The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-02-18
fine OUTLOOKIN
NORTH DAKOTA
CREDIT MAN SAYS THAT BusI.
NESS IN THE STATE WILL OPEN
UP AND THAT THE HusTLERs
SHOULD BE ON THE JOB TO
GET THEIR SHARE.

SHOULD Be ON The JOB TO
GET THEIR SHARE.
v. r. Robertson, the manager of the
credit department of big st. Paul
wholesale house has written an inter-
esting article regarding the facts in
the business world of the northwest.
He says that the present year will be
a good one, and that the business will
be here for the person who goes after
it.
The following is the article from Mr..
Robertson's pen;
Last year seems to have been an
unfortunate one, owing to poor crop
conditions, in territory tributary to
this market. North Dakota has had
little to distribute out of last years
crop. South Dakota seems also to
share this condition in the northern
counties to some extent, but not so
much. The eastern and southern parts
of the state seems to be in fairly good
shape. Throughout North Dakota there
are places where conditions are fairly
good; but the average of the state Is
bad Northern and western Mime
sofa has suffered more or less from
drought, and the small grains have
been affected materially. There is very
little feed, and the dairy districts have
been badly affected in this way. ow-
ing to the failure of the hay crop and
poor pasture. Southern Minnesota
and Iowa seem to be more favored.
IN
drought, and in the dairy districts the
farmers have in many instances sold
their cattle. In Montana the dry
farming, and irrigation projects are in
process of development. There has
been a large immigration into the
state, which has put considerable
money into circulation, although the
country has not yet produced SUBJ
stantiaI returns over previous years.
In the far west conditions seem to be
normal.
The average of all the territory trib-
utary to this market shows a condition
that is calculated to reduce the pro-
duct to be converted into cash for dis
tribution. 1t is to be presumed that
collections are to be affected cores
pondingly.
Strange as it might seem, up to the
first of October collections have been
good, being we'll ahead of the fall of
1909, which, from an agricultural point
of view, was the most prosperous in
the history Of the northwest. This in
dicates that there were resources har-
bored up from the year 1909, which
shows a very healthy condition exist
ing throughout the northwest. Collec-
tions for the last quarter of the year,
however, have fallen off materially.
Following the very prosperous year
of 1909. it was a natural tendency for
the country merchants to spread out
and buy heavily for fall anticipating
good business. It was fortunate, how
ever, that before the fall goods were
to be shipped, the alarm was sounded,
which resulted in temporary cancella-
tions and revision to orders and very
careful buying. The notice Of a crop
failure came in ample time for the
country merchants to modify the furth-
er extension of credit. Our country
merchants. therefore anticipating a
partial crop failure, were in position
to shape UP their business before they
became spread out in the way of fall
the adverse conditions existing. Not
withstanding these conditions it is
great surprise to us to find that in
our line the distribution of merchan-
disc has not been materially affected.
In fact, our sales for the year 1910
will show an increase of more than
10 per cent over 1909.
In view of the conservative attitude
of our country merchants, and look
ing forward to good crops in 1911, we
are going out for all the business that
is in sight, and we expect to nurse
along and encourage all good mer-
chants in those districts which are
suffering from crop failure and other
adverse conditions this year, giving
their business every possible care and
attention, and treating them with the
utmost spirit of liberality in every
way. In other words, the latent re-
sources of the northwest do not justify
d policy of stiffening up in credits, or
a tendency to wipe out through liquid
alton good merchants who are COM
PEELED. through a bad year, to carry
over their customers.
1t will be the policy Of our house to
be more aggressive than ever in the
extension of our business because we
have the utmost confidence in the flu
ture Of the northwest. With this IN
view, we have made large increase in
cur capital and are far better pre-
pared than ever before to take care of
such of our customers as need to be
CARRIED and also the large volume of
new business that is assured by the
constant development of our territory.