, 1871-06-27
DULL TIMES


Notwithstanding the great interest that
is being worked up in the East in regard
to Puget scuud-and the fact.that many
are coming into the country, business is
very dull, and money as general thing
is scarce. This assertion seems hardly
possibls-a new country in-which istO be
nude the ending Of one of the greatest
railroads in the world, with all of its
boasted advantages. too-one would ex>
pect a reverse state of affairs but We
cannot shut our eyes TO the truth, and
when we come to canvass the matter
thoroughly it lie plainly accounted for.
In the first place the lumber market is
down; but that which more completely
knocks the life out Of any enterprise that
might otherwise be be undertaken is the
universal Micawberism that has taken
possession Of our people. Those who
have money to invest are holding on till
the terminus is located, those who have
property are afraid to improve it lest they
miss the terminus, and those who have
neither money nor property consequently
have to play with their fingers, while they
anaihematize the. country and the people
because the terminus isn't located. Thus
it is, everything hitehes on the terminus.
and thus the terminus has hitched every
thing. This railroad excitement is. be-
coming curse TO the country. Every
thing is being exaggerated. The adver-
tisements for the sale of railroad bonds at
the East have tendency to do the coun-
try more harm than good, for the reason
that the advantages of the country are
ovsrdrawn. Ii is something in this way:
An eastern man asks of the party giving
information "You have fine fisheries
there? y eyes, sir, they can be made TO
give up any amount of fsh-we have
plenty of fish for the catching" Now,
the eastern man puts this up from his own
standpoint, and Immediately comes to the
conclusion that he can come out here and
make money in the fishing business. He
is mistaken. We have the fish, it is true;
but we have net the people to consume
them; nor have we any established mar
ket where to take our fish. The same
rule applies TO agriculture, to manufac>
lures ands ID minerals. The development
of these things will have 10 come about
with the development Of the country, and
these who come here and try to force any
of thesa Interests ahead of the balance Of
the machine will sink their money, and
those who come after them will be bene-
fitted by 1t.
The theory that a settlement can he
made IN new country to any extent that
will be self-sustaining seems to be very
plain one to some, and it would be correct
if the country could produce all ;hat is
needed; but such is not the case, and it
matters not how complete the settlement
may be with farmers, mechanics, engi-
neers and merchants, unless there can bs
an export trade to bring back the capital
that is expended for imports, the settle
mert will ,on be made bankrupt. HiIh-
erto we have had none but our domestic
market for our productions (ou;side of
lumber) and if more than could be con-
sumed was offered, the producer has suf-
fered by it. The consequence has been
that agriculture and Ike interests have
been prosecuted only to certain degree,
and as it was supposed that we could not
compete with nrighboring States in this
respect, no effort has been made to find an
outside market. Within the last year it
has been found that the superiority Of the
potatoes raised on the Sound over those
raised in California or at Humboldt, makes
for us a ready market at San francisco
for our surplus potatoes, II is in this
way that trade is made and markets found.
1t is not commenced but-end first; bu!
gradually, and as the demand gradually
increases so will the yield.
We can assure our peop'e that even af-
ter the terminus is located it will require
soma years to Develop a trade that will
fill our harbors with ships and our ware
houses houses with merchandise Markets will
have to be found, old prejudices broken
through, the superiority of our route over
Others be proved, and trade regulated
accordingly.
And further, by the time all of this has
come about, the different placrs along the
Sound will have advanced in Importance,
and it will matter little where the invest
ment is made in real estate, an increased
value is sure to accrue. Thus it will be
seen that this keeping capital in abeyancs
for big thing on the terminus, is sui
cidal policy. 1t may win for turn or
two but when things come down to a
legitimate base, many will find that they
have saved their money to lose it in the
crash that is sure to follow the excite
ment and flush times at first after the To-
cation of the terminus.
Twenty-Five hundred women, indicted
: