Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-03-13
TRADE AND WAR.

The latest news from England and Rus.
sia indicates that the relations between
these countries have been strained to a
point where they can no longer bear then
burdens, and each is making active pre-.
parations for war, England apparently
being more active and intent upon war
than Russia. but it is more seeming than
real on England's part. Russia, be il
remembered, has long been moving, and
mysterious, and when she has been asked
by England, what are your intentions and
where are you going? she has ever re-
plied-peace and nowhere. At last Mr.
Gladstone has aroused from his apathetic
interest in foreign affairs, an apathy which
comes more from his intense hatred of
jingoism and Tory brag and buster
than anything else, and to. English
men and Russo-phobists it will be
very gratifying to learn that the Afghan
question has his constant and untiring at
tention. The naval and military pen
sioners at Portsmouth dockyard are to be
in readiness for medical inspection, while
the Channel Fleet is ordered to proceed
to the Mediterranean. SO far all is con
jectural as to the actual outbreak of war
between these countries, but the pros
poets are such as to cause panics in con-
soils in Lombard Street and around the
Bank. True, stocks and money are the
most delicate and sensitive of thermom-
eters, and rise and fall with every start
ling rumor and re-assuring statement;
and yet they are straws which rarely
reverse.
These rumors, with the attempted coup
d. etat of Barrios in Central America,
have been sufficient to greatly strengthen
the wheat market, and wheat is
our one product that more than
all others makes or mends bad times.
In this respect it is more potent than
iron.
When we reflect that for three seasons
our wheat crop has been unprecedented
in its yield, and that the demand for it
has been greatly lessened by foreign COM
petition, and that chiefly through the
opening and extending of new wheat
fields in British colonies, and especially
in India, toward which Russia is now ad-
vancing, and which is likely to spread an
epidemic of Asiatic cholera in England,
a demand for our surplus will probably
be made.
In Europe, Russia is our competitor,
and Odessa rivals Chicago. Russia, be-
ing in the fray, will be compelled to hus-
band her resources for her own consump- /!
ton, as the coming season may be spent
in war, and at least in watching, and not !
in the development of her natural re-
sources.
Our cis-atlantic rival in the wheat mar
ket is Canada, and the new lands of Man
itoba as yet have not approached Mime
sofa; while the Canadian Pacific, SO far,
does not affect the transportation to the
seaboard of grain cargoes destined for
foreign ports. These are the things which
are to-day giving new life to the busi-
ness of the country, but what the length
of its thread will be cannot be told.
Can American farmers supply the pros
pective new and growing demand? The
report of the Commissioner of Agricul-
ture, published few days ago, says that
as compared with the reserve of wheat
held by the producer last year, the re-
turns for this year show that about 4 per
cent. more of last years crop is still held
by the farmer than was held by him last
year of the previous crop, and the reserve
Itself is greater. 1t is evident they can.
Let us recall the times of the outbreak
)f war between Russia and Turkey, in
1877. The business of the whole country
vas as depressed then as it is now, and
he bank and other failures of that year
we're more numerous and more disastrous
han those of this and last year. The
'trike of that year came in midsummer,
md not, as this year, in the early spring.
n that year the strikes were not confined
o the railroads, although starting with
hem, but spread to all branches of in
lustry. 1t is not so to-day, and the
trlkes are not now spreading, and are 4
ess serious than day or so ago.
In this Territory to-day, business is
ooking better than many would admit
r wish, and will be better if those who
re now here will attend to business
fairs, and let the Administration attend
0 its affairs.