The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-04
Business Croakers and Hypochen-
driacs.

| deal overcome, and that an inteilibent SUI
| vey OF the situation will show that the coun-
try is in state of hopeful conva essence.
The croakers would have US think that the
city of New York is in worse condition
than any other part OF our stricken and
paralyzed country, inasmuch as we are
rapidly losing the export trade in grain by
diversion to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Bos-
ton and Montreal, and as determinations
against us in ocean ireights, conjoined with
railroad combinations, cause imported
goods to be delivered in Chicago at
cheaper rates than in New York. Ac-
colding to this representation New York is
in rapid decline and has greater reason
for dependency than either the country at
large or the rival commercial cities Let us
take glance, then, at this chief seat OF bust
ness depression. 1t is at least certain that
grass is not growing in our streets. They
are in an unpleasant state Of dilapidation
and flth-so well MANFRED, in TACT, that
grass would grow with great luxuriance if it
were given chance. But the very causes Of
this dilapidation and filth are the reasons
why grass cannot grow in our streets. Our
streets are horribly out OF repair because
there is such constant weight Of heavily
laden wheels III motion upon them; they
are SO disgustingly filthy by the
droppings Of the tens of thousands
of horses that draw the carts and
vehicles which so rapidly wear out the
pavements. There is, to be sure, great
want of efficiency in the Street Cleaning
Department but that kind Of efficiency
would not be needed in streets which traffic
had deserted. The ever increasing demand
for rapid transit is another proof that New
York is not declining city. Rapid transit
has become so urgent and imperative
want because our population has over
flowed the limits within which horse cars
can serve the public convenience. Never
were there SO many horse cars moving on
all the various lines, and never We're these
vehicles more uncomfortably jammed and
overcrowded as they now are during the
busy parts of each day. We are as far re-
moved as possible from the condition of
deserted or declining city in whose streets
grass is beginning to grow. If it be true
that the other commercial cities are draw
ing away our trade they must be still fur
Their from losing their population than we
are.
1t is an unq fashionable and unquestioned
fact that the population of the country was
never before so large as it is to-day. Is it
starving population? Is it population in
rags? Does it dwell in novels or decaying,
tumble-down tenements? A walk or drive ,
through this city, or through any American
city or village, suffices to show the absurdity
implied in such questions. Our people
have not only food, raimont and shelter, but
surplus means for every good and every bad
indulgence AS examples of tho good, our
common schools and higher institutions
of learning were never so throngcd with
pupils and students, who are all decently
clothed and bear no marks in their physique
of deficient nourishment. AS examples Of
surplus means for bad or doubtful purposes
consider the truly enormous consumption
of distilled liquors, beer and tobacco in the
United States. Then consider the square
miles Of carpets that are sold every year,
the quantities of elegant furniture, Of ex-
pensivc jewelry, of fine carriages, and
superb harness. During the hours of shop
ping the streets on which our fashionable
stores are situated were never more thronged
with well-dressed ladies than they have
been this spring, and the Sunday excursions
of the working classes exhibit abundance Of
kid gloves, neat shoes, new bonnets, bright
ribbons, artificial flowers and other frippery.
II We are an impoverished, suffering people
it is difficult to detect the signs of it in our
ordinary life as presented to the eyes of OBJ
servers. Beef and mutton and hams and an
occasional chicken and fresh vegetables find
their way to every table, and our people arc
consuming the tons Of delicious strawberries
which are daily poured into our markets.
Taking the community as a whole we are
q more than comfortable are luxurious
people
And yet the lugubrious cry greets orr
ears on all sides that there is no trade or
none worth mention BY what mysterious
process, then, is 50 vast population fed and
clothed? Do the innnmerable oxen, sheep,
calves, swine and chickens get from the
farms, where they are raised, into the
butchers shops and from the butchers shops
into the kitchens of consumers without trade?
There is not any daily want of our forty
millions Of people which is not supplied by
trade except that part of the farm products
which is consumed BY the growers. II is
the chief Office Of trade to supply these con-
slant wants, and tho fact that most of our
people are SO we'll fed and clothed is proof
which no amount Of croaking can refute that
trade is not in state of wretched collapse.
II is true that individuals arc not getting
rich as rapidly rs they were or fancied that
they were in the brisk, speculative period
which preceded the great panic. But it is