frHE VALENTINE DEMOCRA
L M. KICK , FnbtiBhor.
YALENTINE , NEBRASK
"Admiral Clark. " That suits tl
people. He aid It with his little Or
gon.
Oxygen tabloids are a French pr
fessor's latest "Have a fresh air wr
me ? "
Evidently the dancing masters Iwr
decided to put the old people out of
this year.
Host of us would be down-heart *
If we knew what the woman who tel
us she is glad we came says after v
have left
How the young married women c
hate the girl who can get the guest <
the evening in a corner and keep hi ;
interested.
That railroad superintendent wt
stopped kissing on the station pla
forms probably has a jealous wife an
Is henpecked.
The dynamiter and the Incendiar
are two criminals against whom tb
hand of every man , even in the won
.classes of the community , should L
turned.
Many a man who might have1 bee
a great moral force has spent his day
sniveling because some little fool of
woman didn't know a good thing whe
she saw it.
Palma will get $25,000 a year fc
being President of Cuba. We ma
take it for granted that he Is unaltei
abiy opposed to annexation , at leas
Cor the present.
A Colorado girl has declined to mai
ry a man because he is wealthy. Her
Is vindication for , Senator Dollive :
who says the poor are the only one
who have a chance.
It is reported that William Waldor
Astor is going to give his daughte
$20,000,000 when she gets married
William Waldorf must think that i
about the price of a good , serviceabl
duke.
Young King Alfonso's troubles an
only beginning. He has now to g <
out and look for a wife , and there an
at least aidozen different persons wh <
are to decide Just whom he mus
marry.
In Denmark the people continue t <
be excited over the proposition to sel
the Danish West Indies to the Unitec
States. Tliey seem to take it for grant
ed that Uncle Sam is waiting arounc
the corner ready to buy when the prop
er wink is tipped.
We have civil courts for the settlfr
ment of all other disputes regarding
property and individual rights. We dc
not allow citizens , however much thej
may think they have been injured , tc
fight It out with each other in oui
streets. The police arrest such people
and lock them up for the general good.
Why , indeed , should we not require
men who have grievances against each
other as employers and workmen to
submit their differences to courts es
tablished for that purpose ? It is a
civilized way of doing it
Napoleon Bonaparte's will , among
those of great men , affords the nearest ,
parallel to that of Cecil Rhodes in the
fortune it bequeathed. He was surely
the richest exile since the world began.
From his lonely home at St Helena he
bequeathed to his relatives and friends
$40,000,000. He had been rich , in gold
as in power , beyond the dreams of
avarice , and there must have passed
through his hands a private fortune
such as mortal man has rarely
dreamed of. His exactions from con
quered states has been set down at
nearly $375,000,000 , which is , after all ,
but , six times multiplying the gift he
secured for himself from the Austrian
treasury after Austerlitz.
Every little while somebody sends up
a cry for "the ideal girl. " The latest
dissatisfied one wants girls to be more
athletic than they are ; he whoops for
waists that shall be bigger , and he
wants the girls to wafe straighter. We
might answer the gentleman by saying
that tie girls are becoming more and
more "athletic every year , that their
waists are large enough for all prac
tical purposes , and that they will walk
straight as soon as it again becomes
fashionable for them to do so. But
what is the use arguing with one who
Is dissatisfied with the girls as they
are ? The athletic girl is a joy. So Is
the one who doesn't care for athletics.
Whether her waist is large or sma.ll
the girl of to-day is all right if she is
the right one. And that Is the main
thing. Why will men waste their time
telling the girls what to do to improve
themselves ? The girls will do as they
please , and they will be charming , no
matter whether they go in for athletics
or not , or whether they walk upright
or hop like kangaroos. Let us leave it
to the girls to be bewitching in their
own way. They always have charmed
and they always will. Fashions and
customs are but incidents. The man
who has time to devote to the task of
making the girls lovelier than they see
fit to make themselves des&rves the
world's pity. He doesn't know a good
thing when he sees it
Had Job been acquainted with the
germ theory hagiology would lack a
measure of the luster that aureoles one
of its greatest lights. Job believed that
boil * .were an indirect dispensation of
'Providence for man's spiritual proj
ress. Recent medical science has dii
'covered that boils are due to mei
! bacteria which insert themselves in tt
subcutaneous tissue , having obtaine
: admission through a skin break. TL
! skin of the face and neck being uncoi
ered is more liable to boils than tli
covered portions of the body. Strec
dust , especially in great cities , contain
multitudinous microscopic germ !
which make their way through apei
tures caused by collar or collar bu
ton friction or by scratches from piui
needles or finger nails. Ofter a littl
army of bacteria will sap and mine a
entrance along a hair into the cuticl
and thence deeply enough to begi
their malevolent operations. It ha
been found that individuals whos
health is below normal or who are hi ;
bitually depressed are more liable t
boils than people of vigor and vivacitj
It is not strange , therefore , that poo
Job had many successive crops of boih
An ancient method of curing boils wa
to poultice them. Holy Job , it will I )
remembered , underwent a treatment o
domestic blisters whose action was no
as palliative as domestic poultice
sometimes are. Modern science , in th
opinion of the Chicago Chronicle , ha
found that merely to touch the oute
nucleus of a boil with a tiny drop o
carbolic acid is the most effectual moth
od of extirpating this form of humui
misery , a method which corroborate ;
the theory that a boil is a factory es
tablished and worked by bacteria. Hue
carbolic acid then been In the apothc
cary shop of the time of holy Job tin
obstreperous domestic partner of tin
sufferer would have enjoyed less sat
isfaction in the agonies of her patien
spouse.
The two features of the address b ]
Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver , of Iowa
at the commencement exercises of tin
Northwestern University in Chicago
which doubtless made the deepest im
pression upon the minds of the 50 (
graduates who listened to it , were th (
portions which deprecated specializa
tion in the colleges and which depictet
the advantage of the poor students
over the rich. Notwithstanding th <
present tendency toward specializing
in college work and toward cominer
ciallzing education Senator Dollive ]
proclaimed his firm belief in the old
fashioned notion of the higher educa
tion which taught all the branches oi
knowledge and aimed to Impart a wide
and liberal culture. It was his beliel
that this sort of college training sup
plied the best equipment for success ID
the battle of life. In expatiating upon
the chances of the poor boy the Sena
tor vigorously combated the theory
that the modern industrial tendencies
are minimizing his opportunities. On
the contrary , he believed that the ad
vantage of the poor boy over the rich
In the attainment of what he regarded
is "success" in life was greater than it
jver was. Commenting upon the hand
icap of a boy who is attached to a rich
father he said : "Man's success is
measured by the work he does , and no
body ever does anything except he has
: o. It is best for anybody who is to
receive an inheritance of $100,000 , and
) est for the $100,000 to have them kept
> ut of each other's company as long as
possible. A man will do his son a
greater benefit by giving his thousands
o a worthy educational institution and
ettlng the boy fight his own battles. ' *
t we regard success as something else
han the mere ownership of property
> ne needs only to take an excursion
hrough history to realize the force of
he Senator's arguments. He will find
hat a very large proportion of the
llustrious names belong to men reared
inder the stimulating influences of
toverty.
Are Kidnaped Into Slavery.
Considerable excitement has been
aused in the City of Mexico by revcla-
lons regarding a system of kidnaping
hat has long prevailed there , but has
pparently been overlooked or connived
t by the authorities. It is stated that
hildren have been kidnaped by huu-
reds and sent to the heniquen planta-
lons of Yucatan. Children from 5
ears old to boys and girls well up in
ieir teens have been gathered into
ands and sent away to the south In
ich an open manner that it is surpris-
ig the city officials have become aware
oly now of the traffic which was be
rg carried on. The "agent" who has
sen conducting this nefarious business
rofessed surprise and Indignation
hen he was arrested , and explained
iat It was necessary for the planters
L Yucatan to have acclimated labor
's. People of mature age sent to the
lantations sickened and died , but by
itching them young and in large quali
ties such of the children as survived
ew up accustomed to the climate and
irnished a supply of much needed la-
> rers. As one Mexican paper ex-
esses it , he planted children as the
oprietor of a nursery would plant
ees , and if they lived the fruit of
.eir labors ultimately well repaid all
e trouble and expense attached to the
> eration. The children , of course ?
ere sent into a system of peonage ,
hich virtually amounted to a life's
ivery to the planters.
The "Yucatecos" must , of course ,
ve known the sources of their sup-
] T of infant bondsmen , but since the
rest of their "agent" they have inain-
iiied a discreet and impenetrable si-
ace on the subject.
Not Very Far Wrong.
Recently a pastor was preaching to
ildren. After asking many questions
d impressing on the minds of the
ildren that they must be saved from
i he asked the question , "What Is
i ? " A bright little boy , 6 years old
ick as thought , replied , "Chewing ,
loklng , cursing and tearing your
nts. "
Nebraska Politics.
Excerpts From The Nebraska Independent , Lincoln , Nebraska , Made by
Direction of the Populist State Central Committee
THE CAMPAIGN OPENED
Chairman Webber and Secretary F rr
lime an Address to th Keforin Forcei
of Nebraska Let Every Man up
and he Deing
To the Members of tbe People's Part
of the State or Nebraska :
In accordance with the direction (
the state committee at their meetin
held in Lincoln shortly after the stal
convention , headquarters have bee
opened in Omaha. Suitable rooms ha\
been secured on the second floor of tl
Dellone hotel at the corner of Capitz
avenue and 14th street. Here tl
chairman and secretary will be four
at any time. All members of our pai
ty , and all friends of good goverr
ment are cordially invited to vis
these headquarters whenever conver
ient to do so. The campaign worl
from now until the polls close on th
night of election day , will be pushe
as vigorously as possible. All person
who believe in the principles of on
party are earnestly requested to giv
their best efforts to make the can :
paign as thorough as possible.
The feeling at the very beginnin
of the campaign , for the whole ticke
was never better. There are no sor
places to heal or smooth over , whic
heretofore have resulted in an apath
in certain parts of the state and kep
" ' " from th
many "don't care" voters
polls on election day.
Is it not well to compare the man
ner in which the republican conven
tion was manipulated by simply nomi
nating the slate as announced by th
republican press ten days before fh
convention assembled ? while on th
other hand not a man on our ticke
was a candidate before the conven
tion assembled. The office sought th
man in every case , and in every sens
it is a ticket purely "of the people , b
the people , and for the people" b ;
their delegates in convention. It wa
the best attended and most representa
tive state convention ever held by th
populist party in this state ; there wa
no ring rule , no corporation influence
it was a convention that fairly repre
sented the people who compose th' '
populist party in this state. The tick
et nominated cannot be excelled. Ev
ery man has been tried and found a :
true as steel. Not a man on the stat
ticket can be cowed , brow-beaten o
bribed , not by all the corporation in
fluence in the land. Every man 01
the ticket has been in the fight for re
form in this state for years and hai
never flinched in the performance o
his duty. It is a ticket that command :
the confidence of every true reformer
and every true reformer will lend hii
best efforts for its election. We d (
not say that all republicans favoi
( .rusts , but no member of a trust wil
favor our ticket.
The platform takes a positive stanc
on all the great issues in this cam
paign , a position that cannot be mis
interpreted. No platform ever adoptee
by any convention in this or any othei
state has taken such a positive anc
sound position on the question of jus-
lice in the matter of railroad taxa
tion and rates.
First , let us say that we have the
rotes to carry this election if we car
jet them out to the polls , and we sin-
: erely believe we will succeed in do-
ng this with the splendid ticket nomi-
lated. Often in the past the state
jommittee have had to urge the coun-
, y and precinct committeemen and
vorkers to get into the harness to do
heir respective duties , but already
his year we have many letters of con
gratulation , and asking "What can I
lo to assist in bringing about the re
mits desired this fall , " etc. This is
: ertainy ] encouraging to the commit-
ee. While we are at a great disad-
rantage , financially , compared with
he opposition party to run a cam-
taign , Ave have right , justice , equality
.nd the common people on our side ,
'itted against us the opposition have
he trusts , monopolies , organized
: reed and Ihe fellows who profit by
heir nefarious methods in dealing
srith the public. The people have a
banco to choose what is best for
hemselves and cast their votes ac-
ordingly.
We also have fine crops something
ur people and Providence hav e mads
not the republican party ) . Who ever
card of a member of a trust raising
n ear of corn , or a bushel of wheat ,
r doing a day's work with trowel ,
ammer , shovel or plow ? Their busi-
ess is to make dollars out of the
reductions of the common people
hey claim that everything has in-
reased about double under the trust
dministration of affairs ; but we do
ot believe that the laborer has re-
jived any such increase for his la-
or. In this , as in the question of tax-
tion , we demand "equality before the
LW. "
We do not expect to go Into politics
irgely in this letter , but will ask you ,
D you believe that the rank and file
E the republican party are in sym-
athy with the manner in which the
, st legislature put in their time , fruit-
ssly to the state , only to draw their
ilaries and elect or appoint senators
ho so ably misrepresent our coin-
onwealth ? Neither can they he
' .eased with the manner in which
heir man" was nominated for gov-
nor. Nor satisfied with the great
ss of hundreds of thousands of dol-
rs by fire in our state institutions
ider gross incompetency or criminal
jglect. And we need but mention
ie bartering in the notorious Bartley
: al. Bartering and filibustering over
man in prison to further a party's
ids. Bartley republican state treas-
er embezzler ( perhaps not more so
What will the State Journal and
her papers of that ilk have to say
tout deficiencies after the next leg-
[ ature adjourns ? They filled many
lumns discussing that matter when
e fusion government was in power ,
it the deficits that the next legisla-
re will have to make appropriations
meet will be as much as it cost the
ople to run the whole state under
e fusion government Republican-
n comes high and when the peo-
5 insist on having it they must pay
e bills. They should do it , too , with-
t any howling.
than many of his associates ) put
prison by a republican court turn *
out by a republican governor r
turned to prison by a republican sta
convention granted a full pardon 1
a republican governor. We have on
to lean very lightly upon our imagi :
ation to feel that it would be an ou
rage to liberty and freedom to tal
such advantage of even a slave or se
to make such a scapegoat of him'
aside from the question of whether 1
should be in the penitentiary or ou
And should we not take into consider
tion the "Dietrich tax" on the studen
of the state university ? And the d
putization of the chief attorney fi
each of the various railroads in tl
state to assist the attorney general i
a case in the supreme court where ;
public-spirited taxpayers were tryir
to force the railroads to pay their fa
proportion of the taxes a case when
in the attorney general and his dii
tinguished deputies appeared in hi
half of the railroads and not the pei
pie of the state.
One member of the state administn
tion had gone so far wrong that tl
convention agreed that he with tl
governor must be shelved for the prei
ent and wait for a better thing an
more convenient season.
The next session of the legislatui
will have much work to do ; our part
has taken a square stand on our plai
form , saying in plain words what r <
lief we will give the people in' tl
way of taxation and railroad rate :
We stand squarely upon that plai
form.
Nationally , we do not believe ths
the rank and file of the opposition ar
in favor of their present foreign po'
icy of "criminal aggression" as it ha
been so appropriately called by a gree
and good man ; but that such republ :
cans as Senator Hoar has a muc
greater following among men wh
think for themselves than the leader
who must uphold the administratior
right or wrong , from purely selfis
motives. The Declaration of Indepen
dence is not distasteful to the grea
majority of the republicans. The pc
sition that trusts are essential to goo
government is only indorsed by ;
slight minority of republicans.
We have strong faith that right wil
prevail ; and that we will in Novembe
after a "long pull , strong pull and pul
all together" pull the state of Nebras
ka out of the mire of the redeemer
by promise and place It once mor
upon a solid foundation in the hand
of the redeemed by practice. Are yo
with us ?
In conclusion. Your committee 1
here to do all in its power to manag
the campaign successfully. But ev
ery populist and all who have the in
terest of good government at hear
have a plain , patriotic duty that can
not be performed by the state commit
tee and that is to go to the polls 01
election day and vote , and each mak <
it his individual business to see tha
every man in the precinct who vote ;
our ticket does likewise.
Remember it is the rank and file , th <
"man behind the gun , " or , rather , be
hnd the plow , trowel , hammer , coun
ter and in the shops , that we mus
depend upon for final results , and w <
isk that you do your duty to a man
and victory will crown our efforts.
Every person interested in thii
movement who finds it impossible tc
pay the committee a visit within r
short time is earnestly requested tc
svrite us fully relative to the politica
situation and the conditions in his im
mediate locality , and to give sugges-
, ions and recommendations as to thf
vork necessary. Yours for victory.
B. R. B. WEBER ,
J. R. FARRIS , Chairman.
Secretary.
Is it Just ?
"Is It just , " asks Mr. Hardy in his
: olumn this veek , "to make railroads
educe their rates of freight and pas-
lenger fare and at the same time make
hem pay more taxes and higher wages
o their men ? " That depends upon
Ircumstances. If the roads are capi-
alized far in excess of what it cost
o build and equip them , and if they
, re earning any paying interest upon
his excessive capitalization , that is
irima pacie evidence that rates are
oo high and taxes too low. Govern-
lent has nothing to do with deter-
lining the rate of wages specifically ;
hat is to say , that Engineer Doe shall
eceive 3 cents per mile run , or 2
ents , or any other amount.
A railroad is not a private business
ke Mr. Hardy's furniture store. The
overnmental function of eminent do-
lain was exercised to secure the right
f way. Theoretically the government
as no right to take private property
xcept for public use , and compensa-
on must always he made. Of course
le right of way is paid for , and fre-
uently at what might be thought
incy prices ; hut that has nothing to
o with the principle of eminent do-
lain. The mere fact that private
roperty can be taken "willy nilly" at
le outset proves that a railroad is
ot a private business. Mr. Hardy's
irniture store was secured by busi-
ess negotiations with the other fel-
iw , but at no stage of the proceed-
igs was he able to secure the loca-
on by invoking the aid of govern-
ient unless the other fellow had done
) mething which could be construed as
contract.
Of course a railroad is not wholly a
iblic business and populists are in-
stent in their demands that it shall
i. It is commonly known as a "quasi-
iblic" corporation a sort of non-
; script institution , half public , half
ivate. Public , when it comes to se-
The old question of taxing mort-
iges is up for discussion in Chicago
jain. It is said that there are over
. ,000,000,000 of mortgages held by
ust companies and others in the city
at pay no taxes whatever. To tax
e property and the mortgages both
auld be double taxation. What
ight to be done is to assess the
uity that a man holds in real estate
ainst him and the value of the mort-
ge against the man who holds that.
> make a man pay the full amount
taxes on a house when he really
TUB only one-half is not just. The
in who owns the other half should
y half the taxes.
curing Its location ; private , when
comes to gathering in the shekels.
Now , ir we consent to the manifest
wrong act of taking private proper
'
for private use ( and that is'what tl
exercise of eminent domain amoun
to in railroad business ) , it is only wil
the understanding that the priva
beneficiaries shall have no more than
fair return upon what they actual
invest. They are not entitled to
fair return upon the increasing vah
of their property , as is the owner of
business really private in all its d
tails. And this for the good reasc
that the property would never rise i
value above the original investmei
unless exorbitant rates were charge
To illustrate : Suppose that it cos
a hundred thousand dollars to buil
and equip a given line of road , and fc
several years thereafter the currei
rate of Interest is 6 per cent. If tl
rates are so adjusted as to pay a
operating expenses , enough to keep tl
road in as good condition as whe
first built , pay the taxes , and have le
$6,000 to be paid the stockholders i
dividends , then the stockholders an
the public are treated equitably. Cai
ry this forward ten years. Busines
along the line has increased so th *
the rates bring in a net return of ? 12
000 after paying the increased operal
ing expenses , repairs , etc. ; but th
current rate of interest has fallen t
5 per cent. Owing to the peculiarit
of the business , its "quasi-public
character , the stockholders are entitle
to only $5,000 a year in dividends in
stead of $12,000. They know tha :
even if the public does not ; and sc
instead of reducing rates , they vot
to increase the capital stock to $240 ,
000. They inject $140.000 of "water
into the business and draw 5 per cen
interest on it. And Mr. Hardy in
quires if it is just to ask these stock
holders to pay higher taxes and ac
cept lower rates ?
His reference to what the state o
Montana has done in the way of in
creasing taxes nearly a million dol
lars , and thereby frightening awa ;
several roads about to he built , is bes
answered by quoting his concliidin ;
sentence : "There are many miles o
road through wild , rough country tha
would not sell alone for what the iroi
cost. " If that is true , why encourag' '
the building of more miles of sue ]
road ? C. Q. DE FRANCE.
Make the Argument Plain
There is no use shooting over tin
heads of the people in discussing thj
tax question. Bring it down to indi
vidual cases and then it can hette
be comprehended. Two weeks ago w <
noted the fact that O'Neill town prop
erty some of it is assessed for taxa
tion at 20 to 34 per cent of its value
Assuming that the assessment aver
ages only 18 per cent of the value
then since the railways are taxed oi
9 per cent of value , their tax shoulc
be doubled to make it equal the rat (
paid by O'Neill property holders.
The farms of Harlan county pay or
16 per cent of real value and since
the railways pay on 9 per cent , it fol
lows that their valuation or tax shoulc
be raised seven-ninths to make its
valuation the rate of valuation usec
in Harlan county for the farmers.
The farms of Gage county are esti
mated by the county treasurer to be
assessed on a trifle over 10 per ceni
of value. Therefore , the railway tax
should be raised one-ninth to make it
aqual the rate used for Gage county
[ arms.
The city property of Beatrice , how-
aver , pays on a higher valuation. The
Paddock hotel is worth about $60,000
[ although it cost more in boom days ) ,
ind is assessed at $9,200 , or about 15
? er cent of value. Two residence
places taken as averages were found
.o be assessed at 16 and 20 per cent ,
espectively. Suppose that the city
property pays on an average of 17 per
: ent of value , then if we would equal-
ze taxes as between the citizens of
Beatrice and the railroads , the latter
valuations would need to be raised
ight-ninths to make them equal the
ate on which Beatrice citizens pay.
Follow this plan in every county
res , in every town , village and town-
hip and then the masses of the peo-
ile can clearly comprehend the com-
larisons. Prof. C. Vincent in Central
farmer.
The Independent believes that the
ailroad assessment this year is much
iearer 8 per cent than 9 , and this
rould make some changes in the cal-
ulations. It is well to make local
omparisons with the particular road
rhieh runs through. For example ,
he "main line" of the Q system is
axed on about 4 per cent of its actual
alue , although it is the highest as-
3ssed line in the state $10,580 per
lile. Its net earnings last year were
ver $13,000 per mile , and at a 5 per
ent capitalization it is worth $260,000
mile. In other words , the way the
ookkeeping is manipulated that road
ets the lion's share of the earnings
nd they are great enough to pay 5
er cent return on a valuation of $260-
)0 a mile.
The Iowa Revolt.
Altogether the Iowa outbreak has
Dne more to disturb the equanimity
: the party in power than anything
hich has before happened in a long
me. It has been observable to most
publican leaders that the rise of
ust monopoly under the policy of
igh tariff , to which the party is so
outly tied , would inevitably some
ly cause trouble in the party ranks ,
id it is just when they are busier
ian ever trying to nut that day over
; ain into the indefinite future , that
is outburst comes. To them it is
sgustingly untimely , to say the least.
is indicative that the question of
riff revision against trust monopoly
.nnot longer be kept in the back-
onrd. or out of the party councils
a -listurbing and dividing factor.
) ringfield Republican.
Senator Platt in his article in the
Drth American Review acknowledges
at there was a contract made with
iba for trade advantages with the
lited States in return for granting
is country a suzerainty over the
and , just as The Independent said
the time that the Cuban constitu-
mal convention was forced to change
e proposed constitution. It Is said
w that Cuba will enact a retalia-
ry tariff , a thing that the people
ve a moral right to do since this
untry has repudiated its contract
(
CIAL
"Bright prospects in ag
ricultural sections far out-
weight the adverse influ
ence of labor disputes which are still re-
tardius trade and manufacture. Confi
dence in the future is unshaken , dealers
everywhere preparing for a heavy fall
trade , while contracts for distant deliver
ies run further into next year than is
usual at this date. Activity has been
noteworthy in lumbt > r regions , and fish ,
packini ; made new records. Ilaihvay
t-arniims are fully sustained , the latest
returns showing an average advance of
j.I ) per cent over the corresponding time
last year , and 21.S per cent over 1900. "
R. G. Dun & Co.'s Weekly Review of
Trade makes the foregoing summary of
the trade outlook. Continuing , the Re
view says :
"Aside from the fuel scarcity ami some
congestion of traffic , the iron and steel
situation continues propitious. Coke ovens
In the Connellsville region maintain a
vi'ekly output of about 2. > 0.000 tons and
ind ready buyers at full prices. MiK-h
more could b > > ed to advantage. Con-
litions arcindicated by the number of
irders fro ins : out of the country which
iomostic producers cannot undertake.
Thus far the imports have had little in-
'luence on domestic prices , except : is to
> illets. which are freely offered below
'he home market level. Ne\v contracts
for ptsr iron were placed this week cov-
rintr deliveries in the second quarter of
UK ) . " , , and structural material is desired
'or bridges and buililiiifrs that will not be
ecoived until even more remote dates.
Machinery and hardware trade is fully
sustained , but there is idleness at tin
) ! ate mills and trlass factories. Minor
aetals are steady.
"Foreign commerce at this port is still
less favorable than in the same week last
year , exports declining ? 3,77r . ( 00 , while
imports increased sliirhtly. Failures for
the veek number 10U in the United
States , against ITo last year , and four
teen in Canada , against thirty-one a year
The week was marked by
a gain in all western rail
road traffic and an increase
In the * volume of west-bound tounajre.
rhis means the beginning of the period
) f active buying that has been predicted
? ver since it became evident that this
; vould be a good crop year. In the North-
vest the harvest is practically made , and
: onservativeness and hesitation through
'ear of possible eleventh-hour calamity
ire giving way to confidence and a desire
'or further business expansion. The
iVest has begun buying heavily and is
aking a full share of luxuries. The un-
isually large proportion of high-class
Teight carried , with its wide distribu-
ion. is highly gratifying to western rail-
oad management. This western pros-
terity has been the keynote in everything
if comment upon the general business in
he country at large.
Some 300 locomotives were added to the
quipment of'the Great Northern , Xorth-
rn Pacific and Soo roads during the year ,
"he facilities for handling the Northwest-
rn crops are materially increased over
ust year , yet even with this there is
lore concern lest the roads be unable to
andle everything with promptness usu-
Ily demanded by shippers. There will
ertainly be more tonnage this year than
ver before and there is the opportunity
or railroad earnings in the Northwest
urpassing every previous record by far.
The grain trade is waiting for an esti-
late of the Northwestern' wheat yield.
Vheat prices , meanwhile , have been on.
tiarp decline under influence of the fa-
orable crop news. Looking over the
hole field , everything in sight at pres-
ut seems bearish. Statistically there
re some things favorable to wheat and
hiie they are naturally ignored at this
me. they may be important later. For
ne thing , the world's visible supply of
heat now stands at only 47 , ' > 70.000
ushels. A year ago at this time it was
1.920.000.000 bushels ; two years ago
) .8S8,000 bushels , and three years ago ,
3.192.000 bushels.
Chicago Cattle , common to prime ,
LOO to $7.75 : hogs , shipping grades ,
L25 to $7.30 ; sheep , fair to choice , $3.50
i $4.00 ; wheat. No. 2 red. GSc to GOc ;
irn , No. 2 , 5-lc to 55c ; oats , No. 2 , 32c
40c : rye. No. 2. 49c to 50c : hay. tim-
hy. $11.00 to $17.00 ; prairie , $ G.OO to
1.50 ; butter , choice creamery , 17c to
) e : eggs , fresh , 15c to 17c ; potatoes ,
? w. 40c to GOc per bushel.
Indianapolis Cattle , shipping. $3.00 to
> .25 , hogs , choice light , $4.00 to $7.32 ;
eep , common to prime. $2.50 to $4.00 ;
heat. No. 2. G4c to G5c : corn. No. 2
bite. GOc to Glc ; oats. No. 2 white , new ,
i < - to 3lc.
St. Louis Cattle. $4.50 to $ S.OO : hozs.
i.OO to $7.10 : sheep. $2 K > to $4.25 ;
lieat. No. 2. G3c to G4c ; corn.No. _ 2 ,
c to 55c ; oats. No. 2 , 2Gc to 27c ; rye ,
x 2. 4Se to 49c.
Cincinnati Cattle. $4.50 to $7.50 : hogs ,
.00 to $7.40 : sheep. $3.25 to $3.85 :
iieat. No. 2. ( ! 7c to ( ISc : corn. No. 2
ixed. GOc to Glc : oars. No. 2 mixed ,
c to 29c ; rye. No. 2. 55c to 5Gcr.
Detroit Cattle. $3.00 to $ G.50 ; hogs ,
.00 to $7.45 ; sheep. $2.50 to $4.50 :
ieat , No. 2. GSC to C9c : corn. No. 3
How. G5c to GGc : oat * . No. 2 white ,
w. 33c to 34c : rye. 51 c to 52c.
Milwaukee Wheat. No. 2 northern ,
c to 7Sc ; corn. No. 3. Glc to G'Jc : oats ,
) . 2 white. GOc to Glc : rye , No. 1. 47c
4Sc : barley. No. 2. G5c to GGc : pork ,
> sa , $10.07.
Toledo Wheat , No. 2 mixed. GOc to
c ; corn , No. 2 mixed , 55c to 5fic ; oats ,
. 2 mixed , 2Sc to 29c ; clover seed ,
me , $5.17.
s'ew York Cattle , $4.00 to $7.40 ; hogs ,
00 to $7.15 ; sheep , $4.00 to $4.10 ;
ieat , No. 2 red , 74c to 75c ; corn , No. 2 ,
: to G4c ; oats , No. 2 white , G4c to G5c ;
tter , creamery , ISc to 20c ; eggs , west-
i , ISc to 20c.
Juffalo Cattle , choice s'- -mg steers ,
00 to $8.25 ; hogs , fair . me , $4.00
$7.80 ; sheep , fair to c. . . S3.25 to
25 ; lambs , common to choice , $4.00 to
50. . . . _ . .