The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-01
ANNUAL Statement
OR THE
COMMERCE OF new ORLEANS.
GENERAL REMARKS.

GENERAL REMARKS.
The review OF the commerce Of New Orleans
during the past twelve months, which we sub
init to our readers to-day, discioses condi-
tion OF affairs by no means dfseouraging,
when we take into consideration the grieyous
calamities with which our community has
been visited during that period. Despite the
terrible affiietion OF last fall, and the total
suspension OF business for three Or four
months resulting from the epidemic and not
withstanding the stoppage Of trade caused by
the utterly unjustifiabIe and ruinous interior
quarantines established against us during the
present summer, the business outlook oil New
Orleans is rather encouraging than other
Wise.
1t is true that a decided decrease is shown
In our foreign trade, both In exports and inn
ports, but this is In q measure attributable to
the fortuitous circumstances mentioned, and
does not indicate q permanent decadence-
Like the causes which operated 1t, this loss is
merely transient and temporary, and will be-
recovered as soon az the conditions which
brought 1t about cease to exist.
The heaviest falling off has been In the re-
showing the loss OF nearly two hundred thou
sand bales, resulting in large measure from
the short crops in Red river and Ouachita.
valleys-very important feeders OF New Or
leans-and to a considerable extent attributa-
BILE to the diversion Of shipments which, in
the natural course Of trade, would have.
sought this market, either to st. Louis, up
the Ohio river or across the country to Sa-.
vannah Charleston or Norfolk. This diver
sion was OF course, due to the epidemic here
and throughout the interior, and the conse--
quent absence OF ships from our wharves to I
transport the crop to foreign markets. There :
was also heavy decline in expectation Of leaf
tobacco, owing to the same Causes the largest
falling off being in these two important arti-
cles OF export.
In this respect our losses have been serious,
though not greater than ought to have been
expected under the circumstances. On the
other hand, 1t Is extremely gratifying to note
that there has been fair increase In the re-
ceipts OF Western produce, both breadstuffs
and provisions, some articles, such as flour
pork, bacon, etc, showing q large excess over
the receipts OF the previous year. From the
fact that the foreign export OF these articles
gratifying conclusion Is inevitable that our
home demand and interior trade are augment-
ing, and that New Orleans is already begin
ming to recover the trade Of those sections
formerly tributary to her, but which had
been wrested from her by the energy and en-
terprise OF the great Northern and Western
cities and the superior facilities Of Transports
ton afforded by the innumerable converging
railways thelf greater wealth had enabled
them to extend to all portions OF the country
Still, the fact that this trade has already
begun to improve In advance OF any extension
OF our railroad system, would appear to indi-
cate that facilities for transportation had not
all to do with the original loss Of it TO this
city. When we see "drummers" from st.
Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati and Chicago
competing successfully with New Orleans for
the trade OF the country Immediately con-
tiguous to her, and selling their wares along
the river and railroads leading to our city
under our very noses, so to speak-we must
account for the circumstance upon some other
hypothesis.
The more reasonable conclusion is that our
merchants have been lacking In enterprise In
extending their trade by proper solicitation
and the offering OF better inducements In re-
gard to prices and terms Of payment. The
Improvement which has already taken place
I've are, therefore, disposed to attribute to
Bome new departure our merchants have
made In these respects.
It Is notorious fact that, for several years
past, many Of our planters, particularly on
the river and along the line OF railroads, who
have procured their advances and sold their
crops In New Orleans, have been persist
emily purchasing their supplies in the West
| ern cities and paying for them by drafts ON
| their merchants In this city. The increase In
the receipts OF Western produce, which we
have noted, is due In great measure that
this custom Is gradually returning to New
Orleans, where 1t properly belongs, and where
alone the true conditions OF trade, exchange
OF products, can possibly exist.
/ The trader who carries nothing to the mar
ket where he buys, and who sells where he
purchases nothing, violates the laws OF COM
merce and is an Improbable customer. It Is
false economy for the planter who sells his
cotton or sugar in New Orleans to diserimi-
nate against her by giving to st. Louis or
some other Western city the profits on the
supplies necessary to make his crop. We are
SI1U W ODocl fc tudb tulS tluIH 10 SdiuLAE y
general recognition, and that many planters,
who had been led astray, are coming back to
New Orleans to make their annual purchases,
!; We are satisfied that they will find 1t greatly
, , to their own interests to do SO. 1t Is some
what remarkable fact that at certain seasons
OF the year the prices OF some OF the most lHl-
. portant articles OF Western produce are 40
low, IL not lower, than In Chicago or 81 LOUIS.
} 1t is unnecessary to mention the causes ~
ths seemingly anomalous condition o. asa.. 1ssss
but the fact is undeniable. By watching 8 s1sn .as
opportunity ODD and making purchases .. the the
rn nrnner time the people Of the adjacent STATES
- their sr,. advantage TO deal with New Orleans.
eno'l - = tho people are informed Of the