Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-02-26
VALUES BEFORE 4 SINCE THE WAR


From the Proyidenoe journal.
1t is disagteeahle to us TO tell our readers
that they have not nearly as much value in pro.
perty as they think they have. We wish that
the ia were otherwise, but it is our flee to
state things as they are, rather than as we
wish them to be. We estimate values upon
the legal tender rather than the coin standard
and are not mindful that theto is full one third
difference in these measures Of value. Then
we forget to take into the account that the
imitation Of the currency has put it into the
power Of spectators to unduly enhance values
by creating an artificial demand for property,
aud by monopolizng the supply. Then we
forget that the Government has a mortgage
upon our property for the payment Of the ma
tional debt, equal to one seventh Of it's value (;
and that in addition to this there is further
incumbrance for municipal and State indebt-
edness. which will augment the public charges
upon our property to nearly twenty five per
cent, or one fourth Of what it is worth.
The idea that the country has grown richer
during war is simply absurd land the quicker
the people are brought to appreciate the real
condition Of things the better. The alleea-
ton that one million Of men, for nearly four
years, were Withdrawn from the producin <
classes, and employed not only in consuming
products, but in destroying them, and in i'm
pairing the capacity Of the country to produce,
without impoverishing the country, is too
monstrous for belief The men and the capital
employed during the war in providing mate
rails Of war and supplies for its prosecution,
contributed little toadvancethe material wealth
Of the nation, for ihese were expended in the
war, on left on hand and Of little value at its
conclusion.
The fact is, we have simply "marked up
our goods" and based our veal b upon the ad-
vanced price To sustain this price we must
stop producing. But then we shall soon eat
our subsistence. This will not do. What
theui This is a secret worth knowing and
acting upon We will mpart it to our read
ers. First, discard all those pauaceas which
demaRogues propose as sudden aud complete
remedies for he evils Of the time, and take to
labor and economy, See TO It that public at
fairs are administered upon just principles
that peace is thoroughly established, and the
productive industry If the country is every
where encoui aged and developed to its utmost
capacity. If the nation with one mind, should
will it, our exports might be doubled, the
balance of trade could be turned in our favor
10 a single year, and from this source alone.
in course Of a comparatively few years, we
could pay our national debt. But we cannot
attain this result unless we economic in our
practices, and energies, and industry In
crease our labor, enlarge the intelligence by
which it is directed, increase our productions
in quantity and kind, enlarge the fields of our
commodities, oconomise in our expenditures,
and bring the consumer and producer in closer
proximity, and utilize our resources by liber-
aing a large number Of middlemen to become
producers, and then by outstanding all ;he
resources of national wealth, we can show that
we are not only equal, but superior, to all the
emergencies which are upon us
The times are flushed, but not with health
1t is the hectic flush which evinces disorder
that we see, and II remains to be seen whether
there is virtue enough in the people to apply
the only legitimate remedies to eradicate the
disease.
We advise our readers to pay their outstand.
ing debts, to be careful how they contract
new engagements, to try small stocks, to sell
for cash, or upon short credits, and to be con-
tent with small profits and quick returns-
Not to engage in large speculations unless
they expect to realize upon them at once, and
to proceed in the business with caution, keep
ing pace with The times in the way down to
the specie standard Of values. But abovs all
let what will come, avoid everything like panic.