The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-08-14

tfkc il soap ouu0le, oHe "
only wish to remind nll that it is not
TO shout TOO soon. Tue new tar
If will undoubtedly sti.nulate our
manufactures, but what if our expor-
t~ations are cut down materially and
our home market becomes glutted !
Will not our manufactures De forced
81 cluse down Or work II half or Que
third of the time? In that case, will
We not have d vast Amy OF unenl-
ployed whose powers OF consumption
will be materially diminished, and
aud business become thereby langRid !
1t will not do to rely solely on the
home market for American goods, for
American ingenuity has long outstrip
ped the American capacity to Consume
its production. The policy which
stin ulates the powers of productions
OF il country and at the same time
restricts the market for the sale Of its
products, is, in u opinion, 1.-THE most
short sighted policy in fiscal affairs
which has eve been invented, aud
can, in the longlun, but act against
the general prosperity OF the county.
No permanent prosperity under it Is
possible for to the extent it restricts
the market for the output OF manufac
tories aud impedes OF prohibits inn
portations, it places the manufactu-
rels in a position 10 regulate prices
by controlling the output, and thus
tends to the creation Of trusts and
monopolies, gigantic evils against
which the people have been battling
for ages.
The country is just emerging from a
long continued period of depression
and business s~tagnation, resulting
from causes about;Which the American
people are not yet agreed. All we
know is, that it began in 1892 and
eliminated in the great panic OF 1893
and has continued III ii less acute
stage ever since. Now, the ho4 izoc
begins to clear, and ii nothing hap
pens to set back the Improvement
which has made itself felt, it is reas-
onable to expect a season Of prospect
ty OF some duration. The reaction
following the long stage of stasnation
ought To makes thetimes fairly prospe-
rous throughout the country for a brief
season at least. The advance in the
prices of wheat, owing t. the scarcity
of the product abroad and the conss-
quent demand for our wheat. will
brighten the prospects Ia the wheat
growing sections of the couDtry !:
while here at home. the sugar
on account ofthe Increased duty and
rice growers for the same cause, and
the additional one OF d short crop.
ought also to derive some measure Of
prosperity, which, 1T fairly appoftion-
ed between tie prodacels and the la
boreis, will improve the general con-
dition OF affairs.
sacil is the situation Of the country
as 1T appears to Us such the present
prospects rs they present themselves
to our view. How long it will last. OF
what will be tue final outcome, no one
can ioretell, except III so far as We
judge Of the future by the experience
Of the past. Judging BY tilat stand
dard We greatly apprehenu that our
Frightening prospects and the long
expected and a~ssiduoasly promised
prosperity may prove Of short dnla-
ton.
10 be sure, when We speak Of mos
perIty re must be understood to
mean general prosperity. or tic great
est good Of the greatest number. ana
not prosperity OF a local or sporadic
kind, f%ourishing here or there to i
limited extent, on 0 of peculiar
conditions not to be found elsewhere
when the rest Of the country is In dis
tress.
May We be mistaken, however. ii
our Judgment Of the future, FOR va
would like to see the country enjoy a
long reign Of unexampled and upex.
celled prosperity.