Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-01-06
Dull Times.

we scissor entire from the Safe Reg
lister.
1 Many people are complaining OF
dull times, lack OF currency, and lit
tie demand for labor. There 10 some
truth In all these complaints. But
what are the causes2 We can see
some Of them as we look around us.
First, The great mass of people
have become extravigsnt In their
mode and style Of living and In
dress. Instead Of the republican
simplicity which governed our fore
fathers in the earlier days of the Re-
public, most men and women of this
day seem to vie with eacn other in
efforts to have the best carriage or
most extravaganza house or the most
expensive dresses, not only for the
Older ones Of the family, but for all
the children, down to the little baby
who Is hauled about town by . SER
want in an expensive little carriage
decorated with the expensive b ank-
cts and drapery that folly and m oney
can suggest and purchase.
Second, Many, in the belief that
they could run the risk, have bought
farms and stocks for trade on time.
have expended lavishly on buildings
and other improvements, trusting
| that good times would continue, ami
that they could meet the next pay
| ment by easy loans, good crops, or
some good luck, but when 80 many
cane INTO the market for relief, al
| most at the same time. and money 10
scarce, when all things are consider.
ell, and when the very extraordinary
demands of 30 many for SO much
money is made, they cry out dull
times" but forget that their own
improvidence Is the matter. aud do
not remember that they are OF the
number who have aided In bringing
about what they call "dull times"
Third, A large portion OF wheat 10
still held 10y the farmers b, cause the
price Is too low. They will run the
risk of holding on for higher price,
aud many, therefore, do not pay
their debts. or course ir 10 every
mans privilege and even his duty to
his own interests to not sell his crops
If the future hears good promise OF
better than present prices. But II
the crop was sold it would put just
its value into circulation of green
backs, and would enable the present
holder OF the wheat crop to pay his
debts. the man he paid could then
pay his debts; and SO OH through a
hundred channels. The holder Of
wheat cries out "dull times" and
forgets that he with hundreds of
others 10 helping in keeping up dull
| times"
Fourth, Many farmers depending
upon the high prices of pork last
year, went into the pork business ex-
tensively this year. Some of them
boIght on credit at rate equal to Al
to S cents per pound for stock hogs
alive. have kept them through
the summer, fed them In the fall,
and now can realize only s cents
per pound for the same hogs dressed.
1t Is bad enough for them who have
raised their own hogs, and have only
lost time aud labor and feed, but how
much worse IL 1t for those who pur-
chased on credit. purchased feed on
credit. and bought the necessaries of
life for the family on credit, depend
ing on the sale Of the hog crop i'm
the fall TO make the whole account
even. No wonder that some OF them
cry hard times"
| We might 10 on and enumerat
other causes of "dulI times" but 1t
is enough TO say that all will yet and
speedily come out all right, aud that
the recuperatve energies of our peo.
pie, the fertility Of our soil. pru-
dence, economy and q discrimina-
ting division OF crops for the com.
ing year. will relieve US of the bur
dens we are now with SO much dis.
comfort bearing. The past is full Of
comfort. The farmers of Northern
aud Western Iowa crn vel. remem-
Ger how, some eight or ten years ago,
they had to draw their wheat fifty to
one hundred miles to market, to get
forty cents per bushel In wild Wis.
consin money for 1t, and their pork,
dressed, the same distance, to get
even AS low us q dollar and o half
per hundred weight. And i'm those
timss, too, We were raising q poorer
and lighter class Of hogs. that we
had to sell by the dozen and count
as one hog in order To make re
spectacle showing as to weight W hen
we returned home. And what al
extra amount OF corn il took to get
even the small amount of fat on the
ribs Of our prairie rangers! When
| we remember all these things we
gain much consolation for 'ur pres.
ent bad and blue feelings. We ,hol'd
remember, too. even when we cons
pare the low prices of 1870 with the
high prices prevailing from 1858 to
1869, that the money We now receive
for our crops will purchase even
! more goods Of all kinks than we got
then. Then calico was thirty-fi q
and forty cents q yard-now it IL from
eight to twelve; then u pair of pants
was poor that cou.,d be got for ten
dOllars-now We can get good
working suit for ten dollars; then
coffee and sugar was beyond our
reach--nOw We can all enjoy them.---
So we might run through the list OF
all the old and new prices, 10 find q
crushing difference In favor OF the
present day.
We think we can safely say that
qetter times will soon be here. The
crops OF the country cannot be held
out Of the market much longer they
must pass into the form of money.
Money, too. will soon grow plentier.
Many of the National Banks are
now holding for the January exhibit
as required 10y the Government. A.
soon as that IL made they will sup
ply more currency to trade than they
4 a IA dntnn