The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-22
is TRADE REVIVINC7

STEPHEN d. DILLAYE.
is TRADE REVIviNC7
I'VE copy the following article from
"Ihe Coming Struggle" a new paper
established in New York city IN the
interest of labor and currency reform
honest government and national
prosperity. The labor party have not
the men of money on their side in their
struggle for justice, but they have the
men of talent and of thought. Men OF
minds and hearts instinctively take
sides with. Right and Truth. OF such
men are the projectors and writer's OF
"Ihe Coming Struggle" 1t is a credit
to journalism. and deserves respect
and support.
OF all the fallacies that beguile the
hearts and intellects of men, the CLAM
or of hope is the most Elusive. 1t emits
it's brightest beams in adversity's
darkest hour, and sheds it's warmest
lustre on the soul that is most DESC
late. 1t is the only passion that holds
constant dominion over minds ofevery
class; for under it's treacherous sway
the hard-visaged statistician-the wa
ry man of faction hands with the
musing lover and the gushing school,
girl. 1t is indeed the one touch Of ma
ture that makes the whole world kin.
For four years the prosperity OF the
nation has been steadily declining, and
yet, during all that period, there has
never been a moment at which men
failed to discern the OmenS ola bright
er future. Those stern and unrelent-
ing chroniclers Of wealth and credit,
the commercial agents-men whose
trade is to swallow facts and to vomlt
figures; men who regard sentiment as
but another name for idiocy; men who
would evince emotion if accused OF
imaginativeness, although no slighter
cause than that could startle them
these men, with each returning season
have most Individually proven that the
period of depression had at length pass
ed, and that we might now look hope
fully to the future.
Take the sixteen quarterly reports
that epitomize the commercial history
of the past four years, and it will be
found that single stereotype would
amply serve for all. Here is a tolera-
bly, fair sample:
1t becomesour duty to state chat the
expectations of an improved trade
which we INDUCED in our last report,
have not been realized. The stock
held by country merchants was doubt
less in excess of our estimate, and un-
der the influence of dropping market
there has been an evident reluctance
to buy. 1t is safe, however, to as
sumo that the old stock has now been
worked off, and with the opening sea-
son we may reasonably look forward
to a steady revival of business. The
volume of trade may not be large,
but it should be some compensation to
know that it will be on q healthier ba-
sis than that of the past year. By re-
| ferring to our tabular statement it
will be seen that the number of busi-
| ness failures is somewhat in excess of
those of the last quarter, and the dis
crepancy between assets and liabilities
| is also greater; but it will be found
that the total amount of liabilities may
| be materially reduced by striking out
those names in which the letter w oc-
ours. and dividing the remainder by
the figure 8. 1t is also proper to state
| that these failures have resulted, not
so much from business depression as
from the imprudence of merchants in
assuming obligations which they were
unable to meet; and, at worst, we have
the final and full assurance that as the
ranks of industry are gradually
thinned out the number of bankrupt
cies must necessarily diminish. On
the whole, the outlook is cheerful.
| An unusual acreage has been sown
down in winter cabbage. the stand of
beans is good, the peanut crop may
| be considered safe, the seasons have
been propitious. the political skies are
Frightening. and tone of hopeful
buoyancy pervades the entire mercan-
| tile class.
| Now we submit that this is fair
specimen of the pabulum on which
the hopes of business men have been
nourished during the past four years,
and we ask if it isinot almost time that
cool reason should dismiss this airy
phantom. that lures only to betray-
that keeps the word of promise to the
ear. but breaks it to the hopee
What constitutes prosperity!
| Facility of production and exchange.
| This is the whole answer. The
history of our race affords no example
of indisposition to produce when the
conditions of production have been
favorable or even possible. The chief
study of every man is to ascertain
what the world most needs. and the
effort of his life is to supply that want
Why is it, then, that industry STANDS
idle beside the mine, the loom. the
lathe, the pillow. the forget Why has
the tradesman to bemoan his deserted
counter, and the landlord his tenant.
less housesi Why is the poverty OF
the humane nhvsician increased by the