The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-21
B. r. BUSINESS WORSE.
No Improvement Since Election Says
Railway Age, but Expects It


Railway Age, but Expects It
Chicago, Nov. 21.-The Railway Age,
in it's issue Of this week will publish r
summary of reports received from some
two hundred railway companies and
manufac turerS in all parts of the cOun-
try regarding the effect on business Up
to date of Mckinley's election The
conclusions drawn from these reports
are IS follows:
First-Has the railway business pick
ed UP. at alp We are compelled to an
sWer: mo it has not In parts of the
west. and southwest, it has been even
distinctly worse. since election than II
was before. There has not even been
a n increase in the little local passenger
travel. Here and there arc isolated
cases of increased activity, but looking
at the country IS whole there has
been no Improvement t,either in tray
ell or traffic This fact is established
beyond question by the reports receiv-
ed.
second-Although there has as yet
been no increase in traffic. the railway
companies as q whole. have very ms
teriaIly increased their expenditure.
especially III two ways. as viii he seen
clearly from the abstracts of reports
which are 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 toe reports from
manufa cturers than from the reports of
the companies themselves
Third-Stiu more important than the
above is the number of CDnlDanies which
report that they had ali plans made for
a reduction 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. The railway companies
generally have during the hard times
been keeping up their forces and OK
penseS at z point ia excess OF what OK
listing business would justify in hope OF
a return of pros perIty, ana they are
now in q position to meet any increase
of demands that may be made upon
them without further expenditures.
FOurth-The expectation of a revival
in the near future is almost universal.
There is a curious unanimity in the eN-
preston of a belief that this revival
will really beSin TO be felt after the 1st
of January. There is aiso-most cheer
ing of allan evident belief ia all
directions that this revival win be per
manent, that is to say. that it viii last
for several years at least In conClu-
sion would say that the evidences
are more marked than we had expected
to find The improvement SO far. how
ever, is largely one OF sentiment. Raii-
ways are taking advantage OF existing
low prices to place orders for goods and
make betterments which taey nope that
an increased demand viii soou justify.
Manufacturers are similarly pe--illg up
and increasing their output $50 as 10 DE
forehanded and ready 70 fUr.i p stock
when it is needed. All this implies 3u
actual return of confidence. With the
extension of that confidence SO tGat
money viii be available for new enter
prises and for expansions of existing
business the circle of Improvement VIII
widen. and as it Widens. as tho number
of men who are earning wages. and have
WAGES to spend goes embarrassing those
who have dared to move in advance *
the times viii reap the reward of rheir
COURAGE.