The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-08-01

IMPROVES
WAVE OF PROSPERITY DECLARED
TO BE ROLLING STEADILY
ONWARD.
Bumper Crops and Busy Factories in
Middle West-Railroads Enlarge
Forces, Pittsburg Increasing Activ-
ity, New England Confident Of Bet
ter Times.


the land comes the good tidings that
an unmistakable and abundant wave
of prosperity is sweeping along. Mills
are running full blast, crops are
bumpers everywhere, the railroads are
taking on men, and the entire nation,
with one accord, gives vent to the ex.
preston that prosperous seasons are
at hand.
That there is a general return to
normal employment of labor and a
steady enlargement of business activi-
ties in Chicago and the Northwest,
but that the scope of industry will not
soon be what it was two years ago, is
a fair composite expression of the
opinion in that section.
Broadly speaking, those factories
which directly fill the daily needs of
the people are running almost on nor
NAL lines. Plants which make ma
chinery and supplies for other fac
tories and for the railroads have been
hardest hit, but even in some of these
there is gradual expansion of opera
tons.
There has been a gradual increase
in the business of the Pittsburg dis
trict. 1t is not what might be con-
strued as boom, but good, steady
growth, and the trade is gradually re-
covering the position it had before the
financial depression.
New England Optimistic.
From a canvass of representative
manufacturers in New England, it is
certain confidence in the return of
better business conditions has become
well established in that section. With
out exception, the opinions are optim-
istic. In nearly all leading industries
in New England statistics of produc-
ton for the current year fall far be-
low corresponding statistics of last
season.
Demand for Necessaries Normal.
In boots and shoes and in the tex
tile industries the production was cur
tailed so much that prosperity advance
agents argue that retailers must be
nearly sold out, which means orders
in the near future.
Wooden manufacturers are said to
be uncertain of the future require
ments and are not buying heavily. In
many of the lines they are sold out
and are looking for improvement in
business. In and near Cincinnati
there has been return to something
like normal business conditions dur
ing the past few weeks.
Few Men Remain Idle.
Whereas a few months ago hun
dreds-yes, thousands-of men walked
the streets because they could not OBJ
tain employment, there are now very
few idle men seen, and with few ex-
ceptions these idle men are skilled in
some particular industry or branch of
some industry, which has not yet re-
ceived sufficient impetus to need them
again in the shops, or they are idle
because they do not want to work
In Southern Illinois, where the larg-
est factories in the valley are located,
the full dinner pail and black smoke
have already made their appearance,
and every week sees more of them.
During the month more than 5000 men
returned to work and, according to
present plans, $4,000 more will resume
their old positions before the end of
August.
The business outlook for the south
western territory is more encouraging
than for several years.