Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-12-09
The Beginning of Better Times.
NewYork Tribune.

The prosperity of trade depends on
the condition of the classes who are
engaged in production. In the
United States the agricultural class
of producer far surpass any Of the
others. If we can show that the con-
dition Ut the farmers and planters is
an improving one it will follow that a
corresponding Improvement will be-
fore long be manifest in the general
trade of the country. When we
speak of men in masses of millions, as
we must discussing the affairs of such
nation as the United States, we
necessarily have TO disregard a multi
tude of exceptions to the general rule.
Taking the farmers and planters as a
class we do say that there is ample
statistical proof of the fact that they
are better off than they have been any
time for three years past. We point
in the first place to the quantities of
wheat, corn, beef, cotton, pork,
cheese, hams and bacon exported; in
the second place to the prices obtain
Ell for those articles, not at the port
of New York, but at the places
where they are produced, for the
farmer has had the advantage for over
a year of internal freights low be
yond precedent; in the third place to
the lower rate of wages at which
farmers and planters have this year
procured their labor; and in the
fourth place to the fact which natur-
ally follows from three already men
toned, that the imports of tea, coffee
and sugar have been larger in the
fiscal year ended with June last than
any previous year in the history of
the country. In her dealings with the
United States Great Britain has
proved good customer. While our
imports from the British Isles have
been enormously curtailed, our ex-
ports to those regions have greatly
increased since the close of the year
1872. In either one of the three cal
ender years 1873, 1874 and 1875, we
have found market for more grain in
Greant Britain than we ever did be-
fore. Much of that grain has gone
to reduce indebtedness, but neverthe.
less the farmers who produced it have
been paid for it and we'll paid for it,
too.
Another favorable circumstance in
the condition of trade in the United
States is the absence of speculation.
Probably there is no important article
whose price is now upheld beyond
fair level by the competition of spec
ulators. The demand that at present
exists for merchandise and manufac-
turers can be depended on to con-
tinue and to grow, because it comes
almost direct from the consumer. The
of the Union is now in
ro~~a ..~.4AocIs uILy-nye millions, aud
It is increasing at the rate of about
two and one half per cont ra- o~,-"-.,.
and much faster in the great agricul
tural States of the West. Under
such circumstances of prosperity and
increase of the agricultural popula-
ton, how long can the market for cot
ton goods remain glntted at the pres
ent low prices? 1t must within no
distant period, feel the increased con-
sumption. AT the same time we are
bound to say that there are no grounds
for expecting a 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 imperceptible 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, aldermen, and
commonality of New York city,
down TO that man who merely owes
his grocer and tailor. Prompt pay
ment is quite as conducive to the well
fare Of business as large purchases.
We believe at this very time that
nothing would tend more strongly to
bring about good times than reduc
ton of taxes, and the only honest
way TO reduce taxes is to cut down
eYpnnditures