The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-11-25
GOOD TIMES COMING.

Following is an editorial taken from
The New York Tribune OF "Wednesday ::
The prosperity of trade depends on the
condition of the classes who are engaged
in production. In the United States the
agricultural class of producers far sur
passes in importance any of the others.
If we can show that the condition of the
farmers AMI planters is an improved one
it will follow that corresponding I'M
provement will before long be manifest
in the general trade of the country.
When we speak of men In masses on
millions, as We must in discussing the
affairs of such nation as the United
States, States, we necessarily have to
disregard multitude ofexceptions to the
general rule Taking the farmers and
planters as class we do say that there is
ample statistical proof of the fact that
they are better Of than they have been
at any time for three years past. We
point in the first to the quantities of
wheat, corn, cotton, beef, pork, cheese,
hams, and bacon exported in the sec
ond place to the prices obtained for
those articles, 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
freights low beyond precedent 4; IN the
third place to the lower rates at which
farmers and planters have this year pro-
cured their labor and in the fourth
place to the fact which naturally follows
from the three already mentioned that
the imports of tea, coffee, and 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 dealings with the United States
Great Britain has proved good custo
mer. While our imports from the Brit
ish isles have been enormously curta1-
ed. our exports to those regions have
greatly increased since the close of the
year 1872 In either one of the three
calendar years 1873, 1874, and 1875, we
have found a market for more grain III
Great Britain than we ever did before.
Much of that grain has gone to reduce
Indebtedness, but nevertheless the farm
ers who produced it have been paid for
it, and well paid for it, too.
Another favorable circumstance In the
condition of trade throughout the Uni
ted State is the absence of speculation.
Probably there is no important article
whose price is now upheld beyond fair
level of the competition of speculation.
The demand that at present exists for
merchandise and manufactures can be
depended on to continue and to grow,
because it comes almost direct from the
consumer. The population of the union
is now in round numbers forty-millons,
and it is increasing ut the rate OF about
two and half per cent per annum, and
much faster than that in the great agri-
cultural states of the west. Under such
circumstances of prosperity and increase
of the agricultural population, how long
can the market for cotton goods remain
glutted at 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 revival
of speculation. Since the telegraph has
united the business world, speculation
does not play the part it formerly did in
trade and commerce. Hence, the slow
and almost perceptible steps by which
business revives where it is not too heav-
lily weighted by debts and taxes.
We cannot think it out of place to
urge economy on those who are in debt,
from the mayor, aldermen, and COM
monalty of the city of New York down
to that man who merely owes his grocer
and tailor. Prompt payment is quite as
conductive to the welfare of business as
large purchases. We believe at this
very time that nothing would tend more
strongly to bring about good times than a
reduction of taxes, and the only honest
way to reduce taxes is to cut down ex-
penditures.