Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-06-17
OLYMPIA. WASHINGTON TER.
FRIDAY EVEG, JUNE II, 1881
The Present Opportunity.

is ripple indicating the returning
waters just low, seems to be sup
ported by something more than the
oft times delusive whisperings of
Hope. Probably the prospect OF
revival of the lumber trade has
caused better feeling to pervade
the community, or the promise OF
good crops and fair prices has en-
couraged the toiling husbandman to
expect better returns from next sea-
sons operations, or the steady influx
of immigration has given a percep-
table impetus to local trade; wheth-
er either or all OF these causes, or
some other leaven is working, we
should seek to make the most of all
fortuitous aids. Prayers are often
answered by determined effort to
secure the object prayed for, which
fact is 30 generally acknowledged
that it has passed into the proverb
"God helps those who help them
selves"
But while we make up our minds
to put our shoulders to the wheel
and lift it from the rut, let us con.
slider the circumstances which placed
it there. Let us determine if it is
not the fault of the driver, and if so
admonish him to use greater caution
in the future. The great cause OF
Olympia's misfortune, a series OF
years past, has been the loss of much
trade. which by improved means OF
transportation has been attracted to
other places. This we believe to
have been the cause of past decline
and the only reason for present
stagnation of business. 1t is, in
deed, an unpalatabie truth, and we
do not expect to escape blame for
giving it utterance. But o surgeon
j: true to his trust, will amputate q
limb to save life, and we propose to
speak the truth though our motives
may he misjudged by those who view
the situation from q different stand
point.
It is q fact-a fact becoming each
day more notorious-that the prices
paid for many articles of prime me-
cessity are higher than those at
which the same articles may be
bought either in Portland or Seat
tie. There is no reason why this
should be so. We are, of necessity,
by the shortening up lines of COM
munication. placed in competition
with these business centers. Must
we retrograde and become mere
hamlet, or by affording equal in
ducements for business, advance
and build up permanent growth :?
This is the question which events
have forced upon us for a solution.
Why cannot We compete for our
share of trade? Rents, freights. in
surance and labor, are all afforded
at minimum figures. The merchant
answers the query by saying that the
aggregate amount of his yearly sales
will not justify q small profit and
leave the balance on the right page
of his ledger. But why? Is the
universal law of compensation, in
commercial science, so little under
stood as to be q sealed book to our
business men? Suppose the COM
bincd trade of Lewis and Chehalis
counties could have been retained,
would not the annual sales have been
augmented by tens and hundreds of
thousands of dollars, if we are to
form an opinion from the develop
ment of trade in other places, which
q few years ago had no better start
in the race for supremacy? Large
sales render possible small profits,
and low prices command business.
This is an axiom which none will
dispute. Trade will seek the best
market just as water finds its level.
Its natural course is by the straight
est channel, but if this is INSTRUCTED
it will deviate from a direct course
to overcome it. It is much prefer
able to pay money on the counter
for goods subjected to personal in
spection, but when great disparity
of price is exacted, the mails will be
numbered with parcels from hun
dreds or thousands of miles away,
to obtain the great desideratum-
cheapness. It can not be urged that
these opportunities are afforded at
spasmodic seasons, OF that goods
are sold at positive loss, for the
steady increase of the traffic with
he larger retail firms in the cities,
'hows that it is based upon legiti-
nate foundation.
It may be said that our business
men alone suffer from this COMPETE
ion. But this is not so. The peo-
pie suffer. A prosperous condition
If trade is the vivifying current
Which infuses renewed vigor into all
he avocations of life. When the
prospers, he is enabled in
many ways to benefit the public.
must be built or en-