Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-22
PROSPERITY IS ON THE Way
Railway Age Collects Information and
Draws Conclusions.
BELIEF IN TRADE REVIVAL UNIVERSAL
Railroads ana Manufacturers All over
the Country Confident that
business is Now
the Up Grade.

CHICAGO, Nov. 21.-The Railway Age in
its issue Of this week will publish sum-
mary report received from some 200 rail-
way companies and manufacturers in all
parts of the country regarding the effect on
business of McKinley's election. The con-
clusions drawn from these reports are at
follows:
1. Has the railway business picked up at
all? We are compelled 10 answer, 1t has
not. In parts of the west and southwest 1t
has beer even distinctly worse since cleo
tion than 1t was before. There has not
even been an increase in the little local
passenger travel Here and there are so-
lated cases of increased activity, but look
ing at the country as whole, there has
been no improvement yet either In travel
or traffic. This fact is established beyond
question by the reports received.
2. Although there has as yet been no In
crease in traffic, the railway companies as
a whole, have very materially Increased
their expenditures, especially in two ways,
as will be seen clearly from the abstracts or
reports which arc published below. There
have been many increases OF shop forces
and a very general tendency to purchase
more freely. This last fact is shown more
conclusively by the reports from manufac-
turcrs than from the reports or the COM
panies themselves
Still more important than the above is the
number OF companies which report that they
had all plans made for reduction In force
in case the election had gone the other way.
These emphasize very strongly the gravity
of the danger from which the country has
been saved The railway companies generally
have. during the hard times, been keeping
up their forces and expenses at point in
excess OF what existing business would
justify, in the hope OF a return OF prosperity,
and they are now In position to meet any
increase OF demands that may be made upon
them without further expenditures.
The expectation of revival in the near
future Is almost universal. There Is a
curious unanimity in the expression OF q
belief that this revival will really begin to
be felt after the LIST of January. There Is
also-most cheering of allan evident be-
lief in all directions that this revival will be
permanent, that Is to say, that 1t will last
for several years at least.
In conclusion, would say that the
evidences OF an actual increase in business
today 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 to
place orders for goods and make betterments
which they hope that an increased demand
will soon justify. Manufacturers are
similarly opening up and increasing their
output, so as to be forehanded and ready to
furnish stock when II is NEEDED All this
implies an actual return OF confidence. With
the extension of that confidence, so that
money will be available for new enterprises
and for expansions of existing business, the
circle of improvements, will widen, and
1t widens, as the number CT men who are
earning wages and have wages to spend goes
on increasing, those who have dared to move
in advance OF the times will reap the re-
ward OF their courage.