The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1903-04-04
PROSPERITY AND IT'S DAN'N
SIGN AIS.

|
The announcements thai 'ne civ
I"0 81 this country for the $40 SIX
70 ths ending January Il w.
III y : 70 several million less tlla aa
sor the corresponding period Oh i"O,
.nas received with serious misgi Nine
W., w"' ~ classes Pessimistic sentiment
derived from this statement 1
stantial support; and 1t was o ~ the
contended that prosperity was Vn Wv w.,
oo ','o ~ our country, and that the iu-
crative trade which the uhlteu ''
had hitherto enjoyed with other 10
tions was retrograding The pup
cation of the export statistics III Io
ruary, however, seem to chans sio.+es
comnlexion of affairs, ana ihuio"eo'
that the wave of prosperity Is HUI ~
cedine, but is rather gaming Nv"
impetus. arots for
Exnorts of domestic products w
February show an increase OIL SSo'"oo,
9ss, as compared with the same mo ,I,
last year OF this amount, according
to the New York Times, the increase
IN cotton alone was $12,654, $780, ana
in breadstuffs So, 1856, 256, other SUI,
start;al increase was in cattle hogs'
meat, dairy products ana nin
oils. rok-
Tbese figures are significant. Iak'
ON in connection with the uhparaii0i
ed activity in the iron trade '"o'
furnish a valuable commentary on
the financial and industrial STATUS -
the country. The Journal mas peon !,
frankly optimistic over the outlook o o.
the present year. At the close OF '9oS
we furnished our readers with care
ful snryey of the situation, and gave
it as our opinion that the course %
e prosperity in the United States WoulO
continue without substantial hinder
y ance during 1903. This predlctloi
e hos heen so far borne out by suose
ouent events.
e But there are certain dangers AM
a difdculties about which tins pape
a has never attempted to deceive II
readers, and which have been recent
referred to in these columns. ines
3 dangers persist undiminished, IN SPIT
y of the still advancing tide OF pro-
]. perity; and it may not be out
- Mace TO pause for moment III u
=. midst of this feast of plenty ana col
- slider once more the enemies VINO
4 are advancing at the frontier
e Prosperity continues b u I IL
IT. evils which it brings are grown
If the faster Of the two. Lavish eApe
u ditures and bottomless speculation
:" these are the vampires which e
lie jewellers are thoughtlessly nouris
* ing. When the fabric OF prosper
IN colapses, it will fall suddenly, Ii
\. an enchanted castle 1t will not
swept away by an outward torrel
nor will it slowly decay; it W
remain seemingly firm and spleno
to the last, Only hose who ha
'e- sounded it's oaken beams and test
is it's foundations will know that 1t
he undermined and rotten from
IL ground up; that its brave front Il
nd mere she'll, which the first wind W
lu- scatter i'll ruins.
INT Whether or not the warning agar
ng extravaganza and over speculatl
Sn, will be needed, and there are tn
to who take similar view with o
er. selves -remains to be seen, But
ON history OF previous periods OF bV
ut ness prosperity is luminous with
signals, telling Of expanded credi
of lavish expenditures by the veal
classes and extravaganza ON the /
the of all; of huge 'watered stock CO
per panies, and mining schemes, ana {
ms rich-quick concerns: OF blind,
the reasoning optimism :-rof sud
ana crash, in which palaces crumbl
ep- dust and millions melt away
]on' phantoms. These lessons are the {
mat ger signals of prosperity Perrin
lan' for the first time, people will be '
a enough to heed them. OtherW
though the disaster will be postp(
for one and perhaps two years
ike must come, as the harvest of t
lave who have sown to the winds. =
lanta Journal.
now