Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-12-23
a}tistellanen,,s Readiag.
LOOKING FORWARD.
The Year 1900 Presents a
Pleasing Prospect.
PROMISING NEW ERA Of PROSPERITY.

Cause of Prevailing High Prices-The Eff
feet on All Manner of Industry-where
the Farmer and the Laborer Come In
Some of the Dangers In the Path.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
The only way of Judging the future
it has been said, is by the past and the
present, and this is true. Known
events transpired, frequently enable
us to divine unknown events yet 10
transpire. Attempt at prophesy on
any other basis is futile; but with the
many significant happenings Of the
past few years and # each succeeding
day TO guide US, there is great temp
tation just now, in the last hours OF
the expiring year, TO try to see what is
Immediately before US, especially in a
commercial aud business way in 1900.
Although 1 claim to be able to see
as far into u grindstone as anybody, l
am not disposed to consider the year
1900 quite as opaque as the grlndstone
and although there are those who can
see further into it than I, still / think
l see some things that may enable
SINE people to see further than they
do now. Perhaps, it may all be moth
ing but vagary of imagination, Great.
ing false hopes and groundless fears ;
but if what 1 happen to think does
nobody any good, l feel sure that it
will do no one any harm. AS TO inju,
ry or benefit, however, l will warn the
reader to look out for himself; but
with the advance assurance that my
intentions toward him are only the
very best.
In my opinion, unless I have entire
ly overlooked some important facts
bearing on the general situation, the
year 1900 promises opportunities for
energy, intelligence and enterprise, the
like of which have not been seen offer
ed in this country for years past.
These opportunities, too, are TO be
extended to every trade, vocation and
profession, and the profits are to be
distributed, as usual, among those
individuals who display the most in.
telligent enterprise and the greatest
business sagacity. l am not looking
for an indiscriminate shower of dollars
to rattle down at the feet of the de-
serving and undeserving alike to be
picked up without effort; but the indi-
cations are that there will be opportu-
nifty in abundance, and in the case OF
the individual who is made up of the
right kind of stuff nothing more could
be asked.
Now for the reason of the faith that
is within me. Everyone is aware
of the general advance in prices that
has been in progress, not only through
out the United States, but throughout
the world, during the past few months.
This advance has not yet extended to
every department of industry and
labor; but it is still in progress, and
will finally include everything: l say
this for the reason that while some
call the advance "Republcan prosperi-
ty," and others say it is due to the
trusts, and still others to various other
causes, believe it can be proven that
it is due to the operation of the natural
law of supply and demand-the in
creased production of gold-and conse-
quently the decreased purchasing
power or cheapness of money. For
instance, most people have a pretty
correct general idea leading up to the
panic of 1898, and of the conditions
existing for several years thereafter.
In brief, money had become exceed
ingly scarce, and consequently dearer.
There has not been period in the
history of the country when dollar