The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-26
BETTER BUSINESS
To COME IN WAKE
Of CURRENCY Law
Ninety-hve Per Cent Of Con-
Germs Queried Approve Cur
rency Legislation Lawmakers
Will be Told.
Few Seriously Criticise 1t,
Declaring Working Over
Measure Was Cause Of Par.
tial Suspension of Industry
in Country.

NEW YORK, Dec. 25.--That cur
rency legislation will be followed by
better business is the opinion of rep
resentative manufacturers OF the
country.
The presidents and chief officers of
more than one hundred OF the lead,
ing smaller manufacturing concerns.
with plants ranging from $500. 900 to
s2,0oo,0 900, have written tiers con-
tanning a careful analyh.. - the con-
dition of business as affected by cur
rency. tariff and other legislation.
The correspondence was received
by r. NJ Simmons, OF 60 Wall Street.
who sought Information to present 20
senators and representatives. The
letters were written shortly tefore the
passage of the currency bill
"Get currency legislation out of the
way. pass bill. however short OF
perfection. soon as possible. and bust
ness will go ahead" was the dominant
note In practically every letter which
mentioned the subject directly or in
directly. The larger number referred
TO 1t.
Ninety-five Per Cent Approves.
OF forty companies discussing 1t di-
rectiy, ihirty-eight, or ninety-five per
cent, approved of the bill itself as q
could be better. BY some there was
serious criticism.
The present state of business varies
widely Basic industries. like steel
and its manufactures; lumber and
kindred industries, sugar and leather
feel the depression keenly. The build
ing industries and those manufacture
ers dependent on II, are heavily at
fected.
basic Industries feel a trade recession
not so heavy, but still marked, as iu
clothing and shoe manufacst. ring.
The machinery and machine too
manufacturers have been exceptional
| iy hard hit The duty on their prod
ucts was cut in half
Affecting Industry.
The center of the industry in Ohio
labout Cincinnati. Alliance. Salem and
Hamilton, which suffered from the
floods oil last spring, reports bushes.
almost paraiyzed. Hundreds of mer
have been discharged.
Lumber business depression Is re-
ported from Wisconsin. Michigan. New
York and the South. as amounting al
most 20 panic conditions. Labor /:
being dismissed to the last point o.
/ economy. Lumber and its principa
products were put on the free list.
| Beet sugar manufacturers In Colo
RADIO. California and Utah say tina
! they must go out of business. Severa
building material plants have shifted
I their production to plants establish
/ ed, or newly erected, abroad.
/ There is. however, an opposite side
/ Trade depression has by no means be
come 80 general that many importan
| industries are not now enjoying pros
perity.
Spccialties Do Better.
| The larger number reporting goot
business are industrial specialties
But OF fundamental importance Is thu
fact that the tremendous waite OF th'
! big crops has brought prosperity u
great Industries founded directly oI
/ the farm. Agricultural implemen
concerns reported excellent business
despite the placing OF their produc
on the free list. Foreigners. with thu
possible exception OF Canada, canno
compete In this industry. and thu
great crops have brought much work