Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-01-29
QUESTIONS PERTINENT TO rae
TIMES.
TChicago Lumberman.l

Chicago Lumberman.
The business aud industry OF she
o. untry IS in a strangely peculiar con
dition. Though there is an abundance
| OF everything that goes 10 make mate
rial prosperity, every body 10 complain
ing of bard times. Usually il is said
that the beginning of business activity
IL In good crops. Now that We have an
abundant yield Of all kinds of farm
products, the cry is that there ia too
mach, since prices are low. The rail
road magnates said last spring that if
the crop outcome for the season should
be favorable, there would be plenty Of
business for the roads, and railroad Sc
ourities would rise In value. Nov the
railroad managers are complaining Of
lack of paying traffic, and the bears IN
the stock market are delighted. The
GOAL companies are verginQ on bank
fuptcy, eating down wages aud dis
charging employ ees because coal ia so
cheap at the pits mouth. Though the
grain carrying railroads are complain
ing of the low freight rates prevalent as
not sufficient 30 furnish a paving bust.
ness, the western farmers are complain
ing more vehemently at the onerous
burden that is imposed on them by high
railroad tariffs. While all interests are
grumblinR, each saddles the others with
the cause of the trouble Ii appears
inexplicable that, with all the elements
of prosperity Astounding, the trade and
industry of the country must get into
such a tAngle. IL this people cannot
thrive in the midst Of abundance. what
condition can be named in which they
would prospaTy L. war, pestilence, short
crops. famine, lack Of q sound and suffi.
Client currency necessary to prosperity Z
At the present time there IL renarka.
BILE absence Of all these usually e,nsid-
cred evils. IL the prevailing depression
caused by this humanity Can 10 be
said that long period Of Peaee at home
and abroad, with an uninterrupted op-
portuuity 10 pursue the arts Of peace,
have brought rs business stagnation!
Must We conolude that when the people
Of this coantry and Earope have no
thing 90 do bat to sarsne peaceful in
dustry and commerce, that both will be
overdone and the markets Of the world
Rlnttedl Most there be uphesvals, rev.
olutions, wars. famines. in order 20 stop
propactisn and make way with the sur.
| plus pfoductsf
Probably it Is vet too soon TO deter
mine these questions. The civilized
world never before knew such pei iod
Of peace between the nations a. aAs
prevailed for the past twenfy years. Tue
international palioy is settling to a psaee
bAsis- WHIST change will this effect 10
the industrial and h1sineas voridS 4
the question. As yet IL is only a oar
italy tried experiment. Bat il IL Il
true that peaee and abundance are syn.
Onymoas With prosperity, then should
good times come speedily all over this
broad land We have the ereps. eoa.
samsFs 10 number greater than ever b.
fore, and rapidly increasing Transports
tion lines 20 ceEvsy beth crops and
merchandise 10 places where they vii
do the most good, plenty OF capital and
currency With Which to make exchanges
and general good heAlih am ma the pa.
pie. Now What u 10 hinder oar pro-
psritys