Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1877 — The War and Business. [ARTICLE]

The War and Business.

The London Timet, in its isirae of April 30, contains a letter from Its Philadelphia cyrrespondeut devoted to the cotuinbrcial view of the war that is taken in this country, and the unqualified satisfaction that is expressed in referring to it. T|iat feeling is summed up in the declaration of tbc correspondent: ‘‘The wider the field, the greater the waste, the more there will be tor us to do, the more for us tn sell;” and that “if Russia and Turkey were aware of the very great service they could do to the United States by expediting their impending war, hostilities would probably begin at once.” There is no doubt that the correspondent correctly represents the general outburst ot commercial enthusiasm that has been aroused by the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Turkey, and the possibility that it may become a general war. It is the general impression that the combatants must be fed, clothed, armed, equipped, and furnished with supplies, and that when the work commences we shall have, as the correspondent expresses it, “ihe earlier breaths of returning prosperity.” The London T/mesjloes not take so sanguinea view of the commercial situation, and taking the observations of its correspondent as a basis, preaches a homily, or rather sounds a note of warning, that our over-zealous and enthusiastic tradesmen and merchants would do well to consider.' It admits that there' may be a demand for breadstnifs, provisions, naval'stores,' and guns, that ocean freights- will be increased, and that th - American, vessels will have increased employment; but it points out that this trade will not be so simple and business like a. matter as is anticipated, so long as Turkey and Russia have fleets, and there is such a thing as the right of seizing contraband of war. -„ L : “The transport, for instance, of munitions of war to Gonstftntinople may become a less purely commercial business than it has been of late. Its prqflta may he greater where they are made: but there will be greater risk,, and may b,e great After pointing "out this the' Timet, assuming that the trade in corn, in provisions, and in army and navy stores, may become suddenly stimulated, asks the important question, “What then?” and answers it as follows: It will be simply that these trades' have received an accidental, an artificial and an unwholesome stimulus, and that,- whenever peace is made, as it must be sooner or later, the temporary fabric of American commerce will collapse, and the end will be worse tbag the beginning. There could not be a greater illusion than to suppose that war can at any time, or to any nation, however free from the danger of being entangled in it, be a real benefit By its essential character it . disturbs the; natural course of exchange, and the disturbance is great in proportion to the magnitude of the contest. Commerce and industry are prosperovis in proportion as they supply the natural, ordinary, regular demands of exchange, and anything which diverts them from this function can only be at best, p benefit to the few, and must be a permanent disaster to the many. Applying this general observalion, if finds that “the real consequence would be- that dustry would , have bet;p diverted for a time.from the only paflis in which it can find permanent prosperity.” It' ia ot obinion that a very large slraj e of.tlie existing depression in Europe and America is caused by the wars that have disturbed the world within the last twenty years, and the illustrations really bear out the tliebvy. The Crimean war 1 deranged'the finances of Russia, depressed the trade of England, and bankrupted Turkey. Our own war was followed by panics and the general confusion that follows speculation and annatnral inflatibn of business. The FrancoGerman war stimulated the Germans to enterprises far beyond their means, and when th6y found they were in deep waters they distrusted their footing and panic set in. As the Timet says; “The characteristic feature of the moment is, not tbwthere is no money to invest, but that people will not invest it, because they do not know what .inveßinients, or whether any inve«hn«nts, are sate. The main effect of war,, and of a great war, must\be to aggravate this feeling, and to aggravate also its causes.” There is, undoubtedly, much of truth in the suggestions ot the Timet and the dangers it points out the business men ot this country would do well to hetd, if they would escape fresh disaster* upon the very same rocks, they have lately encountered, The warnings,.

however, would hale cdnfl* W better taste had they not been accompanied with such fling* ak thesMJF Some one has defined the teat of real humanity to be the degree of Int«resf J man is capable of feeling Jn t!»e ealth of a Chinese Mandarin. Possibly it might be regarded as a test of real neutrality how far then, an capable, even with the moat taiw* - lent and peaceful disposition, of taking a purely commercial view of i» war which threatens with Incalculable miseries a good deal mor* that! a 1 hundred millions, of the human raceeven supposing it to be confined to Russia sUd Turkey. A taunt oi this kind does not come with good grace (tom the representative oi a people who re-, regard the war between Turkey an.l Russia purely from the commercial view; who, if they go tn to the wstr, can be actuated alone by commercial reasons; and who are hot uh- 4 willing, if the interest* of their pockets are endangered, to sacrifice the liberties of million* of Christians for the sake of the millions of dollars owed them by the Turk*. There is too much glass in ilieEa*. glish house to warrant a very eral stone-throwing.— Chicago Tribune. ’