The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-03
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1907.
The Ercntc-t wealth you cnn
ever get will he In yoursclf.-EIoracc
Bushnell. s
HOPE.

HOFEs
II go on with the hope that better
days will come'-Matthew Arnold.
That is the sentiment of an optiInist
and should now be the controlling sem
timcnt of every American who has
faith in himself. his countrymen and
his country. What excuse Is there for
pessimism in this country. great and
rich? We have an honest President
and an honest administration of public
affairs. And we are an honest people,
ms whole, fair and just and even gem
erons in our dealings. If it Were other
wise we should not have been startled
because it was disclosed that some men
in high places We're false to their
trusts. But while we have been
startled, Should we take a gloomy view
and lose our faith? How many of
these men have been false? A dozen
or So How many, on the other hand,
are true and reliable? God Almighty
offered to save Sodom for the sake of
ten upright men, and shall Ne condemn
our own land because a few men here
and there have done evil? 1t Were a
reflection upon our own integrity and
upon our common sense. Our standard
of politics, our standard Of business,
our standard of morals In all dircc-
tons has been raised. AS a nation
we are not only richer and greater. but
better than any generation that has
preceded us, We have gone backward
in nothing. We have progressed in
everythins--in material wealth, in edu-
cation, in philanthropy, in righteous
ness.
We took on case of hysteria he
cause few railroad men We're caught
at stock-jobbing; because few cor
poration managers were caught taking
rebates; because few bankers In New
York were caught using the funds OF
the bank for speculative purposes. But
the railroads are in excellent physca,
condition and crowded with traffic; the
industrial corporations are prospecting
as never before. and the banks of the
country at large are unusually strong.
For year or moro the banks had been
preparing for Just such crisis as
1
did come they were prepared to meet
1T. The fact that they did so, with only
Il few isolated failures here and there
furnishes abundant proof of their in
herent strength.
There will be some curtailment of
business operations. There should be
Healthy reactions are always desirable
They relieve the strain and give OPP
portunity to recuperate. Hence they
promote health and strength. But al
the underlying conditions are sound
They consist OF large harvests, OF ar
enormous supply of gold part OF which
is III the public treasury to preserve
the governments credit and the othe,
part In circulation to preserve the
credit of private institutions; OF bus,
stores and factories all over the coun.
Try; OF plentiful supply of coal iron
copper, wood and other raw materials
of unprecedented traffic for the trans
portation lines. Besides. the water
has been squeezed out OF all classes O
stocks and bonds, and 1t Is UNIVERSAL,
conceded that In the vast majority O
leases prices are far below intrinsi
value, Discreet men know this to b
true, and there Is mighty rush t
market by investors. large and small
to buy for cash, and clerks are at worl
night and day to keep ur with tn
transfers. is bargain time. and me-
with the money In hand are taking ad
vantage of it.
There is but one thing that can de
stroy ~tlc prosperity of this countr,
and that is loss OF faith by the peopl,
II they will but take a rational vie,
and go on their way without suspiclo,
81, whisperings OF suspicion, the situa
ton will clear itself up in short orde
and be better for the storm.