Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1859-01-28
THE HARD TIMES.


Are Times Improving. E."-"is Cash becoming ncrs
plenty @''-"Rhat shall be doac ?''-'.IYe have nc
AOneJ-BO H0rk .'-"n Aai Is tie Fso,pec.s"
These with similar anxious inquiries are
often propounled, by word o mouth and by
letter; and we have though, a shor' chapter
on the subject may perhaps re useful to very
many. We select, frs, a. an expire SION Of
opinion from the Metropolis ai the Union, a
most comprehensive aGd truly sensible cdito-
rial, from a late number OF the N.Ic Yyrk
Tribune, viz:
The year 80 opens with improved
prospects for business and industry.
There is a general sense Of rclici-a
feeling that the worst is oycr-a CON
tIcucc that the next eighteen months
must be, al the worst, tar less dlsas-
trous than the last. The financial
crash OF lo5I, the consequent paroly-
sis of trade in lS5S, with the short
crops throughout the most fertile and
food-producing section Of our coun-
try, have left our people very poor !;
hut we arc all expecting to do better.
The disasters of 1888 caused Q very
general stoppagc Of manufacturing
and mining; and, though trade has
since been slack, and the demand for
fabrics and metals restricted, stocks
have been gradually reduced and
worked or until factories and furna-
ces are being set in motion again
with q fair demand for their products
at living prices. Those prices arc
lower than formerly; but labor, and
other elements Of production, wool
excepted, are cheaper than they were
prior TO the rcvulsion, and afford
fair basis for moderate and steady
activity.
Should the Tariff remain unchang-
ed, we shall have a season Of very
large importatious, giving an immedi-
ate FLIP to trade and the Treasury,
at the cost Of a speedy recurrence of
pecuniary embarrassmcnts. For the
country, it must not be forgotten, is
in no condition to pay for heavy I'M
portations. Our grain crops for 1858
were very light-worth at least One
Hundred millions less than usual.
The country could easily he induced
to buy Four Hundred millions worth
of imports during 1853; but it has
not the wherewithai TO pay for them;
so to buy them IS to invoke speedy
return OF our late commercial embar-
rassments. Every dollar Of imports
in 1859 above Three Hundred mil
lions, will be dollar added during
the year to our already burdcnsome
Foreign Debt-a dollar which we
shall not merely owe next January,
but be approximately urged to pay.
But, should Congress proceed forth
with to revise the Tariff so as to Sc
cure adequate revenue for the Gov
ernmcnt with incidental protection to
home industry, every interest, every !
section, will feel the benelicent i'm
pulse. The erection Of new factor
les, furnaces, &c.-the demand for
new engLes, dams, machinery-still
more, the renovation of old ones
viii give employment to thousands of
mechanics, artisans, laborers, who
have for months languishcd in unwil-
ling idlcness. Not iron merely or
mainly, but brick, stone, lime, and al,
most every product Of human indus
try, will realize quick demand at
acceptable prices. Farmers will be
simulated 10 increased activity from
Consciousness that new markets for
csr products are springing up at
,-'F doors-markets which proiTer !
much per bushcl for potatoes as I
w., ~; can obtain for wheat while our 6
rsri.s.o r9riHs.op5 are mainly in England
ono as.s AVS Which pay them as much for
corlJ m ',Isg a2 Of caJbagcs or beets as they a
ed lr ro-o o0i4!1 N for ten acres of export 5
an .oFl' .GI We confidently believe that
r1a;-I NJ --It9qaate, wisely discriminating,
Oily ely specific tariIf will largely in,
49, lllE years n,ol,ct ~ ,,,g,..,