Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-07-30

lng TO let the Union slide"
@ There was movement set on
foot some time since by our merchants and
business men to bridge the Wapsie, in or
der to retain and incresa their trade on
the other side of that streem. The idsa
vas temporily abandoned and the trade
was left to take care of itself. But where
is the trade goings Is it to Davenport
Not exactly. The Wapsie is yet passable,
and it is notorious fact that q large
amount Of the trade which belongs to this
city. and of which our merchants should
the advantage is going to Dewitt and to
Lyons. Do We need to tell our merchants
why? 1t is our duty to inform them that
they are losing much trade in that direction,
not because the Wspsie is not briged, but
because they have driven it away? DO
they not already understand that the wheat
and produce is being bought up at the
above places, for good funds, and at as high
figures as they can be bought here, for our
Wildcats ! This is surely the case /; and
what are our merchants to do about it Z
VIII they tamely submit to such an arrange
ment? 1t is ruinous. and is sapping the
very foundation Of our trade-more; it is
keeping emigration away; it is keeping
capitalists from making investments in this
city-it is effecting our ruin as city.
And Muscatine, too. The merchants are
building up fortunes there upon our ruins.
The grain moLgers are purchasing from
Cedar and Muscatine counties, that pro.
duce which should come here, and with
good money; and here we set looking on
and have nothing to say only "blessed be
Florence" Suppose we admit that Florence
has been of great advantage to US hereto
fore, SO has the physic which the physician
gave US; but because we took physic and
it did US good once, are we to continue
taking it from day to day, until our system
has become so enervated that we cannot
walk or stand alone? Most certainly not !;
and yet this is the precise doctrine which
our business men are carrying out. Cook
q Sargent and Burrows 4 Prettyman are
constantly dealing out physic in the shape
of their shinplasters. which our business
men have continued to swallow down un.
til the evil consequences are becoming too
apparent for submission. 1t is carrying
away our trade and with it our commercial
strength; it is sapplng our business and
destroying the stronghold of trade which
the energetic action of our citizens has
been building up; and we are tamely
looking on and see other places growing fat
from the very trade which belongs to U.s.
Farmers will 60 to Dewitt, md Lyons, and
Mucatine, with their produce unless we can
offer them as good or better inducements
here than they can find at those places
Shall any move be made to secure that
trade and keep it' Will our merchants lie
supinely upon their backs, and hug the de-
lusive phantom of hope until the trade
which honestly belong here is diverted into
other channels? Have they struggled and
toiled, hoped and prayed for relief for the
past eight months, only to be told that hope
ON and live on hope? We shall see. Shin
plasters are just as good now as they were
then, and no better and the issues are no
nearer reclamation than then Think Of Il :.
consider it we'll and rest assured that un :
less you-the merchants-move in this mat.
ter, the worst Of consequences will be real
lied.