Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1855-12-04
sasi) lslw From the Cin,innati Gazette,
Price Of FOOd---Aspect Of Affairs.

A year ago, the food question, in con-
nection with the money panic that prevail
ed at that time, engaged the attention Of
the people Of The United States, to the ex-
clusioh Of almost every other matter. The
scarcity and high price Of food was attrib-
uted, and correctly, TO the failure of the
crops, and this failure also contributed
mainly to the commercial crisis.
At this time, under very different and
highly favorable circumstances, high prices
continue to prevail for nearly every article
of food. The causes that produce this
state Of things now, are directly the oppo-
site 10 those that prevailed last season.
Now prices are high because of a heavy
foreign demand. Throughout the United
States the last harvest was generally most
favorable. The yield Of grain and vegeta-
;bles was never more abundant n But The
foreign demand is proving fully equal to
our surplus, and that, too, at prices that
must Be regarded as extraordinary. Last
yeaf the crops failed l1llf1p6 ssds Ia 4
better condition than We were, and there
was consequently but little demand from
abroad; and had there been, we were not
in condition to supply it. High prices
prevailed, in consequence Of scarcity, and
the effect of this unfavorable condition Of
affairs was experienced in every branch Of
trade, and operated with terrible severity
on all classes of people. b' Z, ,a'2aac
We see, therefore, that different causes
have produced the same result as to prices,
and the effect Of this result on the CONNER
cial condition of the country at large is as
different as were the clauses that produced
it. The consuming classes have now, as
they had a year ago, cause for complaintin
the high prices that prevail but the gene
raj prosperity Of the country resulting from
the latter provides more liberal means with
which to supply necessary wants, while it
is also stimulating agricultural industry in
such degree that The productions Of the
country are Increasing with wonderful ra-
pidity. 20 bring about this result the state
Of things that prevailed last year and that
now prevails was required. The lrodue-
TIE industry Of the nation had fallen Of. -
Labor was improperly divided. The fcti-
tious wealth that city business and com
mercia pursuits seemed 10 afford, induced
farmers and their sons to forsake the plow,
and thus fertile lands at seed-time were de-
serted and in. harvest brought forth only
briars and thistles. The folly Of this
course soon became apparent. The COM
mercial disasters Of ls54-5 convinced men
of the reality Of the law Of trade which re-
quires that in order to prosper we. must be
a producing as well as consuming people,
The castles which men had been erecting
in the air were demolished, and hundreds
Of thousands Of those who had forsaken
their farms for the chances Of city life
were induced 70 return TO their plows, and
thus re distribution Of labor has been
brought about, and che result Of this change
we are now feeling and it will. be experien-
ced more fully within the next two or three
years in the reduction Of the value Of the
necessaries Of life to q producing point. /.
Y The following is comparison of prices
of leading articles now. and at the cores
ponding date last year. A glance at this
list Of prices may afford some important
suggestions;
PRICES OF PRODUCE &C. IN THIS MAREk9,
B ~ Ii