Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-03-06
Hard Times.

When we have what is dcnoBinated
lizard times. there are usually good
many reasons given for the fact, some of
which are weak and foolish. Most always
the party in power is blamed. especially is
this 50 if II Presidential election is close at
hand. At times we al know that in one
section Of the country money may be easy
and bushes. brisk, while in another lOcali
~ the opposite will be the fact.
In the gram growing West. the farmers
have all been growing rich for the past few
years. While in me other sections this
class. or certainly the class that consume
their products. have been growing poor.
Ia the " est there is plenty Of money while
in The great bushes, centers of the coun-
try. moacy can be had for much less than
| the laWitl rate of interest. Communities
| thar sprd more than they earn Will gloW
poor, and nations that import more goods
than they export. will have TO pay the bal
ance iii coin. and of course if this contili-
ues for any length Of time. they will grow
short of funds. Let us take this matter
home, or rather localize these facts and see
what should be our coalition at this time.
Do we 70 abroad for more articles of CON
sumption, or for carrying on our various
occupations. than we can pay for by our
productions? We obtain from somewhere
outside of orr corporate limits, most OF
our corn, flour, beans. pork, lard, boots
shoes, clothing of all kinds and all of ON
sugar, tea. coffee, hardware, furniture &c
Sc. Now what do we sell to pay for al
this? Lumber, fish, wood, bark, oil. sc
We also own more or less Of navigation
which is engaged in the freighting bust
ness. We also build vessels, but the mos
of Abe materials for these comes from
abroad, SO that all the benefit we get il
this direction, is in the amount of work ",
furnish, and perhaps the frames furnished
also. Looking at Our business the pas
year, the laaiber business hardly reaching
the point OF an average, with wood ant
bark dull, fish and OIL do. hat can max,
f up for the excess of our imports over on
| exports? In other words it has cost IL
! more to live than we have earned. w
!, can remedy thi, in various ways in the fu
: ture. We must raise more produce, an,
manufacture more cloth, boots and shoes
and implements for carrying on our busi
y ness. and lop off expenses, in liyin,
&C. The tobacco must be given up. tn
cigars the ale, and the many other wors
than useless extrayagances. But dul
times prevail in other countries beside
ours. We copy the following item iron
the New York Post.
!. Two PER cENT.-Money is at two pc
> cent. per anuum in England, and not niue
higher on the European continent; tire
hundred millions of gold are piled up /
the banks of England and France; an
:. yet. great mercantile houses fail all ell
> terprise is stopped; everybody wants t
a sell. and nobody will buy; and credit
there is no credit; people will not lend
d 1t is not necessary to multiply word
= about the matter Christendom has bee
l. for a number of years living very niue
beyond its income; and nations no NOR
get rich by extravaganza than men. Flo
= some years nations and individuals got OF
. on the plan of the Old woman who thank
ed Heaven that she was able to borrow