New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-04
NE LESSON o. TRADE.

THE LESSON OF TRADE.
The trade statistics of the port of New
Orleans, which we published in full Of
the first Of the month, should set our PEG
| pie to thinking, for the figures are agains
us in many important particulars. VIZ
have fallen off in most of those articles
that We should have increased in, and We
have improved in that species of merchan
disc in which we should have fallen of.
In cotton our receipts fell off near halt
million Of bales, moIasses fell off forty
six thousand barrels, and sugar fell OF
fourteen thousand hogsheads. In the
matter off corn, we handled over two mil
lion and a half more bushels than we did
the year previously; pork in bulk in
creased half a million pounds, and other
meat stuffs also increased largely in guam
! tity. Tobacco fell off over twelve thou
sand boxes. These figures present a
serious matter for our consideration.
Why are we losing the real basis Of our
commercial wealth, which consists in cot
| ton, sugar and tobacco, that are exported
abroad, and replacing it with provisions
which are probably consumed at home2
When the statistics Of the port show that
we are losing trade and that we are eating
up our substance, it becomes an import
ant question how we are to reverse this
unhealthy progress.
The public need not be alarmed at our
showing if it will only consent to listen to
reasonable explanation of the evil and
to accept of a programme to arrest its
growth. We have frightened the world
about the condition of the State, and that
has driven hundreds of people and mill
lions Of capital away from New Orleans.
Vindictive and superficial parties have
published far and wide that the State was
to be Africanized that the taxes were to
be multiplied, that corruption was to be
cultivated to still more alarming proper
tons, and that there was to be no security
for property. This. of itself deadened
confidence and drove away the trade that
can only be had by unfolding good faith
in all things. The men who sped these
dismal stories did not detail the evils that
they prognosticated, but they made a.
summary of ali the woes they could think
of and piled them upon the community in
one colossal mass, darkening the future
with a volume Of misfortunes. And yet
the very authors of these stories did not
believe them, for while they were prophe-
sying desolation to all the interests of the
city they have been investing their money
in real estate and in the securities of the |
city and State. tits plain to be seen, then,
that we must cease to give ourselves bad |
name if he hope. to have fair one with
the people whose good Offices we propose
to avail ourselves of.
In the next place New Orleans has lost
trade because rival communities have |
beaten her in the race for favor New
York obtains our cotton, because she
makes returns sooner than we do. To-
babco goes to Europe directly from Ken
lucky and Tennessee, because other routes
dispatch it with speed and at less cost
Activity and promptness are our great
enemies. While we wait for trade other
go or send after it, or they
offer superior inducements to attract it.
The cotton business belongs to us, and
yet half dozen inland towns are disput-
ng with us for its possession, and backing
Up their professions by pointing to their
superior facilities. They have actually
ouilt outlets While we have almost allowed
ours to fill up, while we waited upon the
ederal government to open it up.
We have had wonderful increase in
,ur corn business, but the people of New
Orleans are not entitled to any credit for
hat. It came here through the interven-
ion Of Western men, and if it stays here
t will stay because the West commands it
0 remain. So with the increase of meat
tufts; they are the consignments of
who are striving to build up a
'rovision trade in the Gulf and with
Europe through New Orleans.
We have given the reason and the
emedy We must cease to prejudice the
yorld against ourselves, and we must
trive to convince the world that we are
'orthy to be prosperous. States that are
ot ten years old rank us in enterprise,
reating ways of trade that nature never
We leave the work of con-
tructing our great railroads to the very
len we abuse, and while we issue an
5tentatious appeal for capital and emigra-
on, we set our voices against strangers a.,
nd their works as the enemies of the. J.,
outh. While this continues the trade
.atistics Of New Orleans will not be en-
because no man can give him
7if bad name and then expect to be
,eated as reputable member Of society
fterward.
NATIONAL BOARD OF TRADE.
AT the regular monthly meeting of the ]
OIL q n | n