The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-23
NO CLOUDS IN SIGHT /.
Feeling Among Manufacturers as
Seen by w. S. Jones Just Back
From Extended Trip.
There Are Possibilities of Clouds in
Labor Demands Which Are
Widely Discussed.

w. S. Jones, publisher of the CONNER
ial Bulletin and Northwest Trade, who
has just returned from an extensive bust
ness trip through the middle west and
eastern states, says that manufacturers
in all lines see nothing but signs of prom
Use in the commercial skies. Mr.. Jones
has visited, in the past two months. manu-
facturers' of various lines of merchandise
in twenty states. Factories are busy,
man are well paid, ~jobbers in all sec
tons are clamoring for goods, and raw:
material: in many lines is scarce. Mr..
Jones says: ....-. ,r-.. ~ - =.
Barring labor troubles the manufact
urer of the middle west and of the, east
sees nothing: but bright prospects COM
mercially. Mills are running night and
sday. and many of them have enough or
ders booked to keep the wheels turning
steadily the rest Of the year without say
ing anything about the business yet to
come Although labor in most merchan-
disc lines is paid better than at any time
IN the history of the country there is a
rumbling of dissatisfaction in some sec
lions which will amount to demand
not only for more pay but for shorter
hours. .."..,. = >>- -. -, ~. -
Demands for Goods General r.
EVERY industrial center is busy. even
more so than last year when jobbers were
forced to wait patiently for deliveries.
and the retail trade in turn had to con-
tend more or less with back orders. Ev-
cry section of the country is asking for
goods. Raw material generally is COM
handing comparatively high prices and
manufacturers of some lines complain of
scarcity Of supplies. Manufacturers of
steel and iron products say they arc al
most forced to fight for material to keep
their plants running and get their orders
out anywhere near on time.
u =, - -
t centers and the fact that farm products
| are commanding good prices, the manu-
! facturer is unable to see where clouds can
gather in the commercial sky except
through the unreasonable demands of la
Dor. This feature is much discussed in
| all industrial centers. Heads of manu-
featuring institutions feel that it is the
most important problem with which they
have to contend during the coming year
Eyes on the Northwest:
/ Among manufact urers of all lines in al
/ sections much interest is shown in the
northwest. The southwest has developed
| fast in the past few years but in addition
! to its big development the northwest. has
completely won the confidence Of the east
4 .ern business man. Although, every. sec
ton of the country is prosperous, -. the
northwest is rated by eastern manufac tur
ers both large and small as, the. ,banne
territory for trade. In addition to it!
reputation as a good buyer the credit, @
the northwest is high with the eastern
manufacturer. The tremendous ,immigra
ton, the big increase in the number O
merchants, and the general prosperity O
this section: of the country. are subject
of deep interest to the eastern r1anufac
turer and have made him a convert tt
i the stability and the permanent prosperit,
| Of these ,states.''. - y. r. ......,