The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-07-01
MAKES GOOD REPORT
SECRETARY GAGE IS PLEASED
WITH BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
He Finds Improved Conditions and Good
Prospect OF Their COntinuance-The
Cuban Question-What IL Going on
at the National CAPITAL.

4
Cuban Question-what IL Going on
at the National Capital.
E. F. PARSONS, Special Correspondent.
Washington, D. C.-Secretary Gage
got good news, as we'll as giving it on
his recent trips to Cincinnati, Phila-
delphia, Nashville and other cities.
His Cincinnati address brought great
encouragement to the country, and he
in turn was himself encouraged by
what other people said to him.
"The commercial clubs which met
at Cincinnati" said Mr.. Gage, "are
composed of representative commercial
and manufacturing men from four great
cities Of the country, Boston, Chicago,
St. Louis and Cincinnati. They are the
heads of the greatest commercial and
manufacturing houses of these great
cities. Each one of them is in touch
with his representatives in all parts of
the country and obtains information
concerning business conditions all over
the United States. Take such a man
as Mr.. Armour, for instance: he has
hundreds of representatives located not
only in all the great cities but the
smaller places of the country and of
course is in touch with them constantly
and is able to judge of business condi-
tions the country over. The same may
be said to a great extent. perhaps, of
Marshall Field, whose business lines
bring him in touch with every part of
the United States. Another Chicago
house represented there does large
business in the manufacture of eleva-
tors, engines and other products OF that
class. Mr.. Pullman reaches, through
his sleeping-car system, of course,
every part of the country, and is able
to accordingly diagnose business condi-
tions and judge of business activity or
the reverse. The representatives Of
other cities and other lines of business
have equal facilities for judging of bust
ness conditions and of the feelings Of
the business public the country over.
II was gratifed to find very salts
factory feeling among those gentlemen
who thus formed their opinions by their
contact with the business and CONNER
cial men in all parts of the country.
They reported better business condi-
ton and better feeling than has been
realized for long time. BY this, I
mean not an extreme growth of activ-
ity, but marked improvement and
one which is accompanied by conf
dence on their part that it is the begin
ming of q permanent improvement.
We have, of course, seen in the past,
spurts of business improvement which
were only temporary, but the feeling
among these gentlemen was that the
improvement which they observed is
likely to be permanent and to continue
to increase with such legislation as will
assure them regarding currency as we'll
Is tariff"
''Do you think that the free silver
sentiment il as strong as it was three
months ago?'
''Of course the people with whom I
came in contact represent the cities
only SO that could not judge SO &C
curately from what they personally
know; but it Is quite apparent, not
only from what learn through them,
but from other sources, that the silver
sentiment is on the decline. Events of
the past few months have been decidedly
adverse to it and must have had de-
pressing influence upon it's advocates
and upon the theory itself. Japan, for
instance, to which they called particu-
lar attention during the campaign as a
shining example of free silver pros
perity, has adopted gold standard.
So have Peru and Russia, and the ten
dency among other silver using coun-
tries seems to be in that direction.
All these things, coupled with the con-
tinuous fall in the price of silver, is
not only showing people the unwisdom
of the proposition which these leaders
so strenuously advocated, but are show
ing to these themselves the improba-
bility Of inducing the American people
to again support such a proposition.