Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-05-28
GOSPEL OF GOOD CHEER.
BY r. E.. simmons, Chairman Of the
Executive Committee of the Ma
tionnl Prosperity Association
of st. Louis.

We have formed "A business organlza-
ton to be- called the Nations Prosperity
association of st. L~ouis-having for its
object the encouragement of Il return Of
prosperity sooner than might other wise
occur without help, or without somo act.
i've efforts on the part Of business men.
We believe that present Conditions ara
exceedingly favorable for this. The body
-comnercial-has been very III. and in
a sense has had typhoid fever, but now
the fever has entirely !eft-the disease
Is out, and the patient only remains sick
Is only "a matter of time. How to quicken
that recovery In a healthy manner is the
problem We are undertaking., and we
believe In tho power OF
by showing 10 the world at large that
conditions are fundamentally sound n
healthy, and that nothing now exists but
a lack Of confidence TO restore us 10 a full
Measure Of prosperity such as existed
a year ago. We are making an effort
through the press and through other
business associations. and through the
travelling statesmen. to encourage the pee
pie TO sec the sunshine that is clearly
In the pathway, and to believe that things
are very much better than most people
think they are, and that with the pres
ent crop prospects soon to be realized, II
nothing unforeseen occurs in the immedi-
ate future. II is only a question Of a very
short time until the dinner pals vii,
again hc full and the unemployed Will
again he employed at fair wages. and
that there will be no reduction in wages
of those already employed. We believe
there Is a great chance of sentiment with
the intelligent peopl" OF the United
States, and that II is increasing very
rapidly. II therefore seems to us a most
propitious time 70 do what w. can TO en-
courage a quick return of prosperity, to
the great benefit OF the laboring mar
and to the benefit of all business interests.
Fundamentally, everything !s all right
the ba sis OF our prosperity comes from
the soil. and the products Of the soil have
never had greater value than ~ present,
The outlook for crops is marvelously
promising. To illustrat--the winter
wheat crop-~h!ch - first one of import
ance that comes 10 our NOTICES better
than ever before IN The history OF this
country. Kansas reports a condition of
lN on winter wheat-somethins hereto
fore unknown. when the lumber inter
ests shut down. and the railroads laid of
a lot Of their employees, a large pro-
portion OF them wen Immediately TO the
farmers, or planters. so that these to!lers
of the soil have. for the first time in
many years. had enough labor. and the
planting Is still going on. With a larger
planting that ever before gone into the
ground. and with favorable weather, II
seems reasonable TO suppose that we may
have most excellent crops this year-'t
looks exceedingly probable, Therefore.
everything which is the base Of our pros
perity Is right-all that is necessary now
IA to restore conhdence-so that tbs
wheels OF commerce begin to move again
with the same rapidity that they did a
year or two ago when We we're at the
height of our prosperity, and from which
we went in a wonderfully short time to
a very low stage OF depression and hard
times.