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\< *-i L t t THE ISSUES OFTITE BAT, GOODS WHICH HAVE BEEN Cheapened bW protbcti9n% > i« " v ;• •••••-* TI *<• CobI»| Oh Way--Wwo! v. BwrMM-ShodSi Imparf»-H«n« feacord for 1891--F«rttn*M So(|mUou " *. f®' the South--Ulniliit(iiiui. Kustf la Which |h* Tariff lowers . r.0. fri«n. t To the Kmronor twk Tkibuhk. Sir: In the Weekly Tribune of December 23, MM, R. G. llorr nays: "11® also knows that in a little while American ingenuity, etc., etc., will produce and sell cheaper to the final consumers tjian had the industry never been established in tnis country. He knows that these things will follow be­ cause exactly such things have folio wed _ in many hundred of instances." Will Mr. " Horr please name twenty or thirty of these instances in which the consumers are now getting products cheaper t han they con hi set them from abroad, if we nad free trade ? And alBO say why such products should not now be admitted free, if we are now underselling the foreign articles at their cost of production abroad ? 1 am a strong Mtoiwi •••nisi and hope your answer may Alienee some carping fools. Yours re­ spectfully, Edwin S. Coi-laaulB. \\ ASU1NGTON, 1). CM DCC. 2G, 1891. Mr. Collamer calls upon me to naine ffenty or thirty articles which consum­ ers are buying at a cheaper price than they can. buy the in abroad, and asks if ire are now underselling the foreigners, why should not all such articles be put on the free list. That, ttgain, is precisely the manner in which a free trader al­ ways states the case. 1 am surprised that a good protectionist could have been deceived by free trade juggling of words and induced to ask the question m that form. / Let me repeat once more (I am glad to do it) just jrhat protectionists do qlaim. We claim that. When we have the materials in this country out of which to produce any given article economically, or wh6n we can get such materials as cheaply as the foreign manufacturers can, and when, owing to the cheap labor of the Old World, which gives the foreign manufacturer an advantage in cheap production, that Sarticular article has never been pro-uced in this country, in such a case, understand, we claim that by placing a doty on the imported article, at such a rate in the cost of labor and give our home producers an advantage in our home merkets, then, by the levying of such a duty, the industry will be built U" in the United States; and this protection always results "in the production and Bale of the article at a price lower than It was Belling at when we levied the duty, and in all probability lower than it would then be selling at had we produced none of that article in this country. Is not that a definite proposition ? Is it in any way hard to comprehend ? Is it true ? That proposition does not for a moment claim that the foreign producers will not also cheapen their price lor the same article. If w© cheapen the goods for our own consumers, the result is that the price is cheapened all over the world. That . feet is not to be urged against the pro­ tective system, but should be named to its credit. Now then, can I name twenty or thirty artic Iss which are ssiliug at u lower price than they were when the duty waB levied, and which have been constantly growing cheaper and cheaper, notwithstanding tne duty? Certainly I can. Here is the list: Steel rails. Cat nails, both steel and iron, Paper, Paper and wood PUlft Starch, Salt. Soda ash, "*l " " Plate kUm. (Tontmon window glut $of>lets, CIhks jar* tea cups and saucer* Plates, |owl>, • ' .3m rt lienware, llorseshoea, ilorsenails, Jlats mid caps, ' liittens. lMtchiorka Curtain^ Carpets, Tapestry, And many otheta Wire nails, Wire, Cotton ties, Bar iron. Cutlery, Hoes, ' Shovels. Azea, Bcythes. Cotton cloth, Calioo, Gingham*, Thread, Yarn, Flannels and blan­ kets, Underwent, Bilks and ribbons, Stockings, Shoes I could readily double this flist from memory. The pricp these articles used to bring and the price they are selling at now are a matter of memory also with me. I will defy any free trader to name a single article, not a luxury, Which we are manufacturing in this country, and is protected by a duty, which has not been cheapened in tile same way. I mean, of course, any arti­ cle that we have been producing for a length of time sufficient to get our fac­ tories well in hand. My first proposi­ tion is true beyond all question, it is not a question of theory, but a simple question of fact. The lacts are all on my side of the case. Now comes the second question: Would this cheapening process have been the same had we never produced the articles in this country ? I answer, No. Why not? For many reasons. (1.) The supply of such goods would nave been less; and that always tends to keep prices up. Any increase in the supply tends to cheapen the price of goods by creatinga sharper competition. (2.) So long as no such articles were produced in this country, American in­ genuity, syBtem and funds would not and could not be utilized in perfecting machinery and inventing new methods of production. (3.) More than that, the history of the past proves the cor­ rectness of my position. Now comes the last question of Mr. Collamer: "It we are now underselling the foreign producers of those articles why not put them on the free list ?" The reason is that we do not claim to be able to produce protected goods as cheaply as they can be produced in the Old World. So long as Americans pay more than twice as much per day for their labor as foreigners pay lor theirs, we must protect our manufacturers 3gainst foreign cheap labor, or else re-uce the pay of our workers to a level with the wages paid in the Old World, or else shut up our shops and go out of the manufacturing business altogether. The free traders say, "Of course, shut up the Bhops." The protectionists say, "No, keep them open and keep them . running." If we shut them up our own people will be thrown out of em­ ployment. Our consumers will be !in the power of foreign producers. The supply will be diminished, the price of the goods will again be advanced, and the ruin of this country will surely fol­ low. The firstobject of protection is not to make the price of goods high or low. The first object is to put American manufacturers in such a position that they can do business prosperously, pay the high wages customary in this coun­ try, and hold the home market in the Uihited States against the foreign manu­ facturers who pay low wages. It is just as necessary to keep the duty on steel rails when they are selling for $30 a ton as when we bought all our rails abroad «nd paid $160 a ton for them. Will some free trader attack my po­ rtion just as I define it? It is an easy tnatter to set up a man of straw ana then kick it over. It is quite another affair to state an opponent's position Jkirly and quarely, and then reply to just the proposition he does make. I believe I have stated my position so dearly that no clear-minded man can misunderstand me. Will some free feauel nu5W6r tu6 proposition I do make ? Do not, I beg, ask me what is the use of protection on any article if We can produce it cheaper than they can abroad? Why, bless you, we levy ' all duties for protection, because, other things being equal, the low wages of the United States. H8.28y.0V2 5&o;2„s:;s 60,41'i MM ° 47.lM.ail 44,fc5K.0S!l 46,107,0t!6 4S,481,84H 60.W7-H" 52,-«ry!.n7S Old World may always to produce artielaB more r.b»»ply than thoy canbe /produced by our high wages. And yet we may drive the price down, down, for years. If the foreign pro­ ducers keep also cheaypemn£ the cost of production an«l continue to pay low wages, their advantage still remains. I have yet to find a' man who will meet this position squarely.--IS. Q. Horr, tn New York Tribune. Canada's Trade Coialif Oar Way. OTTAWA, Fab. !9, -*T5.A f;, ,-.f United States to Canada for the year 1891 are shown in the trade tables just issued by the minister of customs. Perhaps no better way of showing how the United States is pushing Great Brit­ ain in this important market can be found than by giving the official table of the value of goods imported by Canada from Cireat Britain and the United States during the last eighteen years, as follows: ^ ear. Great Britain. .........S50.6i7.S41 .... 52.052,465 188-1 43,413,013 lHSft --41,406,777 18*6....... 40,601,199 -- 44,Wi 2,238 18*8 S»,29fc,72l »o8» 42.817.S8* 1*90...--..-- 43.890.241 • l8Vt.» 42.047.t26 Hera it is seen that while Great Britain has lost nearly $8,000,000 of her annual sales to her greatest dependency, the United States, her greatest competitor, has gained to the extent of over $5,000,- uJO right iu Sxilalu'b owu teiii-- tory. It is noticeable that since the Harrison administration took office the sales to Canada Lave steadily increased. The sales of iron and stoel and their manufactures to Canada by the United St fit £8 vary tO $4,848,000. against $4,086,857 from "the British Empire alt over the world. Or braes and its manufactures we bought from the United States $358,000, and from the British Empire only $110,000. Of the manufactures of wood the United States sold us during the year $1)00,000, of which $275,317 wa« furniture; of clocks and watches, $487,000; copper and manufactures of, £.'74,000; cotton and manufactures of, §824,000. In cot­ ton, hosiery, towels and handkerchiefs it seems strange that in this market the United StateB should be completely out­ bid by Great Britain, although in near­ ly all other manufactures of cotton the United States does the bulk of the trade. The duty on these, as, indeed, on aii goous, is the same against Great Britain as against the United States. Of fancy goods, including feathers, toys, laces and orna­ ments, we purchased from the United States $252,000, and of glass and its man­ ufactures $430,000. It is noticeable that of common and colorless window glass Belgium sold us $238,000, Great Britain $(>4,000 and the United States only $6,000. What the United States was most successful with in this market were flasks, vials, lamp chimneys and globes. In headwear--hats and caps -- the United States was beaten by Great Britain, the figures being for the for­ mer $438,000 and for the latter $831,000. Of leather and its manufactures the United States sold us $670,000, as against $166,000 lrom the whole British Em­ pire. In return Canada sola to the United States the following: Agricultural products ,_i 7,485,000 Animals and their products....^.. 4.545.<«w Product of the forest l8.C74.0u0 M indents 4,f7.'>l.i>Oti Fish 8,8i<6,cHW Manufactures &46»,000 The miscellaneous items bring the grand total of our exports to the United StateB to $37,280,572. The total duty collected on imports from the United States was $7,800,000, and on imports from Great Britain $9,- 114.000, although our imports were $11,- 000,000 less from Great Britain. The effect of the McKinley tariffsQn Canada's exports is distinctly Been in the agricultural schedule, although the McKinley bill was not in force until three months after our fiscal yeajr began. Our sales of barley fell from 9,975,000 bushels in 1890 to 4,892,000 bushels in 1891. Instead of selling $1,068,000 worth of hay we only sold $559,000. The Unit­ ed States took 12,825,000 dozen of eggs in 1899. but the duty of 5 c<mts a dozen reduced this in 1891 to 7,354.000. The United States purchased in 1891 500 bar­ rels of oatmeal. In 1890 it bought 13,- 000 barrels. Exports of horses fell from 16,000 to 11,000. Oats and poultry were largely reduced. Exports of potatoes largely increased, but they were sent over before the McKinley bill came in­ to force. Indeed, if it were not lor the threg^xxfonths we had m 1890 before the McKinley tariff came into force it is evident that our agricultural exports to the United States would have been sad­ ly crippled^ Wool and the Revenue. That troublesome arestion about the revenue remains. The Democrats do not get rid of it by shutting their eyes, nor by asserting that a large increase of revenue would follow a reduction of du­ ties. This, if true, means that imports would increase; if duties of 80 per cent, on woole^i goods yield $35,000,000, the imports must more than double in or­ der to get an increased revenue from duties of less than 40 per cent. The goads now imported, costing $42,000,000, are reckoned to represent 170,000,000 pounds of wool in the raw state. In or­ der to get a larger revenue from duties of less than 40 per cent, the imports must be great enough to supplant $86,- 000,000 worth of goods and 340,00'.',000 pounds of raw wool, which shouSd be produced in this country. Nor is that all. Tne duties on raw wool yield $6,500,000. To avoid a decrease of reve­ nue the imports of goods must be in­ creased enough to yield $41,400,00u, which with duties averaging less than 40 per cent, would require the importa­ tion of goods costing in foreign ports at least $110,000,000. These goods would represent a consumption of 440,000,000 pounds of raw wool, or 270,000,000 pounds more than the present imports represent. Neither growers nor manu­ facturers will consent to such increased competition. Because the Democrats dare not propose it, they are in trouble about the revenue. Woolen clothing costs less than half what it cost in this country years ago, but the consumption per capita has not increased in any such proportion. In 1867 imports of goods were valued at $45,746,750, or $1.21 per capita; in 1S91 imports were but $43,235,410, or only 68 cents per capita. Meanwhile, the con­ sumption of wool in manufacture here has risen from 194,753,(X)0 pounds in 1867, or 5.6 pounds per capita, to 432,- 500,000 pounds'in 1891,6.9 pounds per capita. Reckoning both imported and domestic goods, the consumption per capita has increased scarcely any, if at all. though the price of woolen goods has declined at least one-half. The increased imports must be at the expense of « reduced production by home industry. But there is no- evi­ dence that the price of goods to con­ sumers would be lowered. Tho Ameri­ can goods are now kept low by com­ petition between home manufacturers; the imported ><oods are reduced in price in order to sell at all. With lower duties and destruction of the home manufactures the foreign makers could charge what they please, and tbey would also have to pay more for wool than they do now, because the de­ mand to furnish goods, for the Ameri­ can market would be greater. It is; therefore, very questionable indeed whether consumers would get their goods cheaper by a single cent. Thus the problem of revenue remains. Mr. Springer must somehow contrive to raise $6,509,000 in place of the revenue on wool, wn;.ch he proposes to ~cut off, asd^lT.SOO.OCO In £laeo of half tho dut* ids on woolens, whioh he proposes to reduce. Where, will he get the needed $24,000,000? The duties as they stand raise that sum without taxing American consumers a penny, while giving em­ ployment to thousands of American workers, whom Mr. Springer would drive out of wool-growing and wool- manufacture. In what way is he to put an additional tax on these laborers, even while he deprives them of work and wages?--York Tribune. Some Partlneat SusKoatlausfor the South. "Though thou fthouldest bray a fool In a mor­ tar with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him."--Prowxxvi. 22. Br. Bowser of Texas writes to the Dallas News; showing why the Yankees are long on cash while the Southerners are chronic­ ally short. These are some of the items in the account: "We sell our cotton at 8 cents per pound and buy it back at 20. We sell wool at 20 cents per pound and buy it back at 5l\ Soil hides at 12 cents and buy tbein back iu bools and shoes at Si to Sa. \Vc rush our wheat off to glutted markets by the car-load and buy it back by the 100 pounds. >ell broom corn by the ton and buy it hack by the broom. Send our hogs t<> Kansas City and Chicago and get them back in bacon, hams and lard. Sell a beef steer in Chic2.,iro for ?25, who** wc have purchased The manufactured articles from the horns, hair, hides and hoofs and the packed beef front the carcass we l^we paid near £150 to jret him back, a profit to the Yankee of about $125. The manufacturer becomes a millionaire and the Eastern farmer grows rich supply­ ing the populous cities^ with the products Oi. iiio iui'ui, Vt iiiiO GUI xcxiia LUiiUiri £;iO\V& poorer and more dependent and despon­ dent with each succeeding year. Reproducing the above and comment­ ing on it, the Manufacturers' Record Mays: Tsxss will nevsr sttais its full measure of prosperity while it ships from'the State nearly 2.000,000 bales of raw cotton a year, and buys back from New England cotton goods for its S.000,000 inhabitants: while it buys from other states hundreds of thous­ ands of tons of coal, though it has an abundance of coal umnineri; while it buys its steel rails from other sections, though it has in and around Llano Bessemer ore enough to make rails for the whole coun­ try. These things must be changed. Everyone in Texas knows this, but for many a year to come the people of that state will continue to vote for Millses and Regans, denouncing the while industrious people in other Btates who are engaged in cheapening manu­ factured products by increasing the Bup- ply as "monopolists," and they will wonder why they remain poor through "selling the skin for a sixpence and buying back the tail for a shilling," to quote a phrase 240 years(old.--Econo­ mist. V-v... Imports at Shoddy. If one Wishes to see a practical illus­ tration o: the effect of an increased duty on shoddy imports, let fiiM glance over these figures: Quantity. Year. founds. 1880 ...1,8*8,233 18S1 470,878 TARIFF BATTLE BEGUN. M'MILLIN LEADS THE ATTACK ON THE M'KINLEY LAW. Tli* Ubmnm OolfMMasa; Speaking on the Fist Wool Bill, Oenoanoea Class Taxation as Kobberjr--Mr. Xtangtejr An­ swers on Behalf of the Minority. 1882 1888 1884 1886 18*6 18S7 18M..„ 188 9 189 0 1891V.. 'Calendar year. fOn shoddy. ....1,097,641 974,968 1.816,088 70lt, 2S1 8.059.214 4.834,936 4.488,825 8,662,209 4, >80.827 2Uh714 Valuer •297.198 188, SM SW.SSS 428,750 66t,6M 287,261 1.036,896 1.X43.S2S 1.719,1M 8,447,201 Duty per Pen ad .12 The dome Reeerd for 1801. The vear just closed has been, per­ haps, the most prosperous in the his­ tory of this country. So far from being plunged into all the commercial and financial disasters which the opponents of the McKinley bill predicted all branches of business have been in a flourishing condition, and everybody has had plenty to eat, plenty to wear, and sufficient for other purposes. Of course much of this prosperity was due to the very abundant harvests which ynore gathered, and for the surplus of which there was an active demand from Europe. Both our exports and our im­ ports were greatly increased, and there was a greater demand for labor in con­ sequence of the increased demand for products of mills, which demand was in turn due to increased tariff rates on these products.--The Independent. Tariff Illustrations. Since the McKinley tariff passed Henry Graham, a manufacturer of pearl buttons, Newark, N. J., has invented a process of decorating, in consequence of which the former price of $125 per gross for large decorated buttons has been reduced to $30 pergross for an equally desirable domestuHuvt- ton: What a tax the tariff has proved itself in this case to be sure! General Francis A. Walker, free trade political economist, admits that protec­ tion gradually increaseB wages in the protected industries, but says that the farmer pays the increase. How do the facts bear out that assertion ? Here are two facts that do not: The English laborer consumes only S4.4-2 worth of our agricultural produce per capita annually: the American laborer ' $90.00 per capita. Of course, the Englishman consumes more from somewhere, but he doesp't get it from here. The figures show who is the American farmer's best customer. Is it likely that to shut up America's protected "factories and reduce the American wage worker's ca­ pacity to consume would enable the Britisher to become as good a consumer and to take his place ? Cut His Own Kates. • shoe manufacturer in New England, becoming dissatisfied with the efforts of his salesmen, started over the route of one of them (without his knowledge) to see what he could do in the way of selN ing goods. He didn't meet with any success, and at last, on learning from an old customer that he was too late, the or­ der having been placed, he offered to. take the order at 1 cent per pair less if the dealer would countermand the one he had given. This was agreed to, and the manufacturer returned with tha feeling that his journev had not been an entire failure. But he discovered on looking at his correspondence, that it was an order taken by his own salewnan which he had bribed the dealer to re­ pudiate. Then he soliquized in lan guage more emphatic than orthodox. ••She Am I." Tbey have strange chambermaids at Shepherd's Hotel, in Cairo, says a lady traveler. The one who waited on our room and attended to all the various duties of the calling, even to the making of the beds, was a Frenchman, dressed as if for a dinner party (waistcoat and dress coat), and baviiig the air of a re­ fined and educated gentleman. It is really embarrassing to accept of his services in such a capacity. One of the ladies, on arriving at the hotel, rang for the chambermaid. This gentleman presented himself. Supposing him to be the proprietor or his chief assistant, she expressed her Wish to see the chambermaid. He very politely re­ plied, in the best English he could com­ mand: "Madame, she am II"--Church­ man. . The latest society folly started by one of McAllister's "400" is a "poverty so­ cial." with priz.es for the lady and gentleman wearing the worst-looking garments. It has been decided in Brooklyn that not more than two of the four corners formed by the intersection of streets shall be occu pied by liquor ^sloons. Tjlkl Tarts' The,annual buttle over the tariff be­ gan in the House , of Representativee with the speeches of Representatives MeMlllln and Dingley for and against the free-wool bill. No session of Con­ gress is complete without its tariff struggle, but the struggle whioh began the other day was regarded as of unus­ ual importance, coming as it does on the eve of a Presidential election in which it will be the main issue. The opening speeches, according to a Washington dispatch, were in no sense dramatic. Mr. McMillin mftde his speech from notes but often lam them aside to parry the questions which were fired at him from every quarter. He had a bowl ot bouiiion berore him of which he fre­ quently partcok to strengthen his voice; Mr. Burrows sat in his eeat immediately in front, nervously tearing paper to bits and thereby irritating Mr. McMillin. 5he galleries were well crowded long before the hour of the opening and the public interest manifested in tho debate was greater than on any previous day of the session. To Representative Blount of Georgia, a clear-headed p*irllamentarian of twen­ ty years congressional experience, was awarded the honor by the Speaker and the Committee on Ways and Means of presiding over the committee of the whole, and when he wearied now and then of his arduous labors Representa­ tive Kilgore, the giant statesman of Texas, was called on to assume the gavel. In the days of long political wrangling that are to follow in the committee of the whole Speaker Crisp will find the respite that he has so much desired. At the opening of the debate he occupied a seat in the galleries and was as interested an auditor as any of the other 2,000 visitors who bent eagerly forward to catch every word of the partisan orations of the day. The well-crowded newspaper galleries attested the public interest that is being felt in the discussion of the issues now before the House, and tho little group that gathered in the diplomatic gallery showed that this interest in the revenue question aAd the attempted modification of existing tariff laws is shared by some of the nations across the waters. But the crowning indication of the import­ ance of the discussion was In the deep attention which the members th$taselve» gave to the two speakers who repre­ sented the two great parties on the ques­ tion for solution. Mr. McMillin devoted his attention to a review of the McKinley law and its effect upon commerce, the industries and the wage-workors of tho country, and Mr. Dingley sought to defend and jus­ tify that law, and insisted that the high­ est commercial wisdom justified Its per­ petuity. Senator Carlisle, under whose leader­ ship as Speaker of past Democratic 'houses the tariff debate In this latter half of tho century was revived, found the occasion one of such charm that he 1* ft that seat in the upper body to which he has been tailed by the Blue Grass State, and was an attentive listener to the eloquent arguments of Representa­ tive McMillin. No less vigilant was the attention with which ex-Speaker Reed noted every argument, not only of his friend but of his political opponent as well, and now and then there was a twinkle in his cyo as he doubtless meditated on and stored avcay in his memory a response to be made to the democratic arguments when his day should come. Both the speakers were frequently applauded by their party colleagues, and as e^ch man re­ sumed his seat he was the recipient of warm congratulations and a bouquet of mammoth proportions. . The tariff battle will probably be kept up forthe remainder of the session with interruption from time to time for other business. As is known, the illness of Mr. Springer prevented his opening the debate. Mr.* Mills was absent on ac­ count of sickness. Mr. Springer was very anxious to speak on the free-wool bill, and ever since his severe Illness has expressed tin hope that his re­ covery would be 6peedy enough to admit of his closing the debate. This, it is evident, will be im­ possible, for if he recovers, as the physicians are now quite hope­ ful he may, he will have to leave for a health resort as scon as he is able to stand a journey. It is expected that a vote will be taken on the wool bill soon. After that all the time not abso­ lutely necessary for other matters will be devoted to the consideration of other tariff bills. A very large number of members have already asked for time for speeches on the subject. . Men and Women. Rider Haggard says his front name should be pronounced "Reeder." The Duchess Bolouguine of Milan, Italy, jhas sold $600,000 worth of her jeweis/to build a hospital for children in that city. The king of the Belgians always sleeps on u camp bed. He is an adver­ sary of capital punishment, and no exe­ cution has taken place in Brussels dur­ ing his reign. Ex-Senator Edmunds is said to ac­ cept no smaller retainer than $2,000 "in cases of importance," and to refuse all other kinds of cases. With his large annual profidssional income, however, he hasn't much of a fortune as fortunes go now. It has been said that Queen Victoria is the only person now living that knew Sir Walter Seott personally. But there is an old bookseller in Edinburg who often talked with him, and it is thought probable that there must be still othese who can claim that honor. Plantagenet Broome, who died in Berlin the other day, was a most inter­ esting man, but not So interesting as was his name. The word Plantagenot itself means "broom-plant," and tho title was given to the English dynasty because Geoffrey of Anjou, Henry II.'s father, wore a sprig of the broom-plant in his cap. The verbal redundancy in the case of the late Mr. Broome Is curi­ ous, says the New York World, but his fondness for his name was lnatched by that of Josiah Quincy, ope of the mem­ bers of the famous Massachusetts family, who named his son Josiah Josiah Quincy. When the present ameer of. Afghan­ istan was yet an exile he made a pre­ tense of stupidity which deceived a great many people.' But after being invested with his present authority he displayed surprising keenness. On one occasion the Russian commandant in Turkestan sent him word that it was proposed to take 500 artillerymen and cavalry out for exercise on the Afghan frontier, and expressed a hope that it would not give rise to apprehensions on the part of his highness. Abdurrahman replied that he had no objections, because, as it hap­ pened, he was about to exercise 5,000 cavalry, artillery, and infantry on his side of the frontier at the same place, and there was plenty of room for both. The hint was enough. The Russians wrote thanking the ameer, but intimating that they had found another site for their maneuvers. FACTS AB0DT WHEAT. WHAT PRIME SAYS ABOUT THE WINTER CEREAL. It Vac {temmraeed to Grow M OM fett» nation Mas Lately Improved--More Grain 'In the Farmer's Hands tban There"Was : a Tear JBaok. " Winter'wheat. ; The last fourteen days have been par­ ticularly favorable to.the winter wheat crop, says Prime's Crop Report. The moisture has been ample, and the crop has not been subjected during that time to any sudden or severe freezing weather, which Is one of the features of the first part of March. The ground has been bare of snow nearly all winter and hardly any during the last six weeks. Tho crop now has commenced to grow. Its general condition, however, is not as good as it was at this time last year. That is, it is not as far advanced in growth and the plants are by no means as strong and healthy as they were then, and there has been, considerable improvement in the prospects of the crop from what it was thirty days ago. So far the percentage of the winter wheat which has been killed la small. Taking tho crop by States it Is practi­ cally in this condition: In Illinois. Southern Illinois reports that Feb­ ruary did the growing wheat a gfeat deal of good, as there was little if any frost in the ground during most of the month and the weather mild. The ef­ fects were beneficial. The crop is still Small for tun um6 of year. Farmers getting ready for spring work, but the land is too wet yet for seeding. The «creage of spring crops promises to be large and the land In good condition. Farmers are not holding their wheat for higher psices, as was the case in Octo­ ber and November. The reSterves In farmers' hands are but little more than a year ago, and millers are buying from hand to mouth. In Central Illinois the frost has been out of the ground for some time and the ground is full of wa­ ter. Wheat Is doing well. It is thin on the ground, but is firmly rooted and spreading. There has been no plowing for oats yet, but with clear skies seeding is likely to commence at any day. In Missouri. The winter wheat crop bears no com­ parison with that of last year. It is much more backward and general con­ ditions not as favorable. It is short and thin, but it has improved greatly during the recent mild, wot weather. No re­ ports of wheat having been winter killed. In a few of the southern ooun- ties spring work has commenced. The movement of wheat has been more free during the last two weeks than previous­ ly, and would have been larger had the roads been in condition for farmers to haul. Millers aire good bidders for wheat abd have light stocks on hand. Kansas. So far winter wheat has made little growth in Kansas. The heavy rains of the last two weeks have been beneficial, however, to the crop. It already begins te show signs of growth, farmers did a great deal of plowing in December and January, and are now well prepared for early seeding as soon as the ground dries off. The reserves of wheat in farmers' hands are about the same as a year ago. Millers' stocks are running low and the demand for flour increasing. Kentucky. In Kentucky the condition of the win­ ter wheat crop is much below that of the same time last year. During the last ten days thero have been some warm days and the wheat appears to be grow­ ing a little. There are so far no com­ plaints "Of winter killing, but it is diffi­ cult yet to determine the real condition of the late sown winter wheat. Tlje majority of the farmers are Inclined go wait until wo have enough warm weath­ er to see whether it is going to grow he- fore they plow it up. Little wheat has been sold during the last thirty days. There is more wheat In farmers' hands than at this time last year. Country mifls, however, are not as well supplied as they were then. Indiana. The severe effects of the drought last fall are perceptible at the present time \ipon the winter wheat crop in Noithern Indiana. Tho winter, however, has been favorable for the wheat, and the weather has not been extrfemely cold. There has been no wheat plowed up yet. Befoip the roads became bad there was a free movement of wheat, but as they are now impassable the movement has stopped. Millers have light stocks of wheat. In Southern Indiana wheat has begun to grow a little. Little winter wheat has been killed. At this date it Is hard to get a correct idea of the condition of the crop. Some fields lock well and some poor, while-'the general condition do s not favorably compare with that of this date one year ago. Then it was much above the average, and now It is just the reverse. There is little movement of wheat, and the reserves in farmers' hands are larger than a year ago. On high, well-drained land a few oats have been seeded. In Ohio. In Northern Ohio the wheat orop on the whole does not look as well as It did a year ago at this time. This is espe­ cially true of the late sown, which is backward and tniu on the ground. Dur­ ing the present week heavy rains have fallen, which were followed by a hard freeze, and the winter wheat is in no condition to withstand this kind of weather. Little wheat was marketed during February. There is fujly as much and probably m<9e wheat in farmers' hands than a year ago at this date. Spring work has not commenced yet to any great extent. In Southern Ofiio^he growing wheat has Improved some, but the general condition of the crop is pOor. Well drained lands are holding their own and growing, but those not drained are showing up poorly. In Michigan. The growing crop of winter wheat in Michigan is not as good as^a year ago. The mild wet weather of last week took off all the snow and started some growth. Spring work has not yet commenced. The movement from farmers' hands dur­ ing February showed an increase over the two preceding months. Farmers are carrying more wheat than in 1891. In New York. In Western New York the wheat is all covered with snow to a depth of from six to ten inches. Up to this time the crop in,good condition. Millers cariy light stoolus, and the flour trade is also small. Spring Prospects. In Nebraska tJW frost is not yet quite out of the ground, but is coming out rapidly. There is ample moisture, and as soon as the frost is out seeding will commence. There Is not half the usual amount of corn at railroad stations. From 40 to 50 per cent, of the corn in farmers' hands has been marketed, and there will he very little corn moved until after seeding. The winter has been a good one, and everything points to a very favorable spring opening. In Iowa the frost is not out of the ground, but the general conditions are favorable. No oats have been seeded yet. In South Dakota the snow is all gone, and the frost Is coming out. With fa­ vorable weather early seeding will oom- mence in a few days. In southern Minnesota the ground is almost bare of snow, and the frost has oome oat of the ground from a depth of from three to six inches. BAD BLIZZARDS RAGED. TERRIBLE STORMS REPORTED IN T<ANY STATES. •sm& ~ tesw Isfcs H*rrleanee Sweep Off* S •ast Territory, Blowing Dmrs Msssil. Blockading Hallways, and FMwlpalaff Business--Lees of Life Feared. Worse than That of The worst biix<;aru known 12,1888, set in through the Wednesday. Reports received trtdfciate that much damage to property has been indicted, great suffering caused, and a considerable loss of life experienced, while later and fuller reports may make the situation so much worse that its horrors will exceed that of the terrible storm of four years ago. Minnesota and North Dakota seem to have been the worst sufferers from the blizzard, while heavy snow, accompanied by high winds, fell in Wisconsin, and Iowa felt the effect of a severe blow. Kansas, Nebraska,, Illinois and Michigan were also affected to a greater or less degree. A dispatch sent out .from St. Paui says: Minnesota is the center of a blizzard which has not been equaled in years. A furious storm of snow and wind traveled from the region of Cal­ gary, a distance of over twelve hundred miles, reaching Minnesota in the night. The storm extends over a vast stretch of coun Li y, lid cuuie upou MhiutibG't*, so unexpectedly and with such terrifio forqe that it has fairly stunned the State, and business pertaining to out­ doors is absolutely suspended. For ten days the weather had been barlmy and springlike. Not a vestige of snow was on Minnesota soil, andk everywhere farmers were preparing foFspring seed ing. In the cities storm-sash had been taken down, furnaces were banked, and spring house-cleaning was in progress. A warm rain began falling during the nightv toward midnight a strong breeze sprang" up that had increased to a gale by day­ light. It changed the rain to snow and sleet and drove it furiously before it at an increasing velocity. By the time day had dawned a full-fledged blizzard ex­ tended from the western limits of tiie State over into Wisconsin and* south through Iowa. The mercury fell rapidly, and the snow was frozen into particles like sand, which were driven at a veloc­ ity of fifty miles an hour. Owing *o the suddenness of the storm it is feared that many lives have been lost In North Dakota, as the conditions were the same as those which preceded the groat bliz­ zard of a few years ago, when So many" people perished. The extent and damage of the storm are impossible to learn at this time, as wires are down on every line to the west and the balance of the State shut Out entirely. All westward railroads re­ port that station houses were unroofed along their lines and thus the wires were thrown down. Not a single western or southwestern road is attempting to keep ,up a schedule, and on most of them not a wheel is turning. Previous blizzards in Minnesota have been confined to the prairie districts and have given St. Paul a wide birth, but tfcsis hurricane fell upon the capital with unexampled fury. Great drifts of snow were piled upon the streets and about doorways, blocking up traffic and making pedestrianism nearly impossible. Tho cable lines were operated only by con­ stant use of plows and sweepers, and the electric lines were run only at irregular intervals, while many lines were wholly abandoned. The wind came in', fierce gusts which could not be faced, and the sfreets one moment would be piled three feet deep In snow and the next swept clean. Every public school was closed, the first time for such a cause in fifteen years. The telephone and fire alarm wires were in constant difficulty and the telegraph companies accepted western business siroject to indefinite delay. At Grand Forks the storm was so se­ vere that the hackmen refused busi­ ness, and the large audience at the Me­ tropolitan Theater was forced to remain until almost daylight before the storm ^abated sufficiently. ii Fergus Falls, Minn., reports great damage done to roofs and glass, and that it is dangerous for men-to cross the street. At Winnipeg two houses were thrown down. The thermometer fell 60 degrees at Northfleld in a few hours. At Crookston several thousand dollars' worth of property was destroyed by the high winds. Plate-glass windows were smashed and goods ruined by snow and carried away by the wind. Residences all over the city were ulroofed. Limbs of trees six inches in diameter were snapped off. All city and county offices and s 'hools were closed, and all trains have been abandoned. Other places in the State report terrific winds and low temperature. At Waterloo, Iowa, the storm "reached its height at noon, tearing off many roofs, breaking plate-glass windows, and overturning carriages. Two hacks were overturned oa the bridges and one man was seriously injured. No covered vehicles attempted to cross the river. Telegraph wires are down, and all trains are late. The mercury fell over 70 de­ grees in twenty-four hours. In the vicinity of Cedar Rapids the storm jpni extremely severe, and the mercury dropped 50 degrees in a few hours. At Chicago the thermometer marked 44 degrees at noon and at midnight reg­ istered but 6 degrees above zero. A three-story frame building, in process of construction, was blown down and two persons were so badly Injured that it is thought they will dip. An Aurora, 111., dispatch says: About noon a heavy snowstorm struck this city. It gradually grew worse and finally de­ veloped into a terrific blizzard, which raged with considerable fury. The mer­ cury fell 30 degrees in a few hours. The streets were deserted and business prac­ tically suspended. Telegraphic information from Kansas City, Mo., is to the effect that the Storm began there at three o'clock in the morning and was accompanied 'by a rapid fall in the thermometer, the mer­ cury dropping from fifty to thirty de­ grees. Tho weather has been clear, with no snow or rain, but the wind has blown at the rate of forty-seven miles an hour. The storm prevails with equal force throughout Kansas, and telegraphic service is seriously interrupted. The Postal reports Its service badly crippled in the North and West. The Western Union has few working wires in Kansas, and all service over its lines between here and Omaha is abandoned. . In Nebraska, according to an Omaha dispatch, the storm was the worst in the history of the State. The wind blew a gale of forty miles an 'hour. The weather has turned intensely cold, and fears are entertained of serious damage. The interior of the State Is practically out of communication with the outside world, as all wires are down. All trains are indefinitely postponed. A disastrous wreck occurred at Dakota City, on the St. Paul and Omaha, as a result of the wind. A loaded box-car was blown out to the main line, jumping numerous open switches in its course. It was sent along with the wind. It collided with a through freight from Sioux City of fif­ teen cajrs, and knocked over one of them from fee track, including a heavy en­ gine. The crew saved themselves by jumping. \ It is thought the reported damage and loss of life will be greatly augmented when reliable telegraphic communica­ tion to again established. AROUND AGREATSTAi BRIEF COMPILATION Of ILLS* NOIS NEWS. This Wae Flghte? -- 1 Sahwelofvrth la »esia-- Tisalje M «f Salem's Famsos Trial Ba--atlSa to A4b<m« County--JBIoyavs Mat TsiaiUP , From Far and N«a*. GmonoB Hardy, cf Springfield, tm talned a judgment for $10,000 »g»i»«f the Big Four Railroad for personal in­ juries. Governor Fifer issued a requisition on the Governor of Kentucky for Ben­ jamin Martin, who is wanted at Metrop­ olis for burglary. Ltjdwio Bilmikb and Felix Green, employed in a Chicago livery Stable, died from inhaling illuminating gas, ao«ft» dentally turned on. Returns from the primaries held It Fayette County show that Edward Lan« has defeated Judge Gilmore for the vota /vf 4 vi ifiv WVIUUI>J AVI VVU|JltWO. Dr. F. B. Rice made Jacksonville • professional visit and was attacked at his hotel with acute gastritis and died in a short time. His home waa ilk Wautcma, Wis. The Odd Fellows had a big time at Jacksonville. The ladies of the Rebei- kah degree were introduced and tn-„ structed in their work. In the evening a grand banquet was served. Adam Bieseb and Miss Anna Welker eloped from MaScoutah, and were ried at Centralia. The old folks uawnjr ujijiOstiu w ui6 uiawu, auu Whraw the runaways returned they were turned away without the parental blessing. On the night of Oct. 6, 1881, Roes Locke, a printer on the Tandalia Union, 6hot Charles Stolle, who died two weeks ater from the effects of the wound. Stolle was under the Influence of liquor and was abusing Locke, it is claimed, when the latter shot him. Locke is a nephew of the late D. R. Locke, "Petroleum V. Nasby." He is being tried at Yandalia. <W At Salem the jury found a verdict of guilty in the conspiracy case against James T. McKibben and Joseph Lorden of Sandoval, and fixed a light and al­ most trivial punishment to It* flndlnsr. They found McKibben and Lorden guilty and fixed McKibbtn's punish* ment at a $500 fine and I orden's at IS. There are three other ca?es against McKibben and Lorden. The cost of tfca "trial will affect the next tax levy. There has been filed In the Cook County Circuit Court a praecipe bill in the ease of "George W. Coudrey vs. George Jacob Schweinfurth, alias Christ, the Rov. William Ealdwin, alias aa Apostle, and Francis Ward, alias an Apostle." Mr. Coudrey, who lives at No. 144 North Kedzie avenue, Chicago, sues for $30,000 damages for the aliena­ tion of his wife's and children's affec­ tions, alleging that Schweinfurth, with his so-called Apostles, has been guilty of conspiracy and questionable practices in the carrying out of his designs. The Adams County Supervisors have reinstated Mr. Bates as Superintendent of tho County Poor-farm. This action causes great surprise and comment, in view of a report from an investigating committee which recommended Bates* removal. The committee reported that Supt. Bates had been guilty of abusing the inmates, that the food had at times been poor, that the sick had been neg­ lected, that the body of a dead man had been gnawed by rats, and that an insane negro had full charge of the male insane ward, and that he had frequently beaten the patients. Thousands of laboring men are going to Chicago in search of work. Hundreds of these thousands go from Illinois towns, and many of them are attracted by advertisements of so-called labor bureaus which announce that workmen are In demand and that they--the bureaus--will obtain situations. The faot is, every one of these bureaus is de­ signed solely to enrich their proprietors. Workmen are not in demand in Chicago; at least, the demand is not equal to the supply. The men who are attracted by the bureau advertisements naturally seek the bureaus to obtafn one of tho promised situations. A fee of from $1 to $5 is exacted for registry, or a con­ tract required promising to pay one- half of the first week's wages, and al­ most invariably the situations furnished are temporary and the pay small. Work­ men who are at present employed out­ side of the city would better retain their jobs; those unemployed should keep away from Chicago, for they will not better themselves there. On the con­ trary, a situation already bad wil%be made still worse by the advent of any more unemployed men. At Olney, two masked burglars en­ tered the residence adjoining St. Joseph's Catholic Church, took $3 from Housekeeper Fisher, and, while one of the men covered her with a revolver, the other ascended the stairway leading to the room occupied by the priest, the Rev. Father J. B. Schnelton. The priest sprang to his feet, and at'the same In­ stant turned the bed covers over the burglar, extinguishing a lighted laftp carried by the latter. The robber fired his revolver, hut the bullet failed to pAnofrnt^ the blacksts. A terrible stni*- gle in the darkness ensued, Fathor Schnelton succeeding in throwing Ms assailant down the stairway. The heavy covers saved him from injury, and afte*( rejoining his companion the burglars* jumped through an open window and* escaped, followod by two shots from the priest's revolver. At Lincoln Ralph Geyeres' little daughter fell into a tub of boiling soft soap, causing such injuries that death occurred. In rescuing the child the mother was badly burned. Mrs. Gey­ eres had poured the soap into the tub to cool. Patrick Welch and John Marcney, of Merna, st||>ped at Colfax for dinner. They drank some liquor from a pint bot­ tle which they brought with them and believed to be whisky. Before a doctor could be summoned Welch died in terri­ ble agony. Maroney died later. Jakes Mooxey, a member of the Mooney A Boland Detective Ageney. Chicago, is dead. Mr. Mooney was en­ gaged in many important cases during his life; he convicted Charles Becker of counterfeiting notes of the Bank of France; he hunted down the Italian bandit Exposito, assisted by Chief Hen­ nessey of New Orleans, who was after*- ward assassinated; Mr. Mooney also worked up the Sim Coy election fraud case at Indianapolis; the Eighteenth Ward (Chicago) election frauds; and th* boodle cases which sent the notations Chicago gang to prison. W. S. Pabbott, of Litchfield, has an­ nounced himself as a candidate fOr tho Legislature from the Fortieth District, subject to the decision of the Pea»- cratic Senatorial convention. Only a few years ago people wouih have thought it impossible that a fire- story stone butraing could have been upheld by screws whn» foundations for a new structure were being constructed underneath. To-day it is a reality. Each one of the forty-odd tenants tn a Chicago building will conduct businesa on jackscrews until May 1. The con­ tractors claim that by thia oparetto they will s ave seven weeks In tion ot a new block. k. ^