New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-05-02


Whatever may be the ultimate effect oil
the European war upon American indus
try and commerce, its immediate effect is
sufficiently assuring to enable us to con-
template the future with tolerable equan-
unity. The mere announcement of the
war has created demand for grain of all
kinds, blankets and clothing, boots and
shoes, ind all the supplies of war have
stiffened in price, and there is no denying
that America, as the principal producer
of supplies which Europe needs in time
of war, will reap rich harvest from the
necessities of the eombatants. Russia,
with which our relations. have always
been so friendly, is by singular coinci-
dence our rival in trade, competing with
US for the delivery of grain, tallow, hides
and other crude products in the markets
of Europe. Instead of competing with
us now, however, Russia finds herself cut
off from the chief road to the markets,
and will probably be a large purchaser OF
American supplies.
Should the war become general the di-
rect advantage TO this country would be
more strongly marked. After the plain
and positive language of'Von Moltke on
the army bill, it is not ut all improbable
that all Europe should be embroiled in
the miserable struggle, and, if this is so,
we can not help profiting by their folly
enormously. Everything will be grist
that will come to our mill, and the grist
will come in from all directions. The
two or three millions of men who consti-
tute the peace armies of Europe and who,
in time of peace, take care of their cloth
ing, quarters, accoutrements and supplies
like so many old maids, are changed by a
proclamation of war into reckless spend
thrifts, running and destroying their own
property even more remorselessly than the
property of the enemy. Yet they must
be armed and equipped, clothed, fed and
cared for, and the constant destruction of
the war must be repaired by constant
stream of supplies from the peaceful
workers in the shrewder nations which
have nothing to do with the war. Under
the stimulus Of an enforced economy we
have diminished our purchases and in
creased our sales SO much that the bal
ance of trade is largely in our favor, and
we are rapidly paying OFF the
debts incurred during a period of
delusive prosperity. Even without war
il is very likely that we would have been
able to regain our lost supremacy in trade
and manufactures, our cotton fabrics al
ready supplanting those of England, our
hardware and cutlery finding sale in
Sheffield, and our machinery making its
way around the world. The tide which
had set against US for ten years had just
begun to turn, and the stimulus of the
war will make it run swiftly. Our idle
workmen will be set to work, our factories
started anew, and, instead of working our
way up by the slow and arduous path of
low wages, small profits and fierce com
petition, we will rise on the wave of a
large demand in which there is no such
thing as competition. People who are
called on ut once to pay higher price for
flour, and who find the cost of the war
added to other articles of consumption,
may not see the direct gain, but the farmer
who has wheat to sell and the produce rs
of all classes see it, and no matter what the
ultimate loss may be, the people of this
country are so hard pushed and distressed
that they will welcome the temporarily
relief OF an artificial demand, and prob
ably overdo it within a week. st. louis
Globe Democrat.