Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-04-18
Dull Times

Arc not always evidence of the absence Of
prosperity. They arc often the seed of n
general prosperity, in which peace and plenty
ore likely to germnato and yield their richest
fruits. Our exchanges Mt this time arc dull.
There is almost an cntiro absence of that
species Of hows which interest or excite. If
there was q war in oxstonce or in prospect in
our country, thcn tho papors would DO eagerly
sought after and anxiously read. Eycry step
in the discussion ut issue, or every battle
fought or imminent would have its eager
readers. Every telegram from official centres
would become fraught with interest, and
would be reproduced in the press and DO
circulated from mouth to mouth. General
interest and activity would pr.tail in every
business avocaton, and people would imagine
they wero prosporing, because tho times woro
lively. If thcro was great scarcity of pro,
visions and faminc was anticipated business
would become lively, prices would advance
and on appearance of activity and enterprise
would prevail. No reasonable man could say
these evils woro evidences or precursors of
real prosperity, but rather that thoy betokenod
general distress and public injury. In times
of pcaco and order when everything moves on
smoothly, when the farmor is at his plough,
tho merchant at his counter and the mechanic
at his bonch thore is an appearance Of
dullnoss, which is in reality tho highest
evidence of general prosperity. In periods
OF want or confusion tho spcculator and money
lender ride high horse and prosper, while
in times Of universal peace and order legiti
moto Industry reaps its own reward quietly
and without stir or parade. These are dull
times to US because wo have had seventeen
years Of war and political turmoil with
inflated prices heavy taxes and reckless
credit. For eighteen months the country has
boen quieting down into tho channels of
industry, economy and order. These dull
times are Just such as the country needs and
tho only remedy for our impoverished and
strained financial condition. Corresponding
depression must follow unusual excitement,
and whom the lowest fixed point is reached
healthy reaction will begin, which will load
us in the pathway of removed prosperity.
Those ore dull times to tho merchants because
their sales have dwindlcd from tons to units,
and because thoir nominal profits have
decreased from hundreds to tens por cent, but
wo feel sure that tho trado OF all our
merchants is healthier and moro reliable
than that of ten years ago. From habits
formed from deprecated currency during
tho war, and encouraged by inflated prices Of
cotton and other farm products after tho war
the people vonturod in debt beyond their
means, and the farmer and merchant were
alike injured. The country was rendered
poorer by the sending of largo amounts of
money abroad for fancy and supsrauous
articles, whilo the profits of tho merchants
wore swallowod up in tho losses in bad debts.
Credit was common, tradc active and profits
enormous. The appearance of activity and
enterprise pcrvadod our towns and trading
contres, while tho farms werc dropping. The
converse Is now true. Credit is rare, trade
is sluggish and prices are low. The contres
OF activity and enterprise are OF the farms and
in tho country, and tho seods of general
prosperity are terminating in tho land, Nc
people ever enjoyed q finer opportunity Of
becoming rich and prosperous than ours
With genial soil and climate adapted to the
highest order of diversified agriculture
industry must reap the harvest of prosperity
With peace, order and good government ir
the political world, with low prices for all tht
necessnrios of life, what obstacle now oxists Il
the opening of now era of progress ant
wealth? We look upon the dullness of tn,
times as significant Of good. They arc thu
cradle In which the infancy Of futur,
+ development Of the resources Of this countr,
are being nurtured, which in fow years viii
give ,usabealthy activity in ell tho profession
Z and ayocations Of life. Let us rather reioic,
than sorrow in them, for when country il
D poor, as ours is now, activity in any species
Of trade foroshadows impending DISTRESS
General dullness 10 business oenters, on th,
contrary, botokens enorgy and activity in TIL,
staple industries of the country.
QUEaY: ''lNhy will men smoke conmor
tobacco, @lieotl,ey can bny Marburg Brother,
iseat s0yls Cato Tina, at Tho samo priccY,