The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-07-13
BUSINESS IN THE NORTH
WEST.

VEST

l1he improvement trade throughout ghe
northwest in the last ten days Is unques-
tionable. The cause Is 10 be found in
the free marketing Of the wheat. The
receipts Of this week are getting 10 be
very large (the Monday receipts at Chi
cago and Milwaukee were nearly four
hundred aud fifty thousand bushels).
Every bushel of wheat that comes in
represents an equal value Of goods paid
for to some country merchant, and indi-
Gates that the country merchant will
want to replace the goods by purchase in
the nearest city. The marketing of cat
tie also continues large from Illinois,
southern Iowa and Kansas. IF the
marketing of grain and other products
can go on at this rate without any
material decline of prices until the bulk
of the supplies now in the hands of the
farmers is sold of, the west viii certainly
not have SO much to complain of in the
way Of hard times at the end of the
current year. 1t is true we shall miss
the stimulating effects Of the expansion
Of the railroad system, and also of the
foreign immigration, both of which have
almost ceased in the last two years; but
that the northwest is steadily growing
rich is beyond question. The rapid
developments of the mining interests in
Colorado and the Black Hills is most
important feature in the revival of a
confidence which seems likely to come.
this summer or next fall in the west.
The aspect of affairs in the west just at
present in the above connections gives
more promise of being the first indica-
lions of a general revival of business
confidence and prosperity than anything
else that has been seen for two years.
| But besides these indications at home
there are the chances of a war in Europe,
which would create greater demand for
our breadstufs, provisions, and manhfac-
lures of all sorts of war material-a de-
mand which would set the idle mills and
arms factories of New England all at
work. Whether this war comes this
summer or not, it seems almost GER
tain to come some time within the
next year or two, and WHEN it does
come can scarcely fail to involve all the
leading nations of Europe. England
fears Russia; France hates Germany
since 1871 as much as Italy has hated
Austria since the war Of 1858. The
three empires in the east of Europe are
natural allies, and however the fight
might begin, it would probably end by
allying Russia, Germany and Austria
against England, France and Italy
Such a war would not only break up the
financial contest between Germany and
France (which has resulted in the hoard
ing of nearly $500, 1000, 900 of specie in the
banks of Germany and France, and in
the demonstration of silver and the
consequent enhancement in the value o.
{ gold), but would also leave the United
States the principal manufacturing and
food-producing country of the world, freC
. from any complication in the war, tC
supply the combatants. \
Ofcourse any commercial or fnancia
( advantage that a European war would
\ be to the United States would be only
, temporary, and would be afterwardl
counterbalanced by the disorganizatioI
> of our foreign trade. The only perma
nent financial benefit such war woulC
be to the world would be its effect Il
break up the foolish movement to max,
gold the exclusive standard of values
! 1t is this which is largely if not wholly
the cause Of the present depression o
!, prices throughout the world.
But, a. remarked above, there has beel
an unquestiOnable improvement in bust
o, ness in the northwest in the last tel
days independent Of these war prospect
!, in Europe. One noticeable effect Of thu
increased grain movement is the advanc
: in prices Of the Rock Island, the North
western and the St. Paul roads in tn
last two weeks. In that time Rocl
Island has advanced about three pc
. cent, Northwestern about Eve per cent
on the preferred and about three pc
cent. on the common, and 81. Paul abou
! six per cent. on the preferred and fiy
No. a. .n,v.av,RNva