New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-23
TIE STRENGTH or THE COUNTRY


What is said from time to time about events
in the world Of trade and industry is apt to
he partial and one-sided. When there is no
wish to mslead, when no strong self-intcrest
warps the mind, even then comment upon
passing facts often leads to false impressions
because, as the penny close to the eye hides
The range of mountains IL the distance, the
new and near fact puts out OF mind for the
moment the great forces and permanent con-
ditions which govern all business life III this
age aud lana. 1t is an age of marvellous pro-
cress. 1t is a land OF incaculable advantages
lie will Judge most wisely Of passing events
and coming effects who never fOrgets that the
age is one Of miracles, and that the one fact
about this county which Outweighs all other
facts Is its steady growth. But much is OF ne
cessity taken for granted in daily comments,
and the omitted truth is sometime overlooked.
Not in a spirit of Boosting, but TO guard
against narrow and mistaken views, it is well
for Americans TO remind themselves at times
OF the broad and firm foundations upon which
their prosperity vests.
For nearly year events have worn a gloomy
face. To ALL those events are well known; we
are reminded of them when we buy n barrel of
Il IL
or bit of bacon. The official reports Of trade
tell of great shrinbage in exports, and the
strikes e hundred thousand wOrkmen show
that the cost of living is felt in many homes.
These events, coming with painful iteration
every day and every month, seem to have
made many forget great deal that ought TO
be remembered. The country is not going to
the dogs. Even serious panic, general
though temporary, is made almost impossible
by the state of business and the growth OF
the nation Beef may not lie cheap for some
months to come; cotton may be dear next
winter also; ii may be some weeks yet before
the growing grain will have its effect upon the
cost of bread. But the time is coming when
we shall wonder why the clouds looked so
dark in the early summer of 1882.
1t does not now seem probable that the
crops Will prove small this year. There is
inc enough yet for corn and cotton; for wheat
there is an excellent promise and large
crops of hay and oats are substantially as
sured. The land is too big TO be reached in
all its parts by any ordinary storm or adverse
weather, and it took the worst drOuth fOi
half century to cut down the crops of 1881
about one-ffth as to wheat, one-sixth as tC
cotton, and one-thrd as to corn. But if the
worst that can be anticipated should come, il
the crops should again prove small tins year
what have we to feaT2 Only another year OF
delay and of some trouble, while the country
is still growing all the time in wealth and pro-
ductive power, and, even after the lnisfortunes
of 1851, has been the welcome place Of refuge
and long sought paradise for laborers from
every other country under the sun.
An army of 100000 people will have
landed on these shores in the fiscal year near
ly ended. In spite of all our disasters, people
are coming hither for prosperity by the thou
sands daily, from every other land which let
ters or papers from America can reach. Ii