New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-21
A WORD WITH MERCHANTS.


have been enormously in excess of the actual wants
of the country-stl further in excess of its means
of payment-we presume nobody doubts To
import half a million dollars worth of European
fabrics and sell them in trice at ten to twenty
per cent profit, seems so ready and easy way 70
a block Of warehouses in fee and palace on the
Fifth Avenue, that few men who have the clues IN
their hands can resist the temptation to use them
Especjay to the merchant of small capital and lin
tied capacity and prospects dOes this temptation ad-
dress itself If the speculation prove unlucky, 1t
can only break him, and that will leave him nearly
as much property as he ever had, with enlarged
experience and business acquaintance. We are
within the truth in computing our importations OF
Dry Goods at forty per cent. more than they would
be if governed by an enlightened regard for the
actual wants and lasting good of the country.
Our National Imports since the year began must
have exceeded One Hundred Millions in value,
which, for three months and half is pretty
smart business. Meantime our Exports have fallen
largely below that amount, though our chief sta
pies come freshly into market and are sent forward
at this season. Our Exports are invoiced at their
full value, being received by the nations to which
we send them ether free OR under specific duties,
which proffer no temptation to undervaue; while
our Imports are subject to AID Vaorem impOSts
which mpel a swearing down Of the value of each
package to the lowest possible figure. We be-
lieye that One Hundred and Twenty-Five Millions
worth of Exports, as entered on our Custom
House books, will not have cost so much as One
Hundred Millions worth of Imports, as inscribed
on those same books. And then we have to pay
not less than Twenty Millions per annum for
interest on our Stocks Bonds, and other evidences
of Indebtedness held in Europe.
What has been has been. The goods we have
ordered and bought must be paid for, so far as the
buyers shall be able; but the orders for the Fall
trade have not get gone forward, and we write in
the hope Of exertiDg some influence on them.
They ought not to be half so large those which
went out for the Spring Trade, for these among
other reasons:
Our markets are now glutted with Foreign
Fabrics, many of which must be sold at loss.
The foolish and incOnsiderate will continue to buy
enormously under the impulse of the Spring bust
off, they can buy all they will need cheaper in
New-York auction. rooms than they can 10 the ware
houses Of Paris, Manchester or Lyons. This game
of importing Two Millions worth for every MI
lion sent abroad must always bring up some
where-no one may be able TO say exactly where
or when, but the end must come. Going in debt
is an easy and delightful process; it makes business
brisk, money plentiful, and living generous; but at
last the creditor sends in his little BILL and the
results are stagnation, revulsion, hard times and
hard fare.
Our farmers have for two years sold their Wheat
at 81 so to 50 % per bushel, Indian Corn at SOC.
TO 81, Pork at So TO Sc 80 per hundred, Butter at
90 to CSC per H., Cheese at 10 to 12c. and other
products in proportion. They have run in debt for
more lands sent their SONS to college, and bought
pianos for their daughters the strength Of these
generous prices Now we have Peace in Europe,
with a return of hundreds of thousands from cast
ing shells and making cartridges, exploding mines
and burning each others depots Of provisions to pro-
ductiye labor and money making. The prospect is
fair for bountifu season on either continent; but
if it be not such, ability to pay for goods will
be still further contracted. Either our farmers
will not have half so much to sell from this years
product they had from the last, or they must sell
it at reduction of thirty to si1type cent. from last
Falls prices. Out Of the proceeds, taxes, inter
est loans mortgages doctors bills, &c, must
be paid without abatement leaving the residue ap-
plicabe to store.bills less than half that Of last
year. If, in view of these facts, our importers,
jObbers and country merchants fit TO force into
the country anything like the amount of goods for
the Fall Trade that they have done for the Spring,
they may possibly be sold, but they will never be
paid for. The farming class can only pay Whist
they have, and i, is sheer madness to expect more.
Railing at the delinquent as dishonest will be only
waste OF breath.
Shall these considerations BE- heeded