Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-01-13

In submitting these figures, we call At
tcntion to the fact Of large diminution IN
the amount Of annual failures since the 70.
bellion broke out. This we attribute main.
II To that rigid caution which has qbtaincd
IN our business community in dispensing
credits. and to the increased values Of stocks
on hand. y
The immense and general prosperity Of
oil branches Of agriculture has augmented
the wealth Of the trading classes, and the
scarcity Of labor, suitable 10 the require
ments Of the mechanical interests has tend
ed 70 increase wages, and enhanced receipts
to the operating classes. These, the prin-
cipal consuming interests, ON account OF
their vast number, and constituting as they
do, the material wealth Of the country. have
created an unusually large expenditure
through the channel Of the retail trade, and
yielded returns that enabled this class Of
merchants to meet their obligations prompt
~ TO the jobbcr. The latter has therefore
been prompt with the importer and com-
mission merchant. Hence, the natural con-
clusion must be that each, acting in -har-
mony with the other, has produced more
satisfactory result than could have been an
ticipatcd by even the most sanguinc.
Satisfactory ~ trade for the past few
years has proved itself 10 bs, we cannot but
think that merchants should continue to
rigidly follow out the course they have Of
late adopted, and thus avert any impending
crisis that even the most conservative OF
our merchants think may yet be in store for
us. We make this suggestion from the sta
tistics furnished by our records, which
clearly prove that whenever merchants have
deyiatcd from the strict rules of conscrya-
tive system Of credit, based upon a well
founded pecuniary security as to character
and business experience, they have been the
sufferers.
The deep interest We have felt in arriving
at correct statistics TO submit TO the judg-
ment Of our subscribers, has induced US to
make the most rigid and careful rch OF
our records ut this particular iuncture, in
order to present to them at glance, an es
innate of the wealth Of the mercantile, man.
ufacturing and trading interests in the loyal
States. This estimate is not obtained by
averaging the whole number OF traders, but
by specific examination of each name OF
firm. 1t has been the worl. Of months
uotu with us anu our aS~OCialc plilCcs
throughout the country, and the result is
shown in the appended table, arranged b,
States ard principal cities. The States O
Missouri, Kentucky, Louisiana and Kansa.
have been made the theatre of war, thereby
disorganizing trade, are consequently moi
fully represented in this estimate, and Cali
fornia, as it will DC observed, is entirely
omitted.
Still, without them, the aggregate shows
lGS,y25 business houses, representing q
wealth Of S4,944, 100000, mostly invested
in personal property. 1t is generally con
coded that the average profits Of trade range
from ~ to 10 per cent, but assuming the
low figure Of 10 per cent. we have $494,
4T6, 500 as the accrued gain the past yeal
on the business interests spoken Of This
in view Of the unprecedented cxpenditur,
necessarily incurred, both by heavy taxa
ton and in otherwise sustaining the Gov
eminent exhibits the self-supporling char
acter of our people, and but one element o
the strength Of the country, which, wheI
added to the other immense resources no
brought into our estimate, such as real es
tate, agricultural. mining and other inter
ests, should inspire the most hopeful conf
dence in our future growth and permanen
prosperity.
Faithfully yours,
r. G. DUN & co.
STATISTICAL TABLE SHOWING TIVE EsrIMAJEl
WEALTH or THE MERCHANTS, MANurACT RER
AND TRADERS. THROUGHOUT THE MOTHER.