was COM
PEELED 10 do when prices he received for
/ hts products were so low. Heretofore IL
/ has been the one wish Of the ordinary
ciass Of farmers 20 ma an article the
/ principle recommendation Of which was
its chCapness. and haggling over prices
was INDUCED IN 90 a degree that IL
never noted now.
Though the farmers have MOI made
/ large crop OF cotton as rule. yet they
/ get good price for what they have made.
/ The price Is up just at the time when
they are dsposing Of their cotton. They
do not have 20 hold &c "a order 10 get good
money for It. They are fortunate IN this
| for Il IL usually the case when there T.
| rise In the price of the staple that Il
comes toward the close OF the cotton
season when the farmers have disposed
Of their crops at the lower figures that
prevailed when the product was turned
out by the gins
The establishment Of cotton mills here
and there IN the smaller cities and towns
| enables the farmers to find market AZ
htbF "a haf 4 4
payment OF commissions for its sale BY
| disposlng OF II 60 the mills.
The physical Improvement OF farms
| may be noted by those who travel through
the country Farmers are rebuilding. re-
pairing and generally fixing up their
| places. They are buying furniture AMI
| household goods rcpicnishng homes that
| have 'heen without iuxuries during the
/ years OF low prices for agricultural prod
| ucts Manufacturers with whom ! have
| talked tei me that there Is a tremendous
demand for their products. IN fact. there
has been but one manufacturer who has
| complained OF falling OF IN his business
/ and that has been due 80 the Compel
| ton OF the farmers themselves. The can
| dy factories have had 10 curian their pro-
| duction because OF the great quantity OF
/ Fruit chat was produced on Georgia farms
/ last season. but she time for fruit has
I passed ana the reign OF tANNf VIII aAAtA
/ begin Candy manufacturers will feel the
effects of the better times about Christ
mas. when their sales will be heavier than
ever The relapse experienced during the
summer will be made up TO them"
"Ts Il not true. Mr.. Egan, that the pas
senrer husiness OF the railroads has been
| greater during the past few months than
| FOR any corresponding period OF many
/ yca"sT"
Yes. that is true" was the reply. 1T
| Is not true OF the Central alone, for other
lines have been sharing the receipts that
have come through the people having
more money than usual. No more reli-
able a Thermometer - test the financial
| temperature OF a country can be found
than the passenger receipts Of railroads.
when people have money they spend
| some 81 Il IN travelling This Is always
| the case. When passenger business
grows 10 unusual proportions, the expia-
nation Is slmple-tho people have money.
Il may give You an illustration 20 show
| Just what sort OF PASSENGER business
We have been doing. You will recall that
We regarded the business done while che
| gnanish- American War was in progress
and while the troops were being handled
In such large numbers as establishing
| precedent for volume that would probably
| not be equalled for many years. Well. y
has been surpassed the precedent having
| been swept away and new one establish
ed The business OF the last few months
has exceeded thas done while the soidires
were in Savannah From 80 10 80 per
cont Il n fair estimate OF the Increase
..nr.,.at O.saatsera business "