Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-09-18
Frightening Prospects.

tFrom the Pittsburgh Commercially
The business affairs OF the country
never looked so well as they do at the
present opening of the fall season of
1868. There will be, of course, the
usual monetary stringency, which seems
to be the inevitable result of our in
complete and vicious banking system !;
but that has been overcome before and
as the country grows stronger financial
ly, it must grow wiser, and be able, ere
long, to devise banking system better
able to meet the wants of trade and
commerce. Among the indications of a
prosperous season we may enumerate
the following:
l. The encouraging prospects of the
iron trade. The iron manufacturers of
England are beginning to realize that
they have lost the American market, and
henceforth the wants of that market
must be supplied by our own manufac-
turers. And not the American market
alone. We have noted, already, heavy
shipments of American pig-metal to
England and the New York Times, of
Friday, says that "some very large or
ders from England have been received
here during the last ten days
2 Ship-building has this year under
gone thorough revival, and especially
since July l. The ship-yards of Maine
are again busily engaged building wood
en- vessels, and all along the Delaware is
heard the clang of the hammer on the
hulls of new iron ships. The United
States is destined, we trust, to resume
her real place-the front rankin ocean
commerce. And,
3. Our imports are steadily falling off,
and our exports are steadily increasing.
A very large proportion of the vessels
now arriving at New York come in bal
last, seeking for cargoes to Europe
All these are signs of high promise,
and all other signs Enthusiastically point
to a period of great prosperity. If,
when this prosperity is realized, we can
but use it wisely and prudently, and be
kept out of wild speculations and reck-
less ventures, there will be increased
cause for thankfulness and we are suf-
ficiently hopeful to believe that our peo-
pie have learned enough, from past ex-
perience, to know when they are well
off, and to abide so contentedly.
The condition and prospects of the
grain trade of the world always, at this
season of the year, constitute an inter-
esting and important subject of CONVEX
sation. The latest advices from En-
gland state that the present English
wheat harvest will be better than was
considered pos ible three or four months
ago. Owing to exceptionally fine
weather, the harvest has commenced
this year two weeks earlier than was an
ticipated. The result is check to the
diseases and vicissitudes incident to hot
weather, and an additional yield The
actual wheat deficiency of Great Brit
ain last year was twenty-five per cent,
in place of fifteen per cent, as was an
| ticipated. It is estimated that this
years crop will be decided improve
ment on the last, SO that the require
ments of the ensuing year will be some
Is, 600, 900 bushels less than during the
present harvest year. This, however,
is not very material diminution. A
review of this years harvests show that,
apart from Russia, the principal grain
growing country of Europe, the proba-
bilities are that on the continent the
production will not be much more than
sufficient to meet home demands for
consumption, leaving comparatively lit
tie margin for expectation. Upon the
whole, therefore, the breadstuff outlook
is decidedly encouraging for the grain
growers and exporters of our own coun-
fry