The Washington times., 1908-10-18
SURE
ONLY DELAYED NOW
Merchants Must Buy After
Election, No Matter Who
Wins at the Polls.

With a little more than two weeks be-
fore the battle al the polls in the great
Presidential contest, the disposition u
hold back commissions. 10 delay or
ders, 10 NIL up the empty shelves in re-
tail and wholesale houses. TO postpone
the erection Of buildings. and 10 wait,
wait until after election. is IN evidence
on every hand.
Conservatism is evidenced. rather
than liberal expenditures, on projects
that viii have 10 be undertaken with
out regard 10 TIE returns OF Tuesday
evening November ;. 1905. Therefore
II IS but delayed prosperity.
The statistical position Of the cOun-
try is excellent. The crops have re-
plenished the buying power OF the agri-
culturst. and enabled him 10 lay by a
few dollars more Cor the rainy day. to
pay of few mortgages. and 10 again
demonstrate the value Of the producer.
The officials Of the railroads Of the
country, in their anxiety for maintain
ing dividends, have neglected mantle
nance Of equipment and trackage, and
the result is that they must 20 into the
market for equipment. cars. locomo-
tlves. and rails.
VIII nave the BUSINESS.
They Will have the business to handle
and the equipment Will have TO be
ready. Many roads await the verdict
before sending in orders that will start
the steel and car mills on full time
At this time the Western roads are
doing a splendid business. The carry
ing Of grain. the movement Of coal. and
the advance guard Of the merchandise
movement is calling cars into commits
sion daily, with the certain result that
the idle car story will soon give way to
the car shortage tale.
During tha past fortnight the idle car
sign has been taken from % g75 cars and
the latter placed in commission. The
total idle Is now 125,67S cars. and at the
rate Of the last fortnight it viii not
take long 70 place them all in service.
This prosperity is not delayed-it IS
here
During the week Of August l the rail-
road earnings showed a comparative
decrease with the same week IN 1907 Of
1872 per cent. The first week in October
showed a decrease of hut 80 per cent.
II will not be long before the other way
will be in order with reference to this
story
Textile plants have made good head
way during the last few days.
Will Have to Buy.
The shelves Of the retailer are kept
repIenished from hand to mouth-tflI
after eIeCtiOn-but the retailers will have
to buy in quantities after election, no
matter who is chosen az the polls And
this activity Will extend to every line
of mems wear, of women S wear, boots,
shoes, textiles. and high grade fancy
goods as well.
From the South comes a better story.
There they are not waiting. They are
busy now. Baltimore. an index of the
South. finds smoke coming from factory
chimneys. Atlanta reports factories
well supplied with orders and cOllec-
tons good. New Orleans reports a good
trade and enlarged building operations.
St Louis is doing 2 better business, and
Kansas City has felt the prosperity OF
the agTiCultur1st
Cooler weather will help commercial
and manufacturing operations
II our imports from foreign loans are
falling Oft, and loss IN revenue beinc
made our exports are growing sati5fac-
toriiy and the credits OF the nation nave
been wisely adjusted, so that everything
&c on a safe foundation and all ready
for the release that is 10 come in flood
tide-after election.