Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
Views Meet Approval.

Here, at the close Of the year. I have
made a canvass of authorities in the in
dustrial and banking world the country
over with the result that in high imam
cial quarters there is shown approval OF
the views which so ,ersely Edward Earl
expresses.
1t has been my pleasure to have cor
respondence in this regard with more
than a hundred bankers representing
every important locality and every
considerable interest. What is above
other things attested is that these cor
chief influences in each community
are worrying only over politics. In
nine out of ten cases they exclaim
that it is difficult to proceed upon con-
knowledge as to what their operations
may encounter from the government. A
Philadelphia banker-one OIL national
status-writes, for example: Every
thing would be all right II we didn't
have SO much politics..
This view is summarized in what
President Henry c. Brewster OF the
Traders National Bank of Rochester
says:
Rochester is certainly in a prosperous
condition. The country. however,
would be better off if We did not have
SO much politics"
And along this same line is the
statement OI JOSopH Chapman u tIl0
Northwestern National Bank Of Min
neapolts:
Outside of one section Of one Of our
northwestern states, the northwest is
in very much better shape, financially.
than 1t was a year ago. In addition to
this. stocks Of merchandise are low.
people have been buying from hand to
mouth and the prospects for fair bust
ness next year are good. There will be
a big revival of business only when the
nf % tire Of 1icfoyinp
to Quack reformers and the govern
ment pursues a constructive rather
than a destructive policy toward bust
ness"
litical intrusion upon business sobriety
is most sturdily presented by Presi-
dent w. H. Lee of the Merchants
Laclede National Bank of st. Louis
who AYERS:
Business is not as good as would like
to see it. 1t might be worse and 1t might
be much better. We have left the period
of good feeling and encouragement to
those who do things, and are suspicious
of men who have committed the crime Of
success. 1 have seen us go, in this coun-
try, from almost uni mited license in cor
porate and individual neglect Of public
right Of the individual stockholder and
the community. to the present con on.
which practically puts all men engaged
in business and in enterprise on the list of
the suspect we can no more JUSTLY the
former condition than we can the pres
ent. The first was dishonest-the latter
vicious and stupid. Perhaps to a certain
extent We should accept without COM
plant some Of the punishment which we
are now enduring fdf crimes previously
committed. eve nif committed by others.
II think things have begun to change
and that more rational future Ia ahead
of us-a future which we will insist on
looking up thieves and respecting honest
people. The country should be pros
porous; 1t Is very rich and when men are
to be rated by what they are doing and
not by what 1t is thought they would II &c
to do. We shall again be the fortunate
people we ought to be.
Business Is much restricted, but what ie
being done is. as a WHOLE on a safe basis.
Failures have not been large and banAs
have met with comparatively few losses.
Their profits have been smaller than in
the past. or than they should be, or would
be II business was on a healthy basis.
Applications to renew notes are not more
frequent, think, than Is usual
II would sum up the situation by
saying that business In this country.
while not Ill, is by no means in vigorous
health. Perhaps the time will come when
we shall change our doctors"
Prosperity After Election.
In milder tone. but undoubtable. is the
view expressed by Robert Wardrop. presi-
dent NJ the PeOnle's National Ponl, ~