The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-01-09
,ats Weld to oebut 30, oo4. 824 bushels,

The good market prices offered for
what was raised and for cattle, and
the fact that Indiana farmers are
specializing, combined in tendency
to bridge over the loss caused by short
crops Of staple cereals, and the year
goes into history as a record breaker
in paying off mortgages and largest
individual deposits in the history of
banks in the rural districts. An in
sight to this prosperity can be had
through the report of the 102 state
banks. which are well distributed
over the agricultural districts. In
1898 these banks reported SO, $780,,
$3.50 individual deposits. The last
report for 1901 shows the individual
deposits to be SIS, 945, 630.91. The
report of the indianapolis clearing
house for the year shows the increased
prosperity and activity in the cities.
The clearings for 1901 aggregated
s412, 916, 67S.s a great increase over
1926, O24, 1913. 80 in 1900. The five In-
diana. savings banks report liabilities
due despositors 81, 72S, 1875 an in
crease of 81, 900, 900 in two years. The
number of trust companies has been
increased by the demands of businss
activity from four to thirty three in
three years.
FALL IN RATES OF INTEREST.
Reports from banks in country dis
trlcts over the state show that many
of them have 800, 900 individual de-
posits on hand and unloaned. The
rases of interest have taken such
tumble in the past year that small
lenders have been compelled to find
other employment for their funds.
Loans are now offered at and 5 per
cent and even below per cent IN gilt
edge farm security. At the begin
ming of last year the rates were and
per cent. Indianians, in the past,
have been classified as borrowers, but
they are rapidly becoming lenders, as
is shown by a report of the 403 build
ing and loan companies operating in
the state. Since 1898 there has been
a decline in building and loan business,
but the lenders have only decreased
5000, while the borrowing members
have fallen off $4,000. The state
auditors report will also show that
Indianains spent 81, 900, 600 for in
surance of all kinds during the year,
and that the insurance companies paid
out approximately $4,000, 600. The
state also stood sixth as an internal
revenue payer during the year. 1t
paid in excess of 100000
The report of the state statistician
will show that divorce is on the in
crease in Indiana, and during the past
year ran Ii per cent of the marriages,
and in some countries it ran from 20
to- 33 per cent. During the year there
were 28,915 marriages, 3491 divorces
and "a, 129 deaths. The births have
not vet been tabulated.
The military strength of the state
is $50, 613 males of arms-bearing age,
of which IA, TAT are negroes, and 3D.
722 foreign born. The voting popula-
tion is 100, 2O6 of which 1889 are
colored. Statistics, gathered through
semi-official sources, show that there
is one saloon in Indiana for every 273
population, AID in Lake county one to
every $50.
BIG YEAR FOR INDUSTRIES.
The year has been unprecedented,
in the way of commercial prosperity
and activity. The report of the state
labor commission will have an inter-
eSting statement, based on the
accurate figures of the census depart
ment, which shows that in the last
decade the capital of Indiana manu-
/ featuring concerns has increased rs
per cent, and the value of the prOduc-
ton 81 per cent, and is now 1878, 1885,
100 year. There are OILS factories
in the state, employing 155, 966 wage
earnerS, whose earnings aggregate
s66, 647, 81 year.
The report of the state labor COM
mission will show the usual number of
strikes, but with two or three excep-
lions they have not been as a protec-
ton against threatened reductions in
wages. AS a rule, they indicate a
healthy condition of labor, as they
were for increased wages and better
working facilities and better situation.
State Labor Commissioner Mccormick
thinks that wages are 25 per cent
higher than they were four years ago,
and that the opportunity in Indiana
to earn a wage has increased 100 per
cent IN that time. Inability of manu-
factureS to get enough men has adj
vanced the wages of farm laberers
also, and they are organizing unions to