Year: 1874

A review of the. business statements
made by our contemporaries, East and


West, discloses some general points of
interest. In the first place, it appears
that while the revival of business has
not thus far equaled the anticipations of
many, perhaps most men, yet trade is
going on well i'm all branches and all
parts of the country. 1t must not lie
forgotten that the vacation period of
summer is of much more consequence
than it used to be, and is more pro-
tracted. In the large cities the suspen.
sion of business activity from this cause
is not yet over. Then there is the feel
ing of caution, everywhere diffused,
which has lasted from the panic. That
event sprang upon the business COM
munity so suddenly, in the very pres
ence of apparent prosperity. that it will
be long time before men will cease to
fear the possible repetition of such
disaster. 1t can not be expected, then,
allowing everything to be favorable for
the return of lively business times this
fall, that they will come with bound.
We shall rather grow gradually into
the resumption of full activity, some
branches of business taking the lead,
and the more sanguine merchants and
manufacturers first demonstrating their
own success to the more cautious. 1t is
plain that this is the healthy mode of
procedure, and we can only hope that
the day is far off when il will be over
borne by speculative rashness'


Secondly, it is apparent that the cOun-
try now has all the conditions for the
substantial revival of business prosperity.
In all quarters satisfaction is expressed
that Congress is not likely to further
interfere with the financial situation.
Money is generally easy, its distribution
among the market investments showing
that it can be had in sufficient amount
for all productive enterprises which may
win the confidence of the public. The
crop returns are all that could be de-
sired. 1t is stated that there is now on
hand in Chicago and Milwaukee nearly
three times as much wheat as last year
at this time, being six and halfmillions
against two and half millions. This
may not be very encouraging to the pro-
ducer-although his high prices for corn
and oats make up for his loss on wheat
but it promises one of these seasons Of
cheap bread which conduce equally to
the comfort of the masses and the pros
perity of most branches of industry. If
men save something on the table they
generally lay out in other directions,
and besides, to cheaper an article is only
to extend the range and amount of its
consumption! We hail the abundance
of the crops, therefore, as exactly what
is needed to reduce the excessive prices
of the past, to furnish the means of easy
subsistence to struggling laborers, and to
partments of manufacturing industry.


Thirdly, it is evident that the con-
ditions of the times conduce to the fos-
tering of economy and prudence in all
business operations. The man who has
dollar to lay out in purchases wants
it to 60 as far as possible and to give
him as useful return. The reports
from every quarter coincide with this
view. people are buying freely, but
they do not. buy as expensive goods as
formerly" "There is a steady and
healthy increase in the general volume
of trade, from the fact that people are
still living economically, and buying
only what they need" Such are the
current statements. Taken i'm connec-
ton with the other business features of
the times-the absence of any great in
debtedness among the people, the sufi-
cient plentifulness of money, the abund-
ance of the crops, and the generally
healthy feeling of confidence prevailing
in nearly all business circles-it points
to steady revival of trade and industry
which, if not so vigorous as has been an
ticipated, will be sound and permanent.
-BOstOn Journal