The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-07-29
Business Situation of the Country.

| - '"S SVltVAidi from the New
York Shipping List, so comprehensive,
~ and so justly portrays the bushes,
situation that we reproduce it almos,
entire and commend it to the carefp
perusal of all who are anxious to oh
tain correct views concerning trade
matters:
Trade in all departments is dull, bu,
there is nothing uncommon in this a,
there is usually a pretty general relax.
alton of business energies after the heat
OF summer has set in. 1t is estimated
that the spring trade fell fully twenty.
hve per cent. short of fair average
and for obvious reasons.
The country, after running a LONG
career OF speculation and ovcrtrading
was overtaken by u panic which was
SIMPLY an ahmonition that retrencb-
ment and better economy was neces-
sary' For several months, therefore
everybody has been going to the oppo,
site extreme, and the result has been
duii times. But matters are beginning
to mend; and during the autumn, il
the signs of the times be not wonder.
Tuily delusive, we shall have a better
state Of trade than for several years.
The foundation of all national pros
perIty Is said to be agriculture, and, as
present indications point to brillian,
harvest, We should be rich in material
products the ensuing season. The
agricultural classes may not realize as
good prices, Oh the average, rs they
have realized during the harvest yeal
now closing, but then cheap food and
business prosperity generally go hand
III hand. In certain manufacturing in
dustries, and especially in those which,
depend upon the railway interest, the
revival will, perhops, be later, and
blast furnaces, rolling mills, locomo-
tive and car manufactures may be ob-
liged to wait longer for demand
which is necessary to sustain them in
work T.; but it is mathematically certain
that onr railways must renew their
rails, and that cars and engines must
be built.
Every railway line in the country
has been economizing in such expendi-
ture as much aspossible, aud the COM
plete cessation of work OH many new
lines has added in the stagnation OF
the iron market; but the time is near
at hand when every rail in the hands
of dealers must be needed, and in or
der to meet the demand, the works
must be put in operation again. Thus,
even in branches of business which
suffer most directly and severely from
the railway troubles, we may see the
germs of more prosperous times In
addition to these evidences of the re-
turn of better times, we should not
fail to mention that the business inter-
ests are to be exempt, during the au-
tumn, from the disturbing influence of
legislation, fact Of no small impor-
lance. Nor can there be any more
play ing fast and loose with the legal
tender currency. 1t would have been
best to withdraw tho tweuty-si mil.
lions set afoat during the last eight
mouths, but it is satisfaction to know
there can be no further increase Bus
mess men will thus be enabled to make
their calculations with Il greater de-
gree of certainty. The events of the
last few months have, we think, copclu-
svely demonstrated that the volume
of currency is redundant. But indi-
viduals will find, as a plain matter of
fact, that much currency little, they
will get none of it save by offering for
it something of value; and that value
is to be got by earning and saving.
Aside from accumulated capital, which
was only obtained in the same way,
honestly, there is no getting or curren-
cy, except by industry and prudence,
and this isjust as true of q nation as it
is of an individual. With work at fair
wages for all, and good crops and mod
crate desires, we ought to have bust
ness soon upon q satisfactory basis.
The recollection of the depression of
the past twelve months will last long
to infuse caution for another
gear, perhaps, in personal expenses,
md so, as q whole, the nation is likely
to 10 better able to buy, and less dis
posed to purchase recklessly, than for
some years past.
4 BIG DIFFERENCE.-We well re-
the days when E. W. Rob
ertson was Auditor Of Louisiana, I'M
der Democratic rule, and that he full
filed well and satisfactorily all the
luties of his Office with only two
Jerks, But row how ch9,nged and