The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-02-22
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.


The Past nnd the Future M Viewed from
Commercial Standpoint.
The report OF the Mercantile Agency
Of Dun, Barlow & Co., in their review
Of business, says: Chief among the
favorable signs Of the times Is the gcn-
eral tendency toward economy. Ex-
trlyagant expenditure, up TO the end Of
1873, was one Of tile most alarming
phases noticeable in the community, and
even had the process Of reversing that
tendency eruleand disasterous,
the panic aud its succeeding months
Of depression will not hayo been in vain
Il the necessity for retrenchment has
been made apparent. That this reduc-
ton in expenditure has been almost uni
yersal is evidenced by the restriction Of
trade during the year Of which so many
complain. Otherwise 1t is difficult to
account for the dull times in country
50 abundantly supplied withcyery essen
tial OF prosperity-with crops unsur-
passed, aud IN area under cultivation
never elualel; witha productive power
in its manifold industries beyond belief
twenty years ago, and marked pro-
gress in all material clements. Had
there been any widespread distress, any
failure Of production, scarcity Of labor,
or continued disturbanceof the monetary
system Of the country, the depression Of
tho past yearmightbe attributed toother
causes than now appear. What Is the
Legitimate trJ1e OF the country founded
on but the actual demands OF the COM
munityi II these wants are less in ex.
tent in one year, or o series Of years,
than in another, the Legitimate trade
is Just 80 much influenced. It Is obyi-
GUS, therefore, II the depression Of the
year can be attributed 10 no worse cause
than iulicious economy, there is no
great ground for apprehension. On the
contrary, the only true path back to re-
newed activity and safe prosperity is
in this direction. It is true that the pur
chasing power Of the people in many
localities Is impaired by the condition
Of numerous industries now paralyzed
from previous oyer.production. lime
Is needed to restore these interests to
their normal condition, and we must
wait patiently until the equilibrium be.
tween supply and demand for these pro.
ducts adjusts itself. II in tho delay no
greater Calnmitica occur than have been
apparent in tho past year, there will be
cause for congratulati0n.
Still another hopeful sign is the steady
effort 10 at least largely reduce indebted.
ness, II not entirely TO liQuidatc it.
While among railroads and largely OK.
panded corpontions this Inns becn found
next to impossible, we arc persuaded
that, among merchants and traders, the
amount Of current Indebtedness, as com
pared with this time last year, Is vastly
decreased. W. have had abundant op-
portunity 10 note this process Of liluida.
ton, and through it Ind very nearly
reached its.minimum prior to the pur-
chases for the spring trade, we are per-
suaded there has been many o prosperous
time in the history Of tho country when
the realizable assets Of the mercantile
community were far less in proportion TO
the liabilities than now.
A close conservatism in the granting
Of credits ia another prominent feature
OF encouragement, and in this our
peculiar position enables us to speak
somewhat authoritatiyely. We find tho
slirowdost merchants not content, as
they formerly wore, with markings and
ratings Of credit, with mere generalities
and mengre reports; but they demand
close estimates, the fullest dctails Us to
assets and liabilities, particulars as to
antecelentg, character and capacity,
which in tho large majority Of cases we
arc not only able but too glad to
supply.
We arc conscious that there is much
in the past year TO discourage, and,
seemingly, TO delay o return to q healthy
condition Of tradc. Prices for many
products liaye materially declined, largo
losses have been submitted to, and sales
have been largely restricted. Those
cases are rare in which the surplus in
business Inns been much increased rs the
result Of the year, while the cases are
numerous where parties have barely
held their own; and many, il they
honestly look their affairs in the face,
must admit loss.