The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-04-05


1.-THE export OF goods Of many kinds is
OF the utmost importance to the country,
not only in the actual profits OF the trade
itself, but in the relief which It gives to
our home market. Specie payments, II is
true, may not have given the stimulus to
confidence that was expected on the part
OF many persons. Nor will 1t do so 80
long as the government assumes the funC-
ton OF a bank OF issue, and continues to
conduct branch OF banking, for which,
in its very nature, 1t is utterly unfit. Nor
can there be absolute stability and conf.
dence until, by the decision OF the Su-
preme Court OF the United States, the
legal tender functions OF United States
note is taken away from It,"
"What about the remedies required to
insure permanent prosperity" asked the
reporter.
"In general it may be said, replied Mr..
Atkinson, "that those who expect sudden
restoration Of prosperity from any one
single measure will be disappointed. Our
whole system Of money, Of banking, Of ma
tional and State taxation, has been thrown
into utter confusion by the occurrences Of
the last twenty years and need complete
revision. This revision cannot DO brought
about by way OF contentious between the
advocates OF free trade and OF projections
so far as the national system OF taxation is
concerned; nor Of contention as to the
taxation OF real estate or OF corporate fran
Chises as to State revenues, but by the ad-
option OF such cautious, well prepared and
yet complete changes Of metholas marked
the wonderful financial reforms of Great
Britain under the administration OF Sir
Robert Peel. We will at length reap the
advantage not only OF our geographical
position, but also Of our great staples
which the civilized world must have to-
day at whatever cost. More important
than all, we will also reap che advantage
Of our freedom from the blood tax Of q
standing army. What the future OF this
country may be, freed from the curse Of
slavery, served as it is by $4,000 miles Of
railway and guided by an intelligent pur.
pose on the part OF the people, which al
ways exerts itself in time to check the folly
or the fraud OF Legislators, has yet to ap-
pear"
AMERICAS GREAT ADVANTAGE OVER EUROPE.
"Then you think the country is in a
healthy condition."
"Ihe country is always, in common esti.
nation, being ruined, but is never ruined,
and the spirit OF the people is superior to
that Of those who appear to govern them.
Alter all these last simply record, in the
long run, what the intelligence OF the peo-
pie directs them to do. This intelligence
OF the people is Just now directed to the
study ofthese economical questions. They
will surely find out what good money is
and secure that; they will also find out the
rlghtmethods OF taxation and secure them.
The era OF prosperity has just begun to
dawn, but its elimination will be effected
by the solution Of all these questions. 1t
cannot be effected by one measure like the
resumption Of specie payments. Our
bonds having nearly all been bought back
that means OF payment on the part OF for
eign nations is nearly exhausted. How,
then, is Europeto pay for our cotton, corn,
meat and oil, when our drafts for these
commodities are presented, payable in gold
on demand? He who can answer that
question can tell whether there is to be
any set back to the cause OF renewed pros
perity, upon which, think, we have en-
tered.
TIE IRON FURNACES AND THE COTTON MILLS.
"Look, for instance, at the iron trade
alone. What does it mean when, during
the five years OF extreme depression and
OF alleged loss, new furnaces have been
constructed in the Hooking Valley OF Ohio
which produced in 1878 5000 tons of
iron, where five years ago not single ton
was made, and furnaces, too, that are
working now ut the rate OF 100000 tons
per annum, and fully satisfied, also, with
the prices they receive? The mills OF New
England are now much nearer the cotton
fields than they were before the war, ow-
ing to through connections BY rail. Prior
to 1860, substantially all the cotton went
to the seaports Of the cotton States, and
from there the cost of moving 1t to the
North or to Liverpool varied but little,
but at the present day alarge and annually
increasing portion Of the cotton used in
the North is bought in the interior mar.
markets and carried in covered cars di.
rectly to the mills, where the bales are
delivered clean and much more free from
damage and waste than those which are
carried down the Southern rivers on
boats and barges, dumped upon the
whafves ana then compressed to the ut
most for shipment by sea. AS told my
English friend the other day, Within the
lives OF men OF middle age now living the
nation will number 10000, OOO.' In what
ever else we may be found wanting, we
cannot long be kept back in our career OF
material prosperity, which shall be shared
with absolute certainty by every one who
brings To fAN wnrk bnoItl, ;nkon,;4,, 81
energy" ''''''