Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-07
I L0OKER.ON IN IOWA +:


| lnal the LOru nelpS lHOSe mat nGlp
themselves. Now add to that another
that" that help others. and We have
/ the exact situation of this city In the
first place the citizens here have all
ways helped themselves by taxing
| themselves. A tax brought the Iowa
Contra! in here many years ago, and
coal at once dropped from $3.50 and SIS
por ton TO 50 to $4. They taxed them
| selves for water works and sewer sys-
TEN and the town forged ahead. They
taxed themselves for a fine big new
school building. and new families
| moved into town. They taxed them
selves for sidewalks, stone crossings
and electric lighted streets, and more
people moved here. Now they are get
| ting READY to tax themselves for paved
streets. and again Grinnell will take
another big stride.
+, But they not only legally tax them
selves. but their voluntary subscrip-
tons, cash out OF pocket, are much
| larger, a $4,000 stone Congregational
| church when paid for, needed a $16,-
900 organ In both cases money was
| easily raised by subscription. So was
the money for a $4,000 Baptist church.
| $4,000 for u new Methodist church.
| Last Sunday they dedicated q $4,000
| new Presbyterian church. A $4,000
endowment for the college has hardly
| been raised before the project for
| So ,00N organ for the college Is an
| nounced, and the women's clubs will
undoubtedly raise the money. We
used to say Grinnell is nice place to
! live in, now we agree there is no bet
| ter business town of its size In Iowa.
Surely the Lord helps those that help
| themselves and help others.
During the recent so-called bankers
| panic. there was no change in the way
of doing things in Grinnell, When the
Des Moines bankers issued the war
cry, the bankers here followed the adj
vice of one sensible banker. Suppose
we agree to put the lid on when we
have to. We all have telephones. II
we, any of u.s. find trouble, or have
good reason to suppose there is trou-
BILE ahead, then we can act, but we
will not hunt trouble or stir up matters
by any concerted or announced action"
The result was not a Grinnell bank re-
fused to cash u depostor's check for
any amount and on the first of Jam
uary the usual amount of cash on
hand shows on tnelr DOCKS.
There are some long headed con-
sentative business men here, and they
mention what the writer hears else
where among business men. And that
is the air Is full of business caution.
Trade Is good, debts are paid. men are
at work, crops are fair and good
prices. but-one man compares the
situation to that of big strong man
having to take night trip thru some
dark woods. He isn't afraid, oh no,
but still men have been held up IN
such places. One merchant tells OF
his inability to get as many dozen of
a certain manufactured article as he
ordered. the factory will fill his order
later, only sent half what he bought.
etc And yet that merchant is buy
ing cautiously.
Another merchant says the average
business man of Iowa now engaged IN
taking stock " Is figuring too high.
That while he will feel good when his
profits for 1907 show SO much ON pa
per, it will cost all the more when Tho
takes stock next January. In other
words, he expects to buy many things
much less in 1908 than 1907 In still
other words the preacher will be able
to buy more with the same salary In
1908 than 1907. And this merchant is
not sure the panic is over, altho he
admits there has been no panic In
Grinnell. He is not afraid, but
We have heard much about the
readjustment OF prices. especially
farm products. In Brooklyn the other
day the writer took the pains to ask
several dealers what they were pay
ing for farm products and found out
prices were nearly back to what was
paid previous to the break. With the
exception of hides. cash buyers of
all kinds of farm products are pay
ing but little less than before the
slump. Poultry is close to the high
est price paid in November. Hogs and
cattle are some lower. Butter and
eggs are only little less. Grain
products about the same. An owner
of q farm few miles from town, sold
his share Of corn for As cents per
bushel in the crib on the farm. i
Retail prices of these farm products,
/. e., prices to the consumer. are little
if any less The preachers salary In
Brooklyn will buy no more now than
three months ago. Very little re
adjustment" here.