Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-01-08
NOT A BAD OLD YEAR.

IulneSS OF ltS dement's ana ltS progreS
Probably at this time most men al
thinking of the dying year as one whic
has been not little churlish and VI
kind in its treatment. Yet it may t
that the year 1890 will long live i
memory as one of the most prosperou
and progressive years in the whole hi:
tory of the country. The latter part G
the year has indeed brought defeat t
many in political life, and disaster t
many in business. But there are som
defeats which SOW the seed for create
victories. If the losses of some ar
remembered, the remarkable progress o
the country as a whole must not b
forgotten.
In the year 1890 the United State
made more iron and raised more cottoI
than in any previous year. For the frs
time, it is probable this country ha'
surpassed Great Britain in production
of iron, and that, too, without the
stimulus (but burden) of exceptionally
high prices, which has 80 often brought
speedy reaction to industries in theil
hour of greatest triumph. On the con.
trary, the price of iron has been exceed
ingly low, even when the production
was at its greatest, and the consumption
has been greater by far than in any
previous year. 1t can not be said that
the woolen manufacture is accomplishing
more than any previous year, but those
engaged therein are confident that they
are entering upon period of unexampled
prosperity. The cotton manufacture and
| the boot and shoe manufacture have both
surpassed all previous records within the
last year, and the same may be said of
minor industries in great number Thus
the consumption of copper has probably
been the greatest ever known in any
year, and of silk, and of hemp and its
substitutes. The building industries
have made wonderful progress, and it is
highly probable that the production of
the precious metals has been greater
than in any former year.
AT first thought the greatest of all in
dustries appears to have suffered a
severe setback. Though the crop of
cotton grown this year has been the
largest ever raised, the loss of some
other crops has been heavy. But bad
season does not stop agriculture, nor
does it even tend to arrest the progress
of that most necessary industry. On
the contrary, the exceptionally high
prices which are apt to follow partial
failure of crops, and have followed this
year, always stimulate to an increase of
acreage, and at the same time insure
larger returns for the quantities raised
and for the surplus brought over from
previous years. The marketing of ami
mails has been on larger scale this year
than ever before, and many of the minor
agricultural products have been in
creased. Best of all, agriculture has
secured for the first time that defense of
law against excessive foreign competi-
tion which it has long needed.
The enactment of law which has
begun already to stimulate enterprise
and production in many forms through
out the country with the change in leg
islative methods which rendered that
enactment less difficult, have been
triumphs of far-reaching influence.
Blind and blundering opponents of
Protection see only the adverse votes in
November, and do not see that the Pro-
lection system is even now striking its
roots deeply into new soil, and winning
the attachment and devoted support of
multitudes who never before realized its
benefits. Within another year, it is
reasonable to hope, this one victory will
be found the source of greatly increased
strength for those who were wise enough
to serve their country without fear. So
the. necessary change of rules in the
House will be better understood when
another Congress tries to transact any
business without the new rules. Even
the political defeats of the year, if they
bring to sharp practical test the none
tary theories of men who have hoped for
impossibilities from legislation, will pre-
pare the way for many years Of wise
action.
The volume of business transactions
during the year of 1890 has been con-
siderable greater than in any year
preceding. In domestic trade the in
crease over any previous year has been
about II per cent, or about one-ninth,
a wonderful advance for single year.
In foreign trade the increase over any
previous year has been more than $780,
100000 in the aggregate, or not far from
6 per cent. All this has been accom-
plished in 1890 in spite of much embar-
rassment and hiudrance during the last
two months, sWhich, it is hoped will
prove but temporary.
ORIGIN OF "PAINTING IT RED"
Interview IN st. Louis Globe-DemOcrat.