The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-12

The Denver Republican states editor
tally that during the month of August
last there We're sixty thousand cars
handled in the Union Pacific yards at
Cheyenne, against twenty-five thou
sand during the month of July, 1894
The circumstance is adverted to for the
purpose of emphasizing the prosperity
that now obtains throughout this west
ern region.
We are not certain that the compari-
son is entirely fair In July, 1894, we
were almost, if not quite, at the lowest
point of that period of extraordinary
depression that settled upon the coun-
try after the acute stage of the panic
of 1898 had been passed Probably a
comparison with some other months,
both prior and subsequent to the one
named, would show less disproportion.
Still, there is undoubtedly a very con-
siderable revival of business. both in
the East and the West. Many things
have helped to bring it about For
three consecutive years the cereal crops
of Europe have been unusually short
thus improving the market for our own
The Dingley tariff, while indefensible
in many of its features, naturally Gre
ated a squirt. 1t goes without saying
that there are many people in the
United States always ready to set the
wheels of factories in motion, if they
can get a sufficient bonus for doing so.
Following closely came the Spanish
war, with hundreds of millions of ex-
1o1-t
stimulating business in many lines,
while the enlistment of 100000 men re-
lieved, in large measure, the congestion
of the labor market.
Then it must be remembered that for
several years the great business enter
priseS were almost at a standstill. Ev
cry improvement and repair that could
possibly be postponed was held in
allegiance until times should be better,
and stocks were permitted to become
exhausted Under such circumstances.
when anything happened to give bust
ness a start, it would very naturally
assume something of the proportions of
a boom. Long delayed repairs were at
once begun, improvements were made,
new enterprises were set on foot and
exhausted stocks were replenished.
Enormous quantities of material We're
necessarily turned out by the factories
and transported by the railroads, while
great crops en- route for Europe swelled
the volume of traffic.
Besides all this, we are constantly
growing as a people, and it is not sur
prising that the volume of trade should
exceed that of 1892, the last year of
prosperity before the crash.
To all of this may be added the IN
doubted revival of the mining industry
throughout this mountain region. This
As something altogether new. The open
ing of new mine is direct addition
to the available resources of the coun-
TRY, and a most important factor in
making up the sum of the nations sub
stantial gain.
But it should never be forgotten that
prosperity is at all times comparative
and variable condition, as is also what
is termed depression. Times are not and
cannot always be equally good or
equally bad. There will be constant
changes, great or small. When depres-
sion is the deepest and darkest there
will be an occasional rift in the clouds,
and when prosperity's waves are rolling
the highest, they will not all be equally
high.
Therefore, while rejoicing in any
measure of improvement that may
come, we should never be content to
.let we'll enough alone" but look ever
ahead for higher and better things.