New-York tribune., 1907-11-26
THE ENEMYS COUNTRY"

Representative Hull prefaced his remarks by
Saying that the East, and particularly New
York. was responsible for the financial strin-
''gency,' news dispatch reports. In express
ing this opinion the Iowa Congressman may well
be supported by the comfortable sense that the
majority are with him. We have already taken
occasion to remark on the Southern belief that
the whole disturbance was brought about in or
der TO put the price of cotton down two cents
a pound. The price of cereals being high, the
West of course cannot hold that New York con
trived the panic in order TO bear wheat and
corn, but IL still thinks that though New York
did not cause the trouble with malice afOre-
thought It nevertheless did bring it on. Every
day some statesman in Washington holds forth
Iearnedly on New York the cause Of the panic.
No Congressional oversight has contributed to it.
Our currency legislation is the wiSest possible,
and Representatives and Senators have not de-
liberatey neglected proper consideration of "A
great national problem to busy their minds with
appropriations for deepening mud creeks and
building Greek temples to take the place OF the
country store in housing rural malls.
New York is q good excuse. The most sapient
CONGRESSMAN on earth cannot egIsate the pesky
thing off the map. All he can do is TO sit in
Washington and put the wisest laws upon the
books. and if New York bobs up and smashes
his plans for everlasting prosperity into ever
ldStAS HiiutIS W ny AlOOodS Neiil ~
man can only do bis best. Congress can only do
its best. But so long as New York hangs upon
the nation like an accursed fate, an old man Of
the sea- we may from time to time expect these
crises. these Interruptions In the countrys uni
versal welbeing, these bringingS TO naught OF
the beneficent plans of an all wise Congress.
1t seems strange that New York could ever
have become part of so good n country as this.
Nowhere else in this broad land do men specu-
late. Nowhere else do they pass in their bus
mess dealings from caution to confidence and
from confidence to overcOnfdence- Nowhere else
does legitimate business become Overextended
until the supply of capital is inadequate. Else
where prosperity would go without a check
or a setback if 1t were not for New York. II
crops fail for several seasons running and the
West is hard up Il is because Of some mallgn
conspiracy in New York. If they are overabun-
dant so that the cotton grower or the wheat
raiser does not obtain for his staple the price
which he confidently relied, 1t is because some
wicked cabal of New York spectators is robbing
him and taking the bread out of his children's
mouths. 1t is a fatalistic doctrine that no mat
ter what is prepared for this country by the
bounty Of heaven or of Congress New York IL
sure, once in so often, to step in as marplot
and ruin it all but there is no escape. Has this
country ever had panic that did not originate
in New York? And how many panics does New
York have which, despite all its malignity, it
fails to spread beyond its own confines or the
confines of its Stock Exchange? 1t is the breed
ing place of misfortune. 1t is the plague spot
whence the infection of disaster regularly
spreads We can see only one alleviation-the
steady contribution Of millionaires and financial
leaders which the rest of the country makes to
New York will surely in the end improve this
city to the standard of the rest Of this good ma
ton. The leaven from Pittsburg is surely work
ing The good men of substance who come to us
from the South will surely stand together to
save that stricken territory from the machina-
tions of its enemies. The graduates of the Chi
cago wheat pit who gravitate hther will surely
save us from our ancient sin. All Of these great
and good men who come TO us from the parts Of
the country where no one speculates and where
no one enters gayly into a conspiracy 10 lose a
billion in an effort to make some one else lose
million surely will not come in vain. They will
finally lift from the nations brow the curse
of New York.