The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-12-02
The Beginning of Better Times.


on the condition of the classes who
are engaged in production. In the
United States, the agricultural
class of producers far surpasses in
Importance any of the Others. It
we can show that the condition of
the farmers and planters is an i'm
proving one, it will follow that a
corresponding Improvement will be
fore long be manifest in the gen
eral trade of the country. When
we speak of men in masses of mil
hons, as we must In discussing the
affairs of such nation as the
United States, we neces sarily have
to disregard a multitude of excep-
tons to the general rule. Taking
the farmers and planters as a class,
we do say that there is ample statis-
tical proof Of the fact that they
are better off than they have been
at any time for three years past
We point in the first place to the
quantities OF wheat, corn, cotton,
beef, pork, cheese, hams and bacon
exported in the second place, to
the prices obtained for those arti-
cles, not at the port Of New York,
but at the places where they were
produced, for the farmer has had
the advantage for over year of
internal treights low beyond prece-
dent; in the third place. to the
lower rate Of wages at which farm
ers and planters have this year pro-
cured their labor; and in the
fourth place, to the fact which nat
urally follows from the three already
mentioned, that the imports of tea,
coffee aud sugar have been larger
in the fiscal year ended with June
last than in any previous year in
The history Of the country. In her
dealiA gs with the United States,
Great Britain has proved a good
customer. While our imports from
the British Isles have been enor-
mousIy curtailed, our exports to
those regions have greatly increased
since the close of the year 1872. In
either one OF the three calendar
years 1878, 1874 and 1875, we have
found n market for more grain III
Great Britain than we ever did be-
fore Much of that grain has gone
to red ace Indebtedness but never
theless, the farmers who produced
II have been paid for it, and well
paid for it, too.
Another favorable circumstance
in the condition OF the trade through
out the Gut ed States is the absence
of speculation. Probably there is
no important article whose price is
now upheld beyond a fair level by
the competition Of spectators.
The demand that at present exists
for merchandise and manufactures
can be depended on to grow, be-
cause 1t comes almost direct from
the consumer. The population of
the Union Is now in round numbers
torty-tiye millions, and it is increas-
ing at the rate OF about two and
hait per cent. per annum, and much
faster than that in the great agricul-
tural States Of the West. Under
such circumstances of prosperity
aud increase Of the agric cultural
population, how long can the mar
llet for cotton goods remain glutted
OF the present low prices? 1t must
within no very distant period, feel
the increased consumption. AT the
same time, we are bound to say that
there are no grounds for expecting
q revival Of speculation. Since the
telegram has united the business
world, speculation does not play
the part it formerly did IN trade and |
commerce. Hence, the slow and |
almost lmperceptible steps by which |
business revives, where it is not
too heavily weighted by debts and
taxes.
We cannot think it out of place
to urge economy on those who are
in debt, from the Mayor, Alderman !
and CommonaIty Of the City of New
York, down to the man who merely
owes his grocer and tailor Prompt
Is OuIte as cOn1uciVn tn |