The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-02


~ 10 use it as a starting
HIA point for the study of
much that is novel and important in the
history Of events. In a word, It was a
year far out of the common and replete
with happenings of vital interest
AS a fitting Introductory distinction,
nature provided the new year with a
reception marked by extreme frig1dlty-
According to the officials Of the United
States weather bureau, the winter OF
10000 was the coolest of twenty-three
phenomenally severe winters which
have occurred during the last eighty
seven years. Notwithstanding the rlgor
of the winter and the delayed spring,
the season was the most productive
ever known to the agricultural interests
of the United States. This was partic-
uiarly true of the cotton crop. which
was more than 100000 bales
The corn crop was scarcely less CO.
Iossal, the estimate being 2,453,0000 600
bushels, the largest ever recorded with
the exception of that of 1902. The most
interesting and gratifying incident IN
connection with the development of the
corn crop has been furnished by the
state of Iowa. whose product for 1904
was 10000. 900 bushels, an increase of
125.OOOOOO bushels over that of the pre-
ceding year. Much of the credit OF this
marked excess is due to the efforts of
the state agricultural college and its
accomplished agronomist, Professor +.
G. Holden, whose improved methods of
corn raising have revived Iowa's pres
tige as a producer of this important
crop
In spite of the enormous aggregate of
edible crops produced in the temperate
regions of America, the market has
been excellent, the supply never ex-
ceeding the demand A partial failure
of the cereal crop in the grain growing
districts of the Russian empire and a
marked deficiency in the supply fur
nished by the Asiatic colonies belonging
to Great Britain have contributed to the
advantage of the American wheat
grower and American agricultural in
terests in general have shared in the
consequent prosperity
throughout the year the manufactur-
ing interests Of the country maintained
a high degree of activity. This was es-
peciany the case with the iron and steel
trade One of the most gratifying fea-
lures of the rapid development of this
important industry is to be found in
the number of important contracts
which have been filed for foreign GUS
toners, some of them beyond the ca
pacity of European mills to undertake.
A notable instance of this was afforded
by the promoters of the new London
subway, who were unable to find any
fnanufa cturer in Great Britain who had
4 plant that could turn out the steel
cars required and were compelled to
have them built in America. This may
be set down as one of the most telling
victories of peace ever won by the Unit
ed States. The shipbuiIding trade was
ing the entire year. This was due in a
measure to large contracts with the
home government demanding speedy
fulfillment, but even more so to large
orders received from abroad. The com
missions from abroad were almost ex-
clusively for torpedo boats and the new
submarines, and a large number of both
types have been constructed.
Contrary to the usual conditions which
prevail in presidential election years,
the United States suffered few marked
industrial disturbances. The differ
ences, real and hypothetical, existing
between labor and capital, which are
expected to be aggravated at such
time, We're remarkably quiescent. The
notable exceptions to this were the
strikes in the building trades, that of
the employees of the great packing
house trust, the lockout of the cotton
operatives Of New England and the
mining disturbances in Colorado.
The Republican national convention,
convened at Chicago, June %, renomi-
mated Theodore Roosevelt for president
and selected Charles Warren Fair
banks, United States senator from IN
diana, as the vice presidential candi-
date. On the Sth of July the Demo-
cratic national convention, in session at
st. Louis, nominated Alton B. Parker
and Henry G. Davis. The Socialist.
Prohibition, Populist and Socialist La
Dor parties also put candidates and
platforms into the competition The
campaign which succeeded was singu-
larry free from the influences which
make for financial distrust and com
mercial hesitation. The vital principles;
which dominated the platforms of both
of the leading parties We're so similar
in essentials that little excitement was
felt in any part of the country over the
questions at issue. Mr.. Roosevelt was
reelected by the large plurality of
2,526,470 votes, the total vote being
1858. $50. The victor actually received
the largest vote ever polled in the
United States-7. $50, 561 This is more
than 400, 600 votes in excess of that cast
for Mckinley in 1900. One of the inter
esting features of the election was the
marked increase in the Socialist vote
Eugene v Debs. who was also the can
didate of his party in 1900, received
about 400 600 votes, being over 800 OOO
more votes than before. Silas c. Swal-
low, the Prohibition candidate, received
246.411 votes. Thomas f. Watson, the
Populist candidate, received 24.3sl
votes p. 635 of which were from Geor-
gia, his own state. Charles H. Core
gan. nominated by the Socialist Labor
party, received 33,519 votes.
At no time during 1904 has the peace
of the western world been seriously
jeopardized. On May IS an incident oc-
CURED which demanded prompt action