The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-11-24
KINGDOM OF PLENTY
Some Important Facts That Prope Panic Is An
ImpoSSibiIity in the United States

that viii keep the people Of that State
in plenty for a year. The clearing house
business is the best index TO the bust
ness Of the country. Last year this
amounted to S157, 0OO, 0O0,0O0 AS recently
as 1856 the bank clearings amounted to
only $4,000, 100000. II Will he seen from
this that the business OF the United
States has been multiplied by three in
only twenty years.
If the American people ever should
become really hard up they can relieve
their scarcity Of money by simply cut
ting down their food supply. The aver
age American in 1Su used 469 bushels
of flour and wheat. His children Of to-
day use 7.OS bushels. The increased con-
sumption amounts to 2SS.OOO0O0 bushels.
which, exported 10 Europe, would bring
us 500, 600 in gold. The average man
to-day used One-ninth more corn and
corn meal than did the average man Of
lSl. He uses more than double as much
sugar. and one-ffth more coffee. II he
would eat no more to-day than the peo-
pie of 1871 did. America could export a
half billion dollars worth Of foodstufrs
more than she does. The average Amer
lean does not drink quite as much tea
and whisky as he did in 1871. but he
drinks more than three times as much
beer and other malt liquor
With the gigantic harvests of wealth
that the present year is giving the people.
with a balance OF trade that will bring
them more money from Europe than
they have ever had before, there IS GER
tainly nothing in the conditions that na-
ture has placed upon them to Justify
any panicky feeling. Our exports will
amount 10 about $50 per capita to-day.
whereas they amounted to less than S13
per capita in 1898. We have Ss3 per can
tia in circulation now. whereas we had
only 2+ at that time. The corn crop this
year Is nearly double what Il was I'm
1893. The same is true OF the cotton,
crop. whichis worth more 10 the mound
The rice crop will be about three times
as large. The production of coal is more
than doubled. This IS also true of ne
troleum' while the increase in the nro-
ducuon or pig iron and steel has been
trebled. The earning power Of the a.
per cent or the total population who live
by agricultural pursuits has increased
81 per cent since 1893, and the fncrea sed
earning power of the other 60 per cent
has kept substantially the same pace.
In view Of all this. does it not seem
inconsistent and improbable that the
shadow of hard times should again fan
over this rich land? 1t is unbelievable
that the American people. possessors Of
the greatest resources on the globe. tire
less in their energies and unsurpassed
In their skill, should be precipitated into
a period OF general depression N this
time, when their fields are producing
so bounteously and the wheels of their
great Industries are revolving so smooth
lyE Although the causes are not of their
making it does not follow that the rem
edy is beyond their control Let those in
the high places in our government strike
quick and sure at the root OF this evil
and the sun Of prosperity will continue
% shine in the kingdom Of plenty.
Tomorrow Our World wide
Trade.