The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-09-15
rAMINE-CROAKERs. DO

The birds of ill.omen, who are always
croaking and predicting evils. are growing
quite voluble on the subject Of 'short crops
and a prospective famine, and II their idle
talk was worth listening to it might be safe
ly set down that at no period since the hour
when Adam and Eve were unceremoniou '
elected from the garden for psrtaking of the
fruit which to them seemed good and pleas.
ant. have such direful times occurred as those
just now approaching. In their estimation,
gaunt famine is at hand and grim-visaged
want is hooking at our door-sills. The crops
have failed. money is tight, prices are advanc.
ing, everything is going up. even to baldfacs
whiskey-in short, according to the croakers,
the good time coming" about which we have
heard so much. has been indefinitely post
poned, and the devil will soon be to pay gen
orally. We dete,t dependents we abhor
dark pictures, and we never meet with one
Of your eroakers chaps of the green and
yellow melancholy" order, but we feel like
taking him by the throat or taking ourself
out of his company. There are two sides to
every picture, and he is wise man who al.
ways looks at the brightest. Twothirds of
the miseries in the world are imaginary, and
the burthen Of the other third could be much
alleviated il people would learn to look at
things as they really exist Now what
is there in the present state of affairs to
cause SO much dependency or such universal
croakingi 1t is true. the drought has been
very severe, and the corn and potato crops
will be short. But whst of thati-one half
we hear about it is untrue, and IL the loss was
ten times heavier than it is likely to prove,
and prices should reach much higher figure
we could all, with economy and industry,
manage to live comfortably until a more
bountiful season. For instance, wheat is now
worth here one dollar and fifty cents per
bushel, and suppose it should go to two dol
lars--there is not family but can manage
to live on one half the amount consumed last
year, and live well, too. But we contend
the scarcity isnot half SO great as stated
that present prices are merely temporary,
and must soon recede to a wholesome stan
dard. While there is an increased demand
for home consumption, there will be CORES.
ponding fall off in the demand for exporta-
ton, as the crops in Europe have never been
better. Once within our recollection we
knew flour to sell at $l4,OO per barrel; in
four weeks after it was dull at $500 per bar.
rel. For the last two months all the water
mills have been stopped by the shallowness
Of the streams, and flour is consequently
scarce and high. As soon as the mills CON-
mence working again, which will be in few
weeks, large supply will be thrown upon
the market, and prices will tumble about
foot and half or two feet. In addition, under
the reciprocity treaty large quantities Of
grain will enter our Northern ports from the
Canadas. So upon the whole the prospect
for cheap breadstuffs is pretty fair-st least
there is not much danger Of famine, or of
people in this country perishing for want Of
food. But we suppose it is no use preaching
to those who are constitutionally croakers-
they would croak on, and complain of '.hard
times" and eight times" and % scarce
times" of starvation" and famine" if it
was to rain mamma every day for the next six
months