The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-09-27
BUSINESS PROSPECTS.

BUSINESS PROSPECTS.
In the case Of communities, ~ It 1
with nations, there must necessarily
be ebts and flows OF prosperity, acttol
and reaction. The migrations Of PEG
pie aud the natural tendency towar<
social and financial equilibrium
everywhere are moving causes In thu
relative conditions Of humanity 10
the direction Of change. 1t Is mani
fest that no single community can
for any great length Of time, continue
inortlinately prosperous, while othei
communities, not inaccessibiy remote
are suffering rom stagnation Of bust
ness, overdone development and un'
employed laLor. The communities
that offer the least inducements tO
capital and laber will eliminate their
surplus, to lie thrown to other regions
where the prospects are more invit'
ing. There must he . limit some
where to the capacity Of every locaii'
ty for business opportunities. Even
New York City, with its diversified
industries and business relations with
the entire country, would suffer II
its population were Immediately
doubled.
The innocence aud simplicity o!
those who affect 10 believe that any
particular place can be and RENAL Il
permanently prosperous il truly re-
fres:,ing. There must lie limit In the
life Of every place beyond which its
resources will be taxed above their
caiacity to give sustenance and enl-
p;Oyment t. the crowtliny and eager
throng who are struggling to make
their way in life. The tendency to
periodical booms in towns Is intensi-
fled by til, increase OF transportation
facilities and the ease Will, which
people can now change their donl;cile.
People vii! not starve il New Eng
land when they know they can nc
4uirc a competence In the West !;
they will not lea: around the
and deserted camps Of
Nevada, when they know they can
find employment with a chance to
acquire valuable mining property in
Montana. During the past year pco.
pie have been fiocking 10 this Terri
tory In great numbers ior no other
reason than that they expected TO
better their conditions by removal
from their former places Of abode.
The mai ket for labor and business en-
terpr;se IL just like the market for any
Dt!;er commodity - fiat when the
market Is glutted.
It Is not intended to he understood
hat Montana has or is soon LA.
de to have a population beyond It's
capacity to sustain. It IS possible,
however. for it to have .;;.c:, Il pcpu-
alton, and it is quite certain that the
population will increase as long as
he mass Of the people are prosperous
md will decrease when better oppOr-
uni;ies are offered elsewhere. 1t is
/ sort Of harmless delusion that exists
n many minds that newspapers have
much to tlo with the commercial cs.,,-
litions of the people among wl.o.:a
hey circulate. About all pub
ic journals can do is to help along
J boom after 1t has commenced
moving. Blooms ere ni:sc!:;evous to
egitimate business enterprise. and
My advantageous to ;iiose opera
ors who unload at the flood tide.
Oar young city o! Butte hiss passed
Trough one Of these remarkable pc
iods that overtaSe every city. Last
c:sson there seemed {, be we'll
rounded belief that there Was no
mi! to the capacity o; the mining
amp surrounding w. t" give profita-
he eMoioyrnent to all who might
pp|y. This belief Was stimuli: tel
y the demand for building material
nj !aborer5, and their ,ii:bur>,.-
'elits in the city. sivivs the apwN
hce Of wealth ard prosperity. Ii
his building prosperity could always
ave gone farwar.! and iaL,rer~, me-
hal,ics, teaEssters and fre;gh.ers
ave found ample AMI rrnlunerAtive
Employment, then would the season
t great prosperity have still coat;n-
esl. But u limit had to be reached
and IL is perhaps best
hat it was reached before 1t had gone
, a point that must inevi, ably
ave resulted in general disaster. |
With Butte matters are beginning to .
resent themselves as a square hu<i-
ess proposition: Ii theic are too
lany people here to maintain tl,el,l-
elves rs well u, they can elsewlIer.
he population will naturally reduce
self to II healthy basis.
While the business sasacity Of
ver; intelligent person informs him !
lis must he 20, It is u question not
, easy to determine how far We are
present from tina; healthy basis
Is certain ;lia: the mines are sii! !
ere. as promising and productive rs !
iey were enc year ago. I! is certain |
lat rs many men ar. employed III
lining effort rs there were then, aud
lat new properties hav. been added |
the list OF productive mines. 1t is
TIC there has been abatement in the
eve'opnlent Of G few mines. for re:,-
'ns that are well known, and not
eccssary here t" repeat. But these ,
lf'ir'ilties will ultimately disappear,
nd the properties alluded to aid in /
yelling the grand aggregate. There !