The sun., 1901-09-04
Tho season OF Social. Business and
Political Activity.

The opening Of important theatres.
with crowded audiences, indicates that
the town has started on the autumnal
season: and further indication II seen
in freshly stocked shops and bazaars
and their throngs Of interested custom
ere. Moreover. Wall Street yesterday
resumed business after its holiday in
torval, and trade generally IA proceeding
briskly.
Complaint has been made by some of
our correspondents of diminished values
OF landed property. a. II they were the
rule In this country but actually they
are confined to particular districts
where they are due To natural causes,
the direction OF investment being tenn
porarily or permanently away from
them TO districts Offering OF seeming
20 offer better prospects. For real
property thus preferred prices are now
greater than ever. more particularly
ON Manhattan Island. Eligible situa
tjons for hotels and apartment houses
of the hest class and for great hazaars
of the retail trade are sought and i'm
proved at prices and on a scale Of ex-
pcnditure unrivalled In the past. The
season Of house renting. now changed
90 extensively from the spring to the
autumn. has opened actively and rates
are well maintained. The prospect IL
that before winter sets in the number of
desirable dwellings and apartments
left untenanted will BE- less than ever
before, for the tendency 10 seek
winter residence in New York grows
more general among rich people in all
parts OF this Republic and even Of this
continent.
The prosperous opening Of the theatres
indicates that at least the stream of
casual visitors To the town il already
great New York families having coun-
try places are still In them and will re
main there for a month or two months
longer. The CAV season Of the society
Of fashion does not now open until the
winter holidays come in; but mean
time the current Of travelling strangers
from the mountains or seacoast il in
terrupted by a visit TO New York which
assures the hotels a prosperous au-
tumnal season and to trade remarkable
activity.
The larger and the broader the view
OF financiers and the more extensive
their operations the greater Is their
confidence. Misgivings IA 10 the future
are not among them. but where they exist
at all. are rather among the smaller fry
Of spectators. The disturbance Of the
industrial situation by labor strikes and
contests for domination. which has be-
come almost usual incident Of mid
summer. is now obviously reaching
an end With an unprecedentedly great
demand for labor. 80 that none az all
deserving Of employment need be with
out the high wages which invite IT,
strikes are without justification and are
only a wanton waste Of an e1traor-
dinarily fortunate opportunity. Natur-
ally. therefore. the common sense Of the
workmen will rebel against the leader
ship which seeks To magnify itself by
keeping them from enjoying their good
fortune.
Politically the autumn opens pro-
pitiously. The circumstance that the
Democratic party Il still without an
issue with which 20 divide public senti-
ment, and no indication Of the crystal
lization yet appears. is proof that the
people are more contented than ever
before Dissatisfaction with the national
policies In confined TO politicians who have
been shut out OF power and To political
philosophers whose hobbies have been
wrecked by the advancing current Of
national prosperity.
Never in American history was there
90 little reason for the existence of an
opposition party in a large public senti-
ment distinctively averse Ia the policy
Of an Administration in power. or even
seriously critical Of IL, a. there is for the
Democratic party st the opening OF this
autumn Nor is this absence Of political
discon,cnt more marked in any other
part Of the Union than in the Southern
States, hitherto almost the last remain
ing stronghold Of Democracy, How
can they be discontented when under
the existing national policy they are
enjoying a greater degree Of prosperity
than in the pslmiest days of slavery
and the rule Of King CottonY In
the whole world there Is no region moro
favored, and nowhere is the assurance
Of good fortune 10 come 80 strong. II
II not from the happy South that a party
Of discomfort will get stimulus.
Such political excitement as there ia
20 be this autumn is likely to be hottest
here in New York. The municipal
campaign upon which We shall enter
next month will command the Interested
attention Of the whole Union a. the fore
most political enterprise Of tho year
Tammany Hall Is both pillar of strength
and n source Of weakness for the Dcfno-
cratic party. IL is the sole Democratic
organization in New York, and next to
the South has been the stronghold Of tho
Democracy; yet it, moral degradation.
published and recogniycd In the further
most mining camp, has been a lu1a
weighing down that party eNcrvwhcrc
Consequently movement Ike that
20 b. undertaken here this autumn
A