Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-20
Rnsiness and Prlces.

W
tain quarters of a general revival in bust
ness are not borne out by facts, and the ap-
lprehension is expressed that general bus
Iiness smashup is imminent. We hope thai
these apprehensions will not be realized
but we do know that times are hard and
will continue hard for some time to come
IRepublfcahN egislation has had much to dc
with this. There is starvation and wretch
edness throughout the South. Immense
taxes grind the people down in the North
These taxes in great part have grown out
| of the work that was required to desolate
and impoverish the South. The Republican
party could haye prevented this in the win
ter of 1901, by assenting, in good faith, to
lcertain paciticatory measures. Believing
the South could not by any possibility be
kicked into fight, they refused to assent.
II Never was there a greater absurdity than
1.-THE s6pposition that from one to two mill
Ilion of men can put in four years Wig
lorously working to destroy the resources
Ilof the country and not realize in return for
lIsuch work calamity to the prosperity OF
lltheacountry. What the Federal Govern
lsment did not take from and destroy belong
ling to, the South, the so-called Confederate
l!Government did. The people there are
necessarily in a, condition of extreme
llwretchedness, which condition deprives
them of the ability to contribute to the gen.
lersL prosperity. The debt contracted by
the Federal Government in this work OF
destruction is so excessive that the payment
of the mere interest thereon, coupled with
the extraordinary expenditures conse-
quent upon conducting the Government
under Republican partisan administra-
tion, afflicts every department of bus
iness with a paralytic. So much
does Government demand from the earn
Iings of individuals and corporations doing
legitimate business, that none but those
having the most courageous hearts have
the hardihood to take hold of such enter
prises as. under favorable circumstances,
are calculated to promote activity and
prosperity. Capital is timid and does not
like to make Investments that are befogged
with uncertainty. Sothat we find that a
great deal of the capital that has been
sslying around loose - is being rapidly in
vested in Government securities, on which
they receive good interest and are released
from paying anything toward carrying on
any of the Governments-Federal State.
County, Township or Municipal. Were
the country to-day free from its present in
debtedness, and were the Government ad-
ministered with that cheapness and econo-
my with which it was administered
81 IL, orfu od-
ministered it, we should enjoy a
gratifying prosperity, although the South
should be desolated and impoverished; but
when you couple our great indebtedness,
which is constantly increasing through the
reckless appropriations of Congress and
the corruptioN in official circles, with the
poverty and starvation of the South, a
healthy prosperity is out of the question.
Our people are compelled to adopt the most
trying make-shifts. This is not matter
that affects Democrats simply. 1t affects
all parties. If the mass of the people-la-
boring men, mechanics and farmers-are not
prosperous, business of all kinds will Ian
guish. Business men have ample leisure to
study and appreciate this fact now. Some
thing must be done-something must be
done in the way of cutting down taxes;
and in the way of inspiring the people of
the South to 60 to work and help lis pay off
the. Indebtedness of the country, and thus
restore the old-time prosperity. Voting
the right way will have much to do in this
matter. To vote majorities to Republican
candidates will not do. for the Republican
Congressman and legislators will eonstrue
such votes to be an approval of their course,
and they will GO, on as heedlessly and as
recklessly as they have been going on for
some time. Before we can look for refor-.
nation in the manner of conducting the
Government, and for substantial resusei-
tation of business, the Republican party
must devoted into minority. 1t may not
be pleasant for many to assist in doing
this; but they will find that their material
interests require it.