Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-02-10
Prosperity Evidences.

In the campaign of 1896 the advo
Gates of free coinage warned the pro
ducing classes that the adoption of the
gold standard would result in a con
traction of the money of final account
and as consequence prices would I'm
der natural conditions gradually con
tract. 1t was pointed out that price:
depended upon the volume of money O.
final payment in actual circulation
and that for the business of the whole
world to be conducted upon the three
or four billion of gold in the world
must reduce prices to anextent hardly
to be estimated. 1t was further point
ed out that as this contraction pro
crossed, like the coming on of a cancer,
money would leave the capillaries Of
commerce and be congested at the
great money centres and in fewer and
fewer hands as the days went by, and
that under these conditions the hire oil
money-interest- be reduced to
the minimum. Dun's Trade Review
says that 1.-The first month of the New
Year has brought rather more increase
in business and less increase in prices
than was expected" The fact
that prices are very low only shows
more clearly the increase in quantities
of products sold" In another place,
in speaking of our manufactures, the
article says, The works not yet filled
with orders are seeking contracts at as
low prices as have ever been made. "
Bradstreet's calls attention to the fact
that factories will not take orders for
fall delivery at present prices. Verify,
this is wonderfully like a note of wall
ing mingling with the rush of the song
of prosperity! Has the apple of pros
perity a worm at the heart? Low
prices, with manufacturers trampling
the life out of each other for orders,
were formerly not considered signs of
commercial health. Perhaps condi-
tons are so changed that what were
in the SLOW days of long ago unfavor-
able trade symptoms are now to be
regarded the reverse.
The following extract from the New
York Sun of January 10th is signifi-
cant:
This is the renting season in New
York, and u walk through almost any
quarter of the city will show bills ITO
Let" by the dozen, not only on dwell
ing houses and lofts, but on apparent
ly we'll located stores on the ground
floor. Some have just been vacated,
but many have been empty for months,
and a few more than year. Instead
of tenants seeking for quarters, the
landlords are seeking tenants, and
have little prospect of finding them.
Due allowance, indeed, must be made
for the large number of new buildings.
which have recently been erected,
cOnveniences which older
buildings lack The owners of the
new buildings make great efforts, by
offering low rents and special induce
nents, to fill them with tenants, and
80 far as they succeed, they create as
many vacancies as they supply. Still,
he fact remains, that the number of
small shopkeepers is decreasing, and
hat their decrease is due to the trans
- IL l.
equipped rivals, who, from the magni-
ude of their transactions, can sell
Foods at lower prices and yet make a
profit on them. Even if |
he small shopkeepers do not thus lose |
Ill their trade they lose so much of it |
hat what remains does not suffice to |
Jay their expenses and leave a suf |
icient margin for their own labor. |
Therefore. they give up the struggle.
Our quotations are entirely from ,
and gold standard sources.
We take it they are not giving undue
against their own side of
he case. The San usually admits the
acts, and, as did Boss Tweed, wants
o know what you are to do about it.
1t times it is almost brutal in its d.
ectness. 1t, as well as other gold
tandard organs, declares that the
american people will have to put up
With these things. and adjust them
elves as best they may to the condi-
ion of affairs which best pleases the
'lutocracy.
If the deluge of Mckinley prosperity
5 to continue to bring falling prices,
enantless houses, congestion of money
t commercial centres, and scarcity of
money at commercial extremities. there
5 going to be mighty rush to get from
nder it. People will want as little
f it as possible. It is not the brand
hey bargained for.
CASTo1EA