Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-09-13
THE VALUE OF EXPORTS.

w q "0T0 6Olu0" uog oukHiAoSN W ~
the following language in a sober edito-
rial article In the St. Louis Republican
of last Monday There is no sense in
the dogma upheld by some would-be
wise professors of national economy,
that . nations wealth and prosperity
are Indicated by the fact whether or not
its exports figure up higher than its i'm
ports. How q an accumulation of
gold In our national treasury vaults in
crease the prosperity OF the American
peopler 1t is simply an expense. But
if in place of the gold we import those
articles that We can utilize-even though
they be considered luxuries by menwho
would not buy their wives a silk gown
lest that might be considered an article
OF luxury and prefer to attire them in
homespun dresses-not only our pros
perity will increase but also our enjoy
ment OF this worlds good things, and
that surely is worth something" If
there is no sense in the ''dogma" alluded
to the Republican Is very much to blame
for having perslstently taught 1t. Dur
ing the past few years it has always
held that extravaganza had caused the
hard times Of 1873 and since. and that
frugality on the part of the people was
the proper remedy. Now it calls an &C.
cumulation of gold in our national treas
ury an expense, and hints at the pur-
chase of silk dresses as . easur of
economy. We do not mean to say that
the country might not be passably pros
porous with the export list no greater
than tho amount of imports. as much
might be done by internal commerce;
but q nation is very like a man. It's bus
mess affairs are governed by the same
rules. and as a man rarely gets rich by
trading with himself, so, also. is it with
q nation. We can live. and live well, by
ourselves. as would the family ct an in
telligent man If it were isolated in some
mountain fastness. Tho mon might
hunt, the women spin. and all be indus
trlous, thrifty. virtuous and vsn happy.
but they would lover be rich. To at
tain wealth I'M must have something to
sell, and. with all due Difference to the
Republican. having made tho sale he
must get the money. Mr.. Randall in
his speech the other day put the case,
tersely and correctly thus: but 1 may
give as the main cause of this returning
prosperity the fact that for some time
the value of our exports has been grow
lug larger and in excess OF tho value OF
our imports. The excess for the last
four years amounts to about $100. 000,-
900. and I state this without considers
ton Of any of the coin shipments to
and fro. Judging from the condition of
the crops abroad and of those at home,
may expect this state OF things to
continue. We are advised that the
yield of the grain-growing countries OF
Europe is far behind the average this
year. In this country. thank God, we
have plenty, and so much to spare that
there is every prospect of our growing
richer and richer. A nation that ex-
ports more than it imports gradually be-
comes prosperous." We think that this
plain statement of what we deem to be
a fact brushes aside the theory that 1--WE
don't care for abroad.". If this country
were out Of debt it might (tor a little
whitley be independent enough to spend
more abroad than it draws from there
until that time comes it will behoove it
to do just the reverse, ven if its women
must wear ..homa spun drasses.n