The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-02-22
HAMPERING BUSINE>S.

In one ofour exchanges We read that in
an address made short time since by
distinguished British statesman, the Mar
quis Of Salisbury, before the Manchester
Chamber of Commerce, the gentleman
said: Capital will go, as We well
know. TO any part of the world. 1t will
face any difficulties and dangers in seek
ing employment. But there is one thing
which frjghtens it back, and that Is any
great uncertainty IL to the conditions
under which it i to be employed If it
knows the worst, it can adapt itself to the
worst: but if there is the probability of
some great change of uncertain scope
snd import, upon which some attach Il
large Importance. and some 81 small i'm
portancr, the calculations become alto
gcther So uncertain that no man of cap
ital like, to lose his money in the vent
ure.
Here is piece of financial philosophy
So palpably true that, at its first reading,
there may doubtless be found many
man ready to say that its repetition Is
ab,urdlv .upcrnuous Yet the very fact
that it i, so manifestly true, rising even
To- the dignity of an axiom, causes IL not
being properly considered, and therefore
are brought about the very troubles
which u violation of It's principle. en-
tails.
We have been suffering hard time. for
long period. This cry commenced in
1873. and continues even now, and though
it was produced at first by reckless
spirit Of speculation, the consequence of
an artificial prosperity, yet it has been
kept up and fostered by the unhappy
condition of affairs with which We have
since been cursed
There is not the slightest doubt that
thi, business depression is the direct re-
suit If bad administration and evil
legislation. and that nothing has tended
50 much towards il, aS the course pur-
sued hv President GRANT and Congress.
Take for instance. the State of Louisiana.
We select this as being the most prom-
ncut and freshest case We can present.
Naturally productive, this State contains
within herself NIL the elements of wealth
and prosperity. Yet to-day she lies
ruined, PROSTATE and bankrupt, and all
her trouble has been brought about by
the two agents we have mentioned, while
the same condition exists 10 the same, or
slightly decreased degree, in other South
crn States Who can deny that the
course which has been pursued towards
that section has been such n 10 produce
the very uncertainty rs 10 the con-
dition upon which capital Is to be en-
plovcd there, and thus has frightened ii
away?
But it may be asked, what has this to
dowi,h the country nj large? 1t has Il
great deal to do with it. The laws Of
trade and commerce are such that every
single section j. dependent up,n the
other, and their different interests are 50
interviewer that the slightest impeachment
causes lar which vibratcs throughout
the entire system. Louisiana produces
sugar. molasscs and cotton. Wheeling
produce, iron, gla,, and nails, and the
products Of the one are demanded by the /
other. But if the one cannot, because
capital is frightened from her borders,
realize her products, the other must
not only look to more disadvantagcou>
point for them. but must really suffer by
n los, oflegitimate traffic So when this, ,
or ANY other section, is disturbed, the in
furious effect must be felt everywhere.
This point then is ndisputable, But
here Is still another which is equally