Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-10-25

The Effect Of the Quadrennial Contest
on Trade and Real Estate.


The Effect Of the Quadrennial Contest
on Trade and Real Estate.
VARIOUS VIEWS oNTHE EUBJECT-PERS0Ns WHO
THINK CIEvELAND's ELECTION WOULD BENEFIT
WAsHINGTON-THE OPPOSITE vIEw-THE EF-
Feet OF REPUBLICAN SUCCESS UPON THE REAL.
ESTATE MARKET-rALKs WITH REAL ESTATE
MEN AND MERCHANTS.
What effect will the national election have
upon values in the city of Washington? is a
question asked frequently by business men of
each other every day. The replies given to the
question show that opinions vary widely on the
subject. There are men who predict that bust
ness here will go to smash If Cleveland is
elected. They say il will tunsettle everything"
that the government employees will be uncer-
tain as to their fate, officially. and will stop
spending money. Others contend that Cleve-
lands election will improve business; that it
will bring the biggest crowd here ever seen at
an Inauguration and that many will remain
seeking office. and during their stay they must
spend money. One of the residents of Wash
ington
THINKS CLEyELAND's ELECTION WILL BRING
MONEY HERE.
A business man here for quarter of a CEN
fury and the owner OF a great deal OF real es-
tate, said to STAR reporter: "If Cleveland's
election has any appreciate effect upon busi-
ness it will be to improve it. Suppose govern
ment clerks are discharged AID have to sell
their homes, won't there be successors to them
coming into office who want to buy3 I'm not
uneasy about my property. l firmly believe
Cleveland will be our next President. and yet
within the last few days l have refused what
most people might consider advantageous offers
for property right here in the neighborhood
or Du POnt Circle. AS to business gen.
orally, and Washington does almost
exclusively a retail business. it will be
helped. There will be thousands and tens Of
thousands attracted here to see q democratic
President, and they will all spend money. And
they'll keep coming and continue to spend
money long after the Inauguration. Why,
have two old uncles over here in Virginia who
have never visited Washington since the war
They have notified me that if Cleveland's
elected they intend to come 1 couldn't tell
you how many of my relations and friends
have advised me they are coming if we elect
our man, and intend to take care of them ALL
Its all nonsense to talk about democratic sue
cess hurting Washington. 1t will be the very
best thing for u.s.
DIFFERENT VIEW.
Another prominent business man said: eff
Blaine Is beaten every government employee
who owns property will begin Immediately to
try too sell it. Each one will think that it
would be bad policy for him to wait until turned
out of office to get rid of his property. so at the
same time all Of them will be Offering to SELL
The natural result will be a depreciation of real
estate. AS to other lines of business, don't
know that it will make any difference
Among the merchants generally opinions
seem to differ, being based, apparently,
upon the political sentiment of the
merchant expressing them. There are
dent would be very conservative and that he
would adhere to civil service reform. They
think that II there is any furry among clerks
caused by fear of discharge, in the event of
democratic success, that it will soon pass by
and confidence be restored. Some of the largest
merchants objected to being quoted saying they
had customers of all shades OF political opinion
and they feared that any expression as to the
result OF the election might be construed as TAX
ing part, as merchants, in politics.
MERCHANTS OPINION.
The head of one of the largest retail houses in
the city said: 1--WE have not yet discovered any
feeling OF uneasness At least our business has
not fallen Off any. For my part don't think
the election Of either Blaine or Cleveland will
have any marked effect upon retail trade. The
Inauguration will bring large numbers Of people
TO the city, OF course, and they will spenG some
money here. In making our purchases and
business arrangements We haven't taken the
election into account at ALL
The general idea is that real estate will more
directly feel the effect, if there be any, growing
out or the election. Opinions on this point are
IN many cases. governed by political sentiment
MR. BLAINE AND WASHINGTON REAL ESTATE.
Mr.. B. Fl. Warner, leading real estate dealer,
gave the following views to STAR reporter:
nlnn g
strengthen the demand for real estate, ana very
materially improve the market. Why? Because
there would then be no interruption in the life
of office holders. They would feel secure
and would not hoard their money. Besides.
Blaine is a great admirer of Washington as a
place OF residence. He is not only largely
interested III real estate here himself but
he has induced other very wealthy gentle
men to locate and invest here. He is a great
big man on every question, and his ideas OF the
growth OF the national capital correspond with
kkEeWs OF other questions. Now. with Cleve-
faeh's election real estate might depreciate tenn
porarily because the Office holders are practically
all republicans. and if Cleveland comes in they
will have to go en- n,Gsse, and in MANY
cases they would have to seek occupation and
homes elsewhere. OF course, in many instances,
clerks and officehOlders have money saved up,
and those who have could remain here and by
living econOmically-as this is the cheapest
place IN the country tOllVe-engage i'll some other
business. Now whether there would be real cause
for it Or not. in the event of Cleyelands election
the government clerks would feel uneasy and
insecure. They would hold back their money
until they could determine what their fate
would be. But as against the reason [ have
given for depreciation of real estate resulting
from democratic success have this to say: A
large number ofnew people would come here, and
from all over the country would be
here with the idea that they could ret
bargains in real estate. know myself of come
men, whose money runs up into the millions.
VINO Will buy very largely if Cleveland is elected.
Wash Mclean is one of them.
WASHINGTON BEYOND DEPENDENCE UPON PARTY.
Mr. Thos J. Fisher, another Unknown real
estate dealer. said:
washington has got beyond dependence
upon the party in power. We have seen no
evidence of the market weakening yet On the
it has held its own remarkably well.
As to the talk OF property being sacrificed if
Cleveland is elected, there is no need OF that at
ALL The properties of government clerks are
generally small and will readily sell for all they are
worth. There are plenty fpersons right here now,
TO say nothing of the demand for houses that
would be caused by newcomers under change
Of administration, who would readily buy all
the properties offered by office-holders at their
full yalue.'
Messrs Duval & Mari, real estate dealers.
were together when the reporter called at their
place of business. They said the election of
Cleveland would not, in their opinion, hurt the
real estate market. They thought it would in
crease the population AND create much larger
demand for real estate. They look for build