Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-12-08
SLOW TRADE IS SHORT LIVED.

SLOW TRADE IS SHORT LIVED.
The fact that trade Is dull among
storekeepers OF many Iowa towns need
not make pessimist out of an obser-
yer nor an advance agent OF calamity
out OF everyone who feels it. There
are several local and temporary causes
that have slackened the wheels Of coun-
try commerce this fall that are neither
general in their character nor long
lived. In many an Iowa town crops
this year were very light. Farmers are
hard up in those localities and trade at
the stores will be affected but the land
is there to raise an enormous crop next
year and the country Is growing III
population enormously, which Will offer
SO many more hungry mouths to be
fed that prices are bound to improve.
Any ten year average for the fiat coun-
ties OF Iowa will show a world OF wealth
produced by the lands that We're so
barren this year. There are certainly
better days coming.
But trade IL light in the hill counties.
too, where crops are large, someone
croaks. IT'S true. The packers have
beaten down the price Of hogs and cat
tie until farmers dare not sell the stuff
they have. Cattle are SO low feeders are
afraid to pay over 2S to 80 cents for
corn and the farmer holds out for IS
cents. They can't both hold out all
winter and it Is question now as to
which is the longer slayer. Again hogs
and cattle are so low just now that
every stockman is denying himself and
his family In order to hold his stock
for better prices. Even the man whose
stock is not ready for market feels so
poor anyway that he won't let the
women buy new things. A few weeks
will see an end to this period OF busi-
ness suspension. The cattle and hogs
will be sold and farmers Will begin
to take what they can get for their corn
and oats. There will be something
doing and lots more money moving In
the community than anyone has any
idea OF at the present time.
Far seeing flnanciets can see this.
New York bankers are already predict
ing easy money in January after mil :
lions in January 1st dividends and In
terest have been paid. after the whole
salers have collected for their mer-
chandise sold to the country merchant
and after the cattle money has COM
back to the. country banks to enable
them to again maintain large balances
in the reserve banks VI the larger cit
ties. It is true that interest rate9
nave risen and banks generally have
loaned about all the idle money they
have but this occurs every year in the
crop moving season and is aggravated
this year only by the fact that many
a small bank has loaned TOO heavily
to real estate investors which is slow
kind OF paper to come back to the bank
bringing the coin.
Money performs much the same da-
ties as q common carrier in the trans
action Of business. Its only use is to
convey wealth from ane person to an
other. Wien there Is an extraordin-
q ~, v,,oyap,op{ of conI ~ orot,, fbora
arises with the carrier a car shortage.
More cars are actually working than
ever before but there is much more
work to be DONE Likewise when a
boom in land raises IS acres to $25 and
starts millions of acres to moving from
owner to purchaser 1t not only In
creases five fold the volume OF wealth
to be conveyed by money but the fact
that there is movement in lands that
had been lying quietly in the hands
Of former owners multiplies the hauling
or transferring to be done by money
a hundred, fold, just as grain in the
cribs does not disturb a common car
rier until It all begins to move at
once.
This Is what makes money tight. /.
is estimated that $1n,0O0,000 have gone
out OF Iowa for northern lands alone.
The game money that was more than
enough to do the 'country's business
eighteen raonths ago and even piled UP
In the banks, as empties do on side
track, is now being; overworked and
the banks are compelled to refuse re-
quests for any more cars until the pres
ent rush is over, which will occur Just
as soon as the agricultural wealth
raised thiuort this state has been sold.
Then the farmers will become depos.
tors Instead of borrowers, the mer-
chants goods will begin to move and
the pessim mist will he out OF a job. IT
trade IL dull now 1t Is bound to be bet
ter in January. There was too much
wealth produced In Iowa this year 20
allow tim es to be dull more than thirty
days duration.
BUSINESS At LEADING POINTS.
Trade is seasona1,ly quiet, except In
the lines affected by weather and those
embracing holiday goods, which are in