New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-08-17

furnished with letters Of introduction,
that in nearly every case procure orders.
Merchants trust each other as fire.
quently upon the basis of good recon-
mendations and fair reputation for
promptness and honesty as they do upon
the actual value of possessions. Agents
of Northern houses find no difficulty in
selling goods to our country dealers, for
as rule they locate tempo rarily in a
town like Shreveport. Alexandria or
Monroe, send such orders as they receive
to their principals with directions to ship
on thirty, sixty or ninety days, according
to circumstances, and then happen around
when the drafts are due. either to collect
or renew them on favorable terms. as good
judgment may dictate.
Now this system operates as a great
drain of cash from this State for the pur-
chase of supplies, without affording any
benefit to the New Orleans merchant.
For our city is not a vigorous competitor
in this great field. Few or no drummers
are employed, and of these but very in
considerable number are ordered to re-
main in the country and administer the
business. Connections once formed are
broken by protest or forced payment.
when the presence fan agent with power
to waive the one or postpone the other
would have strengthened the kindly rela-
tons, and led to continu ed and mutually
satisfactory transactions.
1t is not enough to raise big crops every
year, and strain every effort to obtain ship
ments of cotton to New Orleans. This
latter business is pretty well attended to,
though possibly it might be increased.
Our city ought to be made the great dis
tributing port for provisions. manutac-
lures and merchandise of all kinds, SO
that every steamboat oming here with a
load OF cotton Or sugar would return with
as much freight as it could carry. This
would bring profit to all conference.-the
the steamer, because two loads to voyage
are. better than one; to the city merchant.
who finds steady market for his goods;
to the planter. who would receive
the advantage of reduction of
freight on his cotton. and to the
country merchant, who would gain IN
time by receiving from near market d.
rect, instead Of depending upon one sew
eral hundred miles further away. AS we
have shown heretofore. the. changed con-
dition Of our laborers has br ought such a
change in their habits as to require more
than double the amount of the articles Of
dress. A very great increase-equal to
an accession Of population greater
than we now iavo Of colored peo-
people - is indsputably demonstrat-
ed by unerring figures. Blu: it
is very evident that our city merchants
have not been benefited by this increase
It is even doubtful if they have held their
OWE with the planters through the me-
dium Of the factors. We regard it as Of
the highest Importance that this great
business Of supplying the wants of the
country retail merchant should be secured
for New Orleans. To this end, it should
be sought with as much avidity as is the
trade with the planter. The merchant Of
this city should manifest some degree Of
energy in competing with his rivals in the
Northwestern cities, for this business will
not fall off materially from year to year,
nor be necessarily subjec. to the vicissi-
tudes that affect growing crops. Habits
once formed are not to be set aside all at
once, and what people come to regard as
common necessaries of life, will be had, if
it requires the proceeds Of last year S
earnings to procure them. The fact that
few actual luxuries are occasionally in
cluded in the list Of necessaries, demon
strates the growing tendency OF human
taste.
Now, here are many millions Of dollars
open to the competition Of the mercantile
world, and we desire to see the dealers of
this city come II for the lions share
Were they to work this great field up to
its full capacity. they would have little
time and less occasion to grumble about
hard times. OK ring the changes on high
taxes.