New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-06

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ure of misfortune that has fallen to our
lot. Our case is peculiar in some re-
spects, but we have 10 good reasons tor
regarding it as either hopeless or desper-
ate.
Let those who are disposed to indulge
in gloomy forebodings look abroad.
Among prosperous countries, England
generally ranks first. And how stands
England now. On those questions which
so vitality affect the well-being of the pro-
ducing masses, the reply is by no means
favorable. 1t is not necessary to inquire
into the causes of that decline in trade
which the British people lament; the de-
cline exists and compels recognition, as
we'll in the shops of the worknen as IN
the halls Of legislation.
Mr.. A. Macdonald, member OF Parlla-
ment, writing to the miners OF North
Staffordshire touching a proposed reduc-
ton of wages, goes into details which are
by no means encouraging. He says that
not in mining alone, but in every depart
ment of labor, there is a general cry OF
depression and complaint of declining
trade. This, he says, is specially the
case on the European continent. Refer
ring to this country he says: "In America
all branches Of industry suffer; the wages
in most of the mining districts are lower
than they were before the war;" tie then
referred to the agreement among the man
ufacturers of wooden stUfs at Leeds to
run their factories on short time, and to a
like condition of affairs among the manu-
facturers of cotton goods in Lancashire,
and then counseled the miners to accept
the proposed reduction in wages without
hesitation, as strike under the circum-
stances would be absolutely suicidal.
| Again, in a conference with the Ma
tional Miners Union, at Manchester, Mr..
Macdonald stated that the condition of
the coal and iron trade is worse than it
has been at any other time within the last
thirty years, and, bad as things are in
England, they are even worse abroad
Somewhere hidden in the cloud, he
doubted not, there was a silver lining,
but he was afraid that the time was not
near at hand when the cloud would break
and the lining become visible.
This is by no means an encouraging
view, yet it is that of representative man
whose laboring constituents had asked
| him for advice, and who looked at the
entire situation from the insular position
which England occupies. 1t appears that
the cotton trade Of Great Britain has not
maintained the ascendency it once held
| over that of other countries. and in this
is found one of the causes Of that general
cry of depression to which SIr. Macdon-
aid so solemnly refers. From consump-
ton equal to forty-nine per cent OF the
total cotton crop of the world, English
manufacturers now require only forty
four per cent of the crop, and this, not
outstanding their increased facilities for
| converting the raw material into COM
mercial textiles. Hence idle spindies and
idle workmen; hence complaints Of de-
| cline in trade; hence, also, o serious fall
| in the price of ships.
| The British policy Of stimulating the
production of cotton in India begins now
| to plague it's inventors. After raising the
cotton, India has adopted the English pro-
cesses Of manufacturing it, and thus large.
" supplies her own immense demand.
| This fact translated into trade statistics,
tells seriously against British commerce.
| In like manner the Southern States OF
this Union are beginning to manufacture
the goods they require, and to this extent
they strengthen the conditions of their
own prosperity.
On this hint the people of New Orleans
should act. The present population Of
the city is far too great for the transaction
of our commercial business; a consider.
able portion of it should, therefore, be
devoted to manufacturing industries. We
have at hand both the raw material and
the necessary labor, and with our advan.
tages of position, should utilize both in
building up the factors of new pros.
perity. Our true place in the worlds
industries is yet to large extent unoccu.
pied. Let US, before calling On Hercules,
!, determine to help ourselves.