Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-04-01
BUSINESS PROSPECTS.
Encouraging Features Of the situa-
ton.

/
ton.
New York Herald, March Q.
The events of last week were 6nu-
sually interesting, and within sixty
days-if the present outlook means
anything-they promise to be still more
so. While for the moment general
business has been retarded by weather
bound railroads and canals, there is
clearly observable in all the merchan-
disc markets symptoms Of coming i'm
prOVement. 1t is to be borne in mind
that the business season has been de-
layed this year longer than at any pc
Rod during the last decade, fact which
is recognized by the merchants Of near
ly all the departments Of trade In the
caution that has attended the cumula-
ton Of stocks, and in their dealings
with manufacturers and iobbers. 1t
Is not a condition, however, which is
likely to continue, for as long as there
are consumers there must be consump-
ton, and it is unnatural to suppose
that during the last year of CONNER
cial drough5 vast inroads have not been
made upon the volume of stocks on
hand.
After a panic growth is never sud-
denly developed, yet for months, in
moderate way, 1t has been observable
that cOnfdence-always a sensitive
plants growing and that capital here
tOfOre idle is seeking investment in new
enterprises. The movement Of money
is everywhere more active. This is
shown, not only in many of the special
ties Of manufacture throughout the
country, but In the larger interest that
attaches to the movement of specula-
tive and dividend-paying securities.
There Is more life among the trades
men of New England, and no observer
can be careless of the signs Of increas-
ing prosperity as evinced by the addi-
tiOnal activity daily witnessed In the
streets of New York. A blockade in
Broadway, Church, Pearl or Canal
streets, while loaied drays are en- route
to depots or steamship WharVes, means
business. A tour through the retail
dry goods establishments likewise
shows an encouraging movement.
The women of the land at this sea-
son of the year are factors in the great
commercial problem, and from their
demands spring a vastvariety Of indus
tries that give employment to the
muscle and machinery of the world.
This Is not a feature Of the commercial
situation that can be idly ignored.
The agriculturists of the country are
reported, by the journals which repre-
sent their interests, as being in an ex-
ceptOnally strong condition. Wheat
has advanced; breadstuffs are quietly
seeking a market, and although the
prices that are returned for the same
may not be as good as they expected
when their crops were made, the differ
ence Is more than offset by the decline
Of prices of nearly every commodity
they are compelled to use. In this
connection, perhaps the most import
ant feature of the hour is the pending
contest between the great railway cor
pOratiOns. What these lose the farm
eT and the merchant gain. Cheap
freights mean active business, and the
people viii be wise who avail them
selves Of the present opportunity; for
such destructive antagOnism cannot eI-
ist much longer, and within ten or fif-
teen days it would not be surprising If
rivalry gives way to sober counsel, and
a new and more profitable tariff Is es-
tablished, and what is known as the
railroad war" passes into oblivion.