Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-10-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Prosperity General-Set Backs Few
Tariff Law Working Well.

The onward march of renewed progress
and increased prosperity goes steadily
on each week, showing large gain over
the previous one, and every centre OF in
dustrial activity recording most wonder
full results under the operation Of the
new tariff law. In fact, the situation
cannot be more happily stated than in
the following words Of recent report Of
r. g. Dun q Co.
"From every large business centre through
out the country come reports Of progressive
improvement in trade. In most instances the
reports are more than satisfactory; they
speak Of present and prospective increase
In activity that 10 indicative OF Q return to
even more than normal conditions. In some
cases the volume OF trade Is described as
equal to or in excess Of previous records.
"In the iron and the steel trade full pro-
ductive capacity appears to have been
approached, and the outlook for 1910 Is so
bright that it is impossible to give an account
OF 1t that does not break through the bounds
Of conservative utterance."
1t can now be safely said that we have
reached again the best conditions OF 1907
in nearly every productive, transporting
and trading field. 1t is fair to state, how
ever, that in one or two lines Of manufac-
turing there is q hesitancy due to the
price Of raw material, or to the fact, as in
the copper trade, that the prices OF two
years ago were so enormously large that
they may not again be equaled, although
the volume Of business may exceed that Of
the former year.
Besides general production and con-
sumption Of commodities, the best gauge
OF the country's business are the returns
OF the postoffice department, which are
always natural and gradual rather than
spasmodic. In the last statement issued
by Postmaster General Hitchcock on the
business Of fifty largest postoffices in the
United States percentage of increase for
September as compared with a year ago
was shown to be about II per cent; in
dlvidual cities, however, show an increase
as great as 20 and 30 per cent. This same
marked increase is also shown in the ex-
press business OF the country, and in fact
the wonderful recovery which has been
noted in these letters that is apparent in
the iron and steel business; in the build
ing operations; in transportation OF
freight and in almost every line OF pro-
duction, is supplemented and made more
important by this increased business
found in the postoffice department, and
particularly in the bank clearings of the
entire country.
The fact is that about all dissatisfaction
concerning the new tariff law has been
laid aside and has given away to conf
dence and hope for the future, and in the
assurance that under the new tariff law,
whatever may have been its defects, we
are going to prosper as never before. The
whole people of the country - farmers,
miners, manufacturers, mechanics and
Iaborers in every field OF work-are as
busy as they can be trying to fill orders,
and have little or no concern for argument
concerning the schedules Of the new law.
As has happened before and must al
ways be expected, the increased activity
and demand for all kinds of goods has
given an opportunity for an increase Of
prices in many products, and this increase
OF prices is often accompanied by the as
sertion that it is because of the increased
tariff. Now whenever anyone-producer,
jobber or retailer-makes an assertion
like that, he is either ignorant or pur-
posely trying to deceive his customers, be-
cause it can be said again, as it has been
said before, that there is not single COM
modify made or produced or raised in the
United States to-day that should bear an
increased price because OF the recent
tariff; on the contrary, many articles Of
production, il the price is affected by the
tariff, should be reduced.
This will apply to all productions OF
iron and steel, to boots and shoes, to in
Vulnerable chemicals, to window glass, to
nails and screws, to all timber and lumber
products, to carpets and matsl and oil
cloth, and to all agricultural implements.
There is q reason, however, for an increase
in price OF some articles OF consumption
because of the increase OF price in the
material which forms the basis of their
production. This matter of price is gov
erned largely, and in many cases wholly,
by the law of supply and demand, and not
on the duty of similar imported article,
but the enemies Of protection will, Of
course, 60 on trying to deceive the con-
sumers, although in this enlightened
period, when nearly every man is more or
less informed as to the reason for every
thing in which he is interested, it is not
likely that we shall have a period of de-
csption such as we have had before fol-
lowing the adoption of other tariffs, par
as the American farmer and the
American working man are satisfied with
the new law.
Each sees in it long period of pros
perity with an adequate reward for his
labor, and with such increased purchas-
ing power he should and will be quite
willing to pay little more for the articles
which he must buy, whether necessities
or luxuries, for the American people are