Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-20
n THE COUNTRY PROSPEROUS:


n THE COUNTRY PROSPEROUS.
II It should be asserted that the
country is in a sounder and better con
dition to-day than IL has been at any
other time these past seventeen years,
the assertion would probably be re-
ceived by most persons with down.
right amazement. What" they
would exclaim, "the country prosper
Gus, when it's whole business system
has been going to wreck, for four years;
when it Is overburdened with debt;
when property has shrunk to half its
former value, and q great deal OF 1t
does not yield enough to pay taxes and
repairs; when nearly all railroads are
covered with one to three mortgages;
when there is no price for anything,
and no profit in any business; and
when there appears no end to the cata-
logue of bankruptcies! 1t is a mock
cry to call such a condition prosperity.
The country was prosperous prior to
September, 1873, but it has been going
from bad 10 worse ever since"
But let us look at facts as they are.
The difference between the condition
of the country now and its condition in
the pleasant times of v years ago
IL that between running in debt and
paying out. The former is a pleasant
process, and the latter is a painful one;
but the painful process is the inevita-
BILE result of the other. Plunging in
debt is laying the foundation OF trouble;
paying debts is getting out of rouble.
A man who is slowly and steadily get
ting rid of a burden is doing betterthan
one who is rashly and th~oughtlessly
creating a burden for himself. 1t is
the same with the country. Six or
eight years ago. we were running in
debt at a frightful rate; now we are
paying out. The latter process is
grievous, certainly, bu. 1t shows a
more healthful condition of things than
that which preceded it.
1t is true, prices are still tending
down, down, down, till it seems as if
there were nc stopping place. But is
this the general misfortune it is sup
posed to be ? Low prices mean abund-
ance, and abundance is wealth. If a
protracted drouth we're to destroy the
crops Of the present year in one half
the country, all prices would go up.
business would become lively, specu-
lation would be active, and a few per-
sons would regard this as prosperity.
But it would not be prosperity any
more than the famine in China is
prosperity. Scarcity is a misfortune.
because 1t means high prices for those
who have to buy !; and abundance is
good fortune, for it means cheapness
and comfort.
It il true, there are a great many idle
persons in the country-mor9 thar
there have been for years-probably
O than aver were before; and this
is q misfortune that cannot be over
looked. But it IS a fact, which I'M
questionable statistics demonstrate,
that Notwithstanding the presence of
this great body of unemployed per-
sons, we are supporting ourselves and
sending abroad $40. 900 900 more values
than we buy, showing that we r pay
ing debts to that amount every year,
whereas, eight years ago we we're buy
ing and going in debt for 500. 900 900 per
annum more than we sold. Our pres
ent situation exActs ~frngality in all de
rartments of family expenditures; but
frugality is a virtue, which, if we will
moi learn it one time we must another.
1t is assisting us to get out of debt and
make q living at the same time and
this, If not growing rich, is certainly
doing well.