Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-21
ON BUSINESS
What McKinley's Election Has Done
for the Country.
SUMMARY OF MANY REPORTS
A Lasting Revival in Industry Gen.
orally Expected.
EXTENSION OF CONFIDENCE

CHICAGO, November 21.-The Railway
Age in its issue of this week will publish
a summary of reports received from some
two hundred railway companies and manu-
facturers in all parts of the country
garding the effect on business up to date
of McKinley's election. The conclusions
drawn from these reports are as follows:
Il. Has the railway business picked up
at all? We are compelled to answer no;
1t has not. In parts of the west and south
west it has even been distinctly worse since
the election than it was before. There has
not even been an increase in the little local
passenger travel. Here and there are
isolated cases Of increased activity but,
looking at the country as whole, there
mas been no improvement yet, either in
travei or traffic. This fact is established
beyond question by the reports received.
Although there has as yet been no
increase In traffic, the railway companies
as whole have very materially increased
their expenditures. especially in two ways
as will be seen clearly from the abstracts
OF reports which are published. There have
been many increases of shop forces and
a very general tendency to purchase more
freely. This last fact is shown more con-
clusively by the reports from manufacture
ers than the reports Of the companies them
selves.
q; sui more important than the above
Is the number of companies which report
that they had all plans made for reduc-
tioh IN force in case the election had gone
the other way. These reports emphasize
very strongly the gravity of the danger
from which the country has been saved
Inc railway companies generally have
curing the hard times. been keeping I'D
,heir FORCES and expenses at point in ex-
cess OF what existing business would JUS
tl1y IN the hope of a return Of prosperity
n
increase or demands that may be made
upon them without further expenditures.
T. The expectation Of a revival in the
near future is almost universal There is
curious unanimlty In the expression of
belief that this revival will really begin to
be felt after the LIST of January. There Is
also-most cheering of allan evident belief
IN all directions that this revival will be
permanent; that is to say, that 1t will last
for several years at least.
In conclusion we would saw that the
evidences of actual increase in business to-
day are more marked than we had expected
to find. The improvement So far, however
is largely one of sentiment. Railways are
taking advantage of existing low prices 20
place orders for goods and make better
ments which they hope that an increased
demand will soon justify. Manufacturers
are similarly opening up and increasing the
output. so as to be forehanded and ready to
furnish stock when it is needed.
All this implies an actual return Of con-
fdence. With the extension of that conf
dence, so that money will be available FOR
new enterprises and for expansions of ex-
iSting business, the circle of Improvement
will widen: and, as it widens. as the num-
Der of men who are earning wages and have
wages to spend goes on increasing, tho.e
who have dared TO move in advance of the
times will reap the reward of their cour-
age"