The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-11-06
Communications.
TFcr the South " est,

For the South " estern
NEssRs EDITORS Regarding Four paper a peeaariy
the peoples organ, conducted--"haseSe[ YOU NV"
NAV be and let him who Is exempt throw the hrst stone
without fear or favor in accordance with your ON j.
notions OF propety ana justice, tho the hea'enS ia'
bec TO eaA public attention through your columns 70
a few Of What might be considered abuses e1istis u
our community.
orally in Shreveport and in fact throughout the South
erD Gonfederacy Every threecens hopKeepcrseels' ~
be bending all his energies to making MS FORTUNE o
of this war Merchants here vino few months oach
slcered at and derided certain usurer, ana ahheG
God they were not like that miserable publican anu
sinner now outherod erod in practicng all manner OF
extortons upon the necessities Of their telow-nen-
They demand from two to five hundred per cent pront
on their commodities and must have the money " nue.
the energies OF true and seltaacfihcng patriots are
strained to the very utmost to maintain TINS uhequo
war these Johnny Hooks rush ranticaly upon the
scene and their cry of beef beef resounds through
out the length and breadth OF the land have never
been initiated into the inner mysteries OF trade only
remember Of hearing in my b0Fhood something aooul
trade aud commerce regulating itself and for ought
know all this may be in strict accordance with the laws
of commerce-of supply and demand; but this DO
know though equally IMMERSED in scrptura lore that 1t
is not in accordance with the and mmutabfe laws
of God-of right and of justice
Look at it, A grocery merchant may be able on ae-
count of the scarcity of money get country produce
butter for instance at mere song He probably pays
for this butter with other groceries on when ne makes
an enormous profit II is then retaed out by him to
his old customers at a hundred per cent profit the
customers is lucky and the dealer acrwar Is regrets that
he fooled it off for such small profit,
Do not suppose for a moment that delude myself
with the idea that any human agency, much less my
puny efforts remedy or even modify this crying
evil No no; have lived little too long TO indulge
in nysu;h Utopar dream But this do think, that
the conduct of these extoroners should be held to
IL, nd all ipat- III n NOR
And vet after all are not buyers well as sellers
somewhat responsible for this state OF things? Let US
see The country people, becoming justly Indignant at
all this assemble in meetings and pass resolutions
somewhat similar those Of merchants on the cot
ton question, where they propose to take the farmers
cotton their own price for goods therOwn price too
neyersaying turkey to the farmer once to the effect that
when thew can help themselves they will not patronse
merchants who thus take advantage OF the necessities OF
the people. Well. Now suppose there should be In the
town OF Shreveport for instance, one lrgeearted and
phanthropc deaerwhose love OF man rises superior to
his love of money and who is content TO make living
profit upon his goods Time wears onapace as Hasa habit
of doing under all circumstances; peace is decnred nav
igaon reSumed times become prosperous OF old; our
merchants the phanropist among them 90 down to Il
city and eun with their supplies; the cotton wagons I'd
purchasers roll in wishes to fill bill and goes IN
dusriousy in search Of the cheapest dealer; he steps
into the house of phauthrOpiSt and after congatu-
atng him on having been able buy such fine stock in
QurtS the pfce OF lOuTj Dilc uOldIS anu uEt COLTS
"We I'll look around and IT'D cant do any betterl call
in ag1u;-of course Iii give YOU the preference He
passes the door, the house of Of our extor
tiouers-who having realised enormous profits on his
precious stock can afford somewhat undersell his
eighbor, whom by the way lie has long ago set down
as "A booby-"Price of -four" Nine dollars"
Now senior billiard, right here let us pause, pull up
our coat&eeves, adjust shirt collars and run our
hands through htira difficult operation for you
by the way.-We If all the yirtuously indignant
purchaser and observation-disclosures of other days does not
in the language of the lIuStrous Banks let the phau
thropst slide youcan write your correspondent down
an ass for all coming time
Bat do not wish to make the sweeping charge that
all merchants heartless that all our buyers
are so excessively mcrcenary. hope and believe there
are exceptions on both sides.
l had intended to refer to some other matters, but
my paper warues that | have already TOO severely
ttxed the patience OF yourselves and readers and i'll
conclusion beg to subscribe myself, if you will, an
OLD FoGy.
-,