Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-19
Trade and Industrial Condi-
tions Satisfactory.
TIMES GOOD IN WEST
PRICES WE'LL SUSTAINED AND
BANKS HAVE MONEY.
Railroads Crowded With Freight and
Hardly Able to Handle the
Promised Traffic.


trade and Industrial conditions existing
throughout the country. which give fair
promise OF improving IN the fall Notwith-
standing the midsummer apathy OF the
speculative public prices OF Industrial and
railway shares remain high. II is said that
trading In Wall street is better than usual
at this season of the year
No political complications are In sight Mt
this time TO disturb the serenity OF the
business outlook. The opinion widely pre-
walls among bushes men that the tariff Will
not be altered adversely to protected Inter-
ests at next winters session of Congress
Railroad are confident that public
sentiment will be swayed In the Interim to
prevent radical action against them. Nota-
bic campaigns of education In both cases
are being pursued with great yigor. and
from them the results stated are expected
Crop conditions at this stage are excel
lent. A bumper crop of wheat is expected
throughout the west 1t Is stlil a question
whether the immense outpouring of Cana
dian wheat into the world markets. conse-
quent upon the unprecedented development
OF wheat lands In the Canadian northwest.
VIII AFFECT American export prices. AT
worst, however. the effect cannot be very
serious. as only Is per cent OF the total
amount of wheat grown in the United
States last year was exported and the, Ca
Times Good in the West
Throughout the west times are good and
prices well sustained. The banks have
money in plenty That was demonstrated
recently in the heavy defaication at NIL
waukee. which, IL It had come at time
when money was tight would have threat
ened a widespread panic in that region.
1t did not make ripple In the general
financial situation, money being at hand TO
secure the banks against embarrassment.
Since the exposures in the Equitable case
western banks have been growing more
chary about sending their surplus TO New
York. The consequence of that Is to make
the money more available for local develop
ment and industrial exploitation. There is
increasing demand for money throughout
the west for building and new railroad con-
struction. showing prosperous conditions.
In Minnesota, the Dakotas and that re-
gion Star man found In the course of a
recent trip that not railroad had sufficient
rolling stock to transact its business with
ease. That is always an unerring indica-
ton Of heavy business and general pros
perity The same Is said to be true In all
the states Of the crop-growing west. Rail-
road men are looking ahead to the fall with
anxiety. not seeing their way clear now to
ability to handle the promised traffic.
The steel trade Is Indicative also OF the
bright outlook for the country. The i'm
mense volume of business transacted by the
steel trust and the high prices its stock
the country. The consumption of steel en-
ters generally Into all utilities and every
line Of business that ii IS coming TO be re
garded as a barometer as good as the rail-
roads to indicate the business OF the land
On the Great Lakes.
At the Sault Ste. Marie last week. the big
csral locks that connect the waters OF
La Ike Huron and Lake Superior, furnishing
continuous waterway for deep draught
connecting by barge over the Erie canal
to tidewater, the spectacle was witnessed
of three four great steamships In the
locks at once. with half a dozen boats in
the lake a either end awaiting their turn.
They were going west with coal and gem
eral merchandise and coming east with ore
for the steel mills. a few weeks from now
II ey will bring great cargoes of wheat
from the Dakotas and Minnesota, and corn
fl ON Iowa and Kansas, running night and
day, saving every minute. TO Try to handle
the western business before the lakes close
in the winter.
Western merchants complained that they
were unable to get their orders filed
promptly in eastern factories, although
manufacturers of staple lines were operat-
ing their plants night and day. Instead of
standing offishly and picking and choosing
between jobbers. they were pleading for
goods and using the express lines freely for
seasonable articles. The drummers from
the eastern houses bore naughty mien
and did not have to exert themselves to
cover their trade. If they had the goods In
stock ready for shipment
Labor is scarce throughout the west. The
employment agencies around the railway
stations at Minneapolis and st. Paul are
placarded with signs offering work to men
in the northwestern states. The writer in
the course of a walk of two blocks at
Minneapolis counted positions open for 500
men. These were for laborers on construc-
ton, not farm hands. and In every case
transportation was offered free to desti-
nation. The wages were $1I5 per day.
What the poor farmer with his big wheat
crop will do for harvesters nobodyknows.
Fruit Crop Big.
The fruit crop Of the middle west promises
big output. Michigan and Wisconsin
fruit commands good prices In the east
and will furnish a notable item OF railway
transportation for the next few weeks,
The tide of passenger travel is very heavy,
Indicating that some folk in the east have
money and are spending IT, Every west
bound passenger train. for the Portland
exposition, the Yellowstone Park and the
Rocky mountain resorts has been running
in two and more sections for weeks past.
So whichever way one looks the pros
pect is bright for continuance of good
times and no diminution of prosperity, with
every good reason at this time, barring I'M
forseen disasters of overwhelming extent,