Semi-weekly herald., 1914-12-24
THE NEW YEAR WILL BE A
BUSY ONE.

BUSY ONE
The commercial newspapers, such
as ''rhe New York Journal of Com
merce. I. are all telling the story of
brighter prospects. OF course, the
administration politicians are shout
ing that times are getting better. To
such persons we give no attention,
but when it is commercially stated
that the railroads are placing orders
for steel rails and that Germany is
buying American cotton at eleven
cents per pound we begin to take no
tice. The cotton exchange has open
ed up and the politicians in the south,
who have been handling the cotton
question, purely as matter of poll
ties, are subsiding. 1t is true that
Representative Henry of Texas is de-
termined to push bill in congress
requiring the government to issue
currency to the amount of $250,000,-
900 on cotton warehouse receipts, but
sane men do not expect such a meas
ure to pass. The hope is expressed
that President Wilson would veto it
if it should be adopted. The reserve
banks have power to issue currency
in liberal amounts. This is an en-
tirely new departure, and the coun-
try had better go little snow until
the new system has demonstrated its
usefulness. However, the cotton prop
osition has been handled in the south
with sole reference to nominations
and elections. The men in the south
who have been active in their de-
mands that the government shall "do
something for cotton are office seek
ers, and not business men.
President Wilson continues to advo-
cate the purchase of ships for the
purpose of enlarging the American
merchant marine. He is determined,
and Is attempting to make this meas
ure party question. The present
ship owners say that there are plenty
of ships. They simply want chance.
They say that it is not true that
freight is being offered for South and
Central American ports with no ships
to handle The same. They assert that
there are good ship lines running di-
rectly from New York to all these
southern ports. Southern Democrats
say that they would prefer that the
government loan thirty or forty mil
lions of money to the farmers of the
south, rather than to go into the mer-
chant marine business, Business mer
quite generally believe that the presi.
dent is plunging headlong into a
scheme that he does not understand
Iney observe that the postmaster
general is advocating that the gov
ernment shall buy the telephone ant
telegraph lines. They see in all these
movements determination to have
government ownership of everything
None of these things viii happen
The senate will defeat the shipping
bin as it is called, and the senat,
VII undoubtedly defeat telephone
and telegraph propositions. At any
rate, if these experiments are to be
attempted there can be no better time
than the present The country ha.
demonstrated that it can stand al
most anything and still live.
Business has been held back until
it can be held back no longer. All
kinds Of business viii be better. This
ii not hot air, nor prediction. 1t is
the abatement of fact Interes,
rates in New York are lower; money
is easier; all legitimate demands arc
met; the purchase of supplies for the
European armies are tremendous; the
railroads are having all they can do;
employment is Increasing, and, alto
gcther, the outlook is much brighter.
Nobody is to be particularly congra-
tulated. The fact is that this great,
rich country cannot long be held at a
standstill. Money will go to work,
and when money goes TO work men
go to work.--Des Moines Capital.