Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-09-18
Basis of w enlth.

Amid all the activities of trade, all the
entanglements Of commerce, all the ramifca
tons of manufactury and exchange, with
their countless auxiliaries and dependencies,
with their immense wealth and swarms Of
busy men, We are too npt TO forget upon
what this immense tower OF complex activi
ties and cal itals is reared We look upon
commerce as the lever that moves the
world AS the browning glory, and matcriai
power Of nation rs the indispensable pre-
requisite 10 national wealth and greatness.
Nothing is more fallacious. Some, and at
one time. great political party, believed
that manufactures were the bone and sin
ew. the basis and power Of the nation, and
it eNerte1 all its power to secure the estab-
lishment Of high Tariff 10 build up this
branch Of industry nj the expense of all
other employments
Blu, il is now confessed, that the mat erial
wealth of nation depends upon the
amount and value of its productions Every
other human occupation Ia based upon this
depends upon ii. and could not exist with
out it. Commerce. arts, science. and all
departments Of trade are increased. streng-
thened, or DESTROYED bv this one great indus
Trial pursuit
The soil is he source Of al mafh Grain.
flax. pork, beef. hemp. maize. cotton. sugar.
molasses. rice. fruit, and other articles are
the bulk of what creates commercial and
internal activity. One years failure of the
production of the soil of this coultry. will
precipi,ate commercial r-vulsions, and bust
ness failures To thousands and tens Of thous-
ands. whose business depends upon produc-
tions Last winters terrible severity cut
short productions, and in that section Grip
Piled every other branch of business, and we
now see the terrible effects in the failures of
banks, bankers, merchants and manufactu-
rers. This years productions are ample,
aud beyond that of any previous year. As
soon as they can be brought into market,
all panics will cease. and the wheels of in
dustry move on with increased celebrity.
With our vast domain. adapted to limitless
productions, there is opened before our peo-
pie the granaest future ever presented to in
spire the activity of any nation.
There Is no doubt hut that the cities Of
the West. build up faster than the agricul-
tural districts. and this makes the consum-
ing class more numerous than the producing
class. and thus all productions for home
consumption are high. too high by far, when
relatively considered. Spectators abound
Spectators in wheat, in pork, in land, in
money, in all manner of property ard they
must he fed, must have houses to live in,
and build none themselves, and this keeps up
prices Of products. and rents Of buildings.
But this evil. incident to all newly settled
countries. is fast passing away n Scott
county and Eastern Iowa. Farms are cult
waited. spectators, except in produce. are
leaving for more inviting fields; stability
is taking the place Of uncertainty and
change, and the basis Of wealth--production
lis charging, expanding, and building up
every other industrial pursuit And what
q magnificent future is open before Scott
county, Her agricultural resources are be.
yond computation. The manufactures
trades, and activities Of bushes that will be
built up thereon, will make Old Scott one
Of the wealthiest patches Of earth upon the
globe.