New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-07
" BUSINESS Is DULL"

We never remember the time when this
complaint or the kindred one about "hard
times" did not prevail 1t comes chiefly
rom those who have embarked in enter
prises they did not have the capital and
capacity to conduct, and as there is pre-
ponderance of this class of people in
almost every community, it sometimes |
appears that grumbling is the prevailing |
fashion. Those who are doing reason
ably fair business easily fall into the |
habit for various reasons, chiefly because
when man is doing well he does not
always like to admit it.
When any legitimate business whatever
is dull for any great length of time it is
because it is overdone. Confidence has
nothing whatever to do with the daily de-
mand for pork and -four. Dry goods
must be renewed when worn out, and it
may be loss to the trader, though it does
not follow that it is to the consumer, when
coat, hat or dress is worn year longer
than the fashions of the shops prescribe
Dry goods, notions. toys, cigars, confec-
tionery, stationery and groceries cd in
clude many articles of luxury which csy
very we'll be dispensed with by any family
in distress, and when funds are low thew
are discontinued. A trader must not er-
pect to set himself up with a stock for
which there % no market, and demand
living 81 the world on his own terms. Nor
Se11oouid he hide himself away in his count
ingroom and depend upon the limited adj
vertising afforded by papers which never
go outside the limits of one party, In so
doing he is liable to perish from neglect
because of the obscure position in which
he has placed himself.
We can buy almost any article required
in our business from Northern drum
mer, on samples, with the assurance that
it will be cheaper than the cost of the
same in this market. If it turns out af-
terward that there has been a mistake
about it, there is little or no remedy, as
the drummer is off by the time the mis-
take is discovered, undermining the fossil
merchants Of some other Southern city.
A very large trade is thus taken from
those traders who are complaining of dull
times because they do not employ their
capital to the best advantage. A name
appended to a subscription for the pur-
pose of keeping up political excitement is
the worst possible advertisement man
can have. Is is worse than the foolish
policy of the old Romans, who bought
peace from Alaric with gold. he and his
hordes were Immediately succeeded by
others more numerous and grasping, who
at last succeeded in subverting the i'm
perial power that had existed for thous-
and years and for many centuries ruled
the world. Men who work honestly
and intelligently; who deal fairly
with their customers, and are
true to themselves, rarely have rea-
son to complain of dull times. They
provide themselves with marketable COM
modities and make themselves known to
purchasers Of all classes. No interest is
neglected. nobody's custom despised on
account Of color, politics or religion. A
sagacious man does not believe that mon
sy subscribed TO maintain q lot of idlers
who do nothing utfoment political broils
good Investment. Those who give way
to such weakness may well complain Of
want Of confidence, since no man who
permits political committee to dictate
his politics and control his business de-
serves confidence.
The merchants Of this city have given
up millions Of dollars either to promote
a political party for which they did not
care a straw, or as 3 tribute to profession
al biaekmaileFs who threatened to de-
nounes them Is Radicals II they refused.