The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-12-31
ETR0SPEo1TVE-IS7S

Full knee deep lies the winter snow,
And the winter winds are YEARLY signing;
Toll ye the church-bell sad and low.
For tho Old Year lies a-dying.-Tsnnyson.
The turning point of years always in
spires retrospection. A nation, or a
individual, glances over the year just
closing and inquiries whether all has
been in vain and not worth the living,
or whether there has been profit. In
either case the conduct of affairs for
the coming year is influenced. And
still, there is a certain pleasure in
merely recounting events, just as a
traveller calls to mind the scenes of his
weary journey. One may reyelin sweet
and tender recollection, while another's
heart aches from that which has alloy
ed life's pleasures. The ambitious look
TO ascertain if they are nearer the goal
of their desires. The man of business
casts his accounts to learn of the years
transactions. In fine, either national
ly, socially, or commercially, there is a
general balancing of books. Individu-
ais must balance their own accounts,
and they alone are the judges of what
has been accomplished.
As TO the nation, every citizen is a
judge, and when one thinks over the
affairs of the government during the
year 1873, he is convinced that there is
but little to pass judgment upon. How
ever, as a general proposition, it may
be said that the nation has made much
progress in the way Of prosperity. Du-
ring the present month a vaster amount
Of business has been done in the
country, than in the corresponding
month Of last year; thousands more
men are employed at lucrative wages;
while there is not a 1.-THE Of the failures
which distinguished the closing days Of
III. The nation is undoubtedly con-
valescing rapidly, and that fact is GER
tainly worth something for reflection,
While a fair portion OF the nation
vas cursed with one Of the most terri
BILE and disastrous plaques Of modern
times, there were wonderfully increas-
ed crops and manufactures, which aug
mented the aggregate wealth Of the na-
ton, despite the disaster in mid-south.
The present year stands conspicuous
for having seen a greater amount of ex-
ports to foreign countries than any
other single year in the history of the
United States. There has consequent
ly been the largest balance in our favor,
all of which is peculiarly fiattering,
seeing that tho nations Of Europe, with
one exception, are just now suffering
from an opposite condition of affairs.
There is every hope, therefore, that
the dying days of 10 will find the ma
tion still further advanced in prosper
ity.
Politically, there is but little that
commands prominence. There have
been no menacing dangers to the gov
eminent, II we except the repression of
suffrage in the southern states. Every
thing has moved along serenely. The
most noteworthy event Of politics was
the reversion of feeling in the northern
states with respect to party. And the
lesson was that the saving sense of the
people, north, will guard against schis-
matte obstruction, south.
On the whole u country is deserv-
ing of hearty congratulation. In this
particular period, the nation that
makes any advancement at all is doubly
blessed, and the United States and
France are the only nations fortunate
in that distinction at the present time.
Should each succeeding year of the
near future give as good returns to the
country as old 1873, the United
States will become the richest nation
on the globe, even before the time
prophesied by that eminent statesman
and economist, and friend of America,
William E. Gladstone.