The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-05-09
KILLING BUSINESS.

Frim Chicago Daily News. April SO. 1911.
business men everywhere are ask
ing n l. the real condition OF bust
ness, and What are the prospects for
ne near future. Theories and preju-
dices 30 often color opinions on this
subject that they are practically use
less. Probably there is nothing that
gives the absolute truth more correct
" h the advertisements of Help
wanted in daily newspapers. When
business Is good. business men adver.
Use for more help. and the number OF
these advertisement Increases or de
creases with the rise and fall OF bust.
ness.
Advertisements of situations Want.
I'd are not as correct a barometer
OF business conditions. because when
there Is general dullnsss in any line
OF trade the workers in that line know
they a gain nothing by advertising
for situations.
A careful examination OF the Help
wanted advertisements in the daily
papers OF twenty-eight leading cities
from the Atlantic TO the Missouri riv-
or. Tor the week beginning March ,.
1919. and the eek beginning March 4.
1915 shows a falling on Of 2glS per
cent. Philadelphia shows a decrease
OF y per cent. Kansas City. 40 per
cent ST Louis. 20 per cent. Worces-
Ter. Mass. 30 per cent Detroit. 1888
PER cent. Cleveland. 80 per cent. Gin.
,ihnatl 80 per cent. Grand Rapids.
Ml'h. - per cent Indianapolis. -
per cent. Louisville. Atlanta and New
orleans show slight gains. situations
Nantcd advertisements IN same
cities show a gain Of > per cent.
Reports from different lines OF bust.
ness in these elites verify the accu-
racy OF these figures as showing that
busin'ss has fallen on TO an alarming
The increase in idle cars as given
by D American Railway association
gives stu further evidence Of relay.
INK trade. The number OF idle cars
January !. 1919. a. compared with
] ,o'N January J.. 1913. was iSS.s5O.
while April 10. 1914 there were
Why ~ this and what is the rem
odyt Every careful Investigation re-
suits IN one answer lack Of conf
dence. Never In the history OF the
COUNTRY we're underlying conditions
better stocks OF merchandise are al
low point with manufacturer. jobber
and retailer. capital b. abundant FOR
business Investment. and the only
Thing that b. needed 10 set the wheels
oi business whirling. giving employ.
mont 10 hundreds Of thousands OF Idle
workcrs is confidence.
Inrin reductions. uncertainty on.
.cfrntug result of now banking laws
trust legislation and continual threats
on Do part Of congress and tho adj
mluistrHtiOu 10 further fnvesunafo
ana l"riHlafo have frightened capital
and Hfi0ed business progress. hut
most Of at has the action Of the in
itfeinfo commerce commission boz the
question uf Increase of frcight rates
un.|iilrd business and destroyed
NofvItha'andinR the importance OF
prompt action nearly q year has pass
% since application was made and DO
Dr. .iII uncertain when decision wtu
ID" rendered ln June. 1913. an order
HH. made permitting e. rohearina. and
iu order tu save The railroads an un-
noe arf expense of q quarter Of "A
million dollars in printing the srne-
duIfs and 90 gain Time. 10 wa aug
f".ffd that Tho rate schedules which
had been pre- enfed Ht tho last hear
ms Do used To this two COmmIn-
fiouorH objected. aud the railroads
were required To- incur this large and
needless expense and HEARINGS were
postponed until these rate. could b.
printed November o.. 1gfE-u.a
months after tho rchearinr was grant
% The nraf session ~ the Commits
sion was held and loo December the
commission submitted seventy eight
new questions. many Of which had
never been thought ~ during the
twenty i've years tho Interstate Com
mcrce Commission has been In exist
fnDo and the answers 10 which could
not be- read by tho Commission IN
years n nothing else vas done during
That Time adding expense 90 tho rail