The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-12-25
BUSINESS MEN
ARE OPTIMISTIC
Conditions in Financial Circles
Show Strong Indications of
Steady Improvement.
BANK CLEARlNGS STRONG
Advance in Sale Of Dry Goods and
Clothing, but Falling Off in
Other Lines

Although conditions I'm financial cir
Giles have been calm during the week.
local bank ClcariuEs have come to the
front with unexpected strength and
commercial men are optimistiCaIly
looking forward 60 more furnishing
times after the first OF the year
Despite the fact that I'm practically
every avenue of trade business was
duh last week. as is always the case
at Christmas time. with the exception
of the sale Of holiday goods. the bank
clearings show cain over last year
or $1.3f6.363.5o. Last year the clear
iugs were S6.O549t1.13. while during
the week just closed "a clearing of So
4Z1. 5n4. 63 was made.
With six week days I'm the week be-
fore Christmas this year. merchants
dealing i'm holiday wares. dry goods
and clothing report an advance I'm the
amount OF business over last year. I'm
contrast. the lumber. hardware and
kindred lines of trade are suffering
from the effects produced by the SOM
uiferous germ whose name is Moth
ing Doing"
Hardware men are. as usual. not
busy this time Of the year. Most OF
the travelling statesmen have been
called I'm prior To- starting out with
new lines at the first OF the year. and
dealers are preparing to take invento-
ries.
Conditions are about the same as
last week i'm the lumber business. with
a slight falling off apparent as the
result or recent storms.
At the department stores Cleanups
Of dolls. baby carriages and toys are
reported. the sale OF this line of goods
having exceeded that OF any other
year. Tt is expected there viii be a
Sood demand for dress goods and sta
pie lines after the clearance sales.
Cost OF Living.
The feeling is still abroad that val
ucS generally arc upon an inflated
basis This may be true OF commodi-
ties. but not OF securities. which are
now selling considerably below high
/ levels. AS to- commodities. some rec
action has already set iu. particularly
| iu food products: and the recession
there must ultima fciv result iu uar-
/ tally reduced cost of living AS yet
however. these reductions have NOT
reached the consumer. largely be-
cause middIemcu are cudeavoriug te
maintain their old scale OF profit as
[ long as possible. Tho most serious
problem which producers have ts
! face is the high cost elements. How
| this is 20 bc reduced is n problem
| vet Co De solved. Some reduction may
| bo had I'm raw materials. but this viii
not Doe sufficient. and cannot offset
| the greatly increased cost OF wage
and tho advances I'm rents. taxes. etc
l The best solution would appear 20 be
/ in securing more efficiency I'm labor
l Wages have risen. hours have short
/ eued and output restricted until these
I factors have been a very serious Gle
I mcut I'm increased costs. Under pres
cnt conditions it is almost impossibl.
/ to ask labor to accept lower wages
/ Labor. however. can materially relieve
l the situation to it's own advantage by
/ encouraging a policy Of greater ef-
I ficiency and larger production. Labor
l is. after all. the chief consumer. and
I while insisting upon advanced wages
] has been uuConsCiOusly diminishing
/ the purchasing power OF its wages and
I increasing IFS own cost OF living.