Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-20
New York Business Inactive, 1t
Is Claimed, Because of Eu-
ropean War.
PLENTY OF CASH IN BANKS,
BUT NO WAY TO UTILIZE 1T
People Hopeful, However, That Pen
dulum Will Speedily Swing
Back to Prosperity.
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

NEW YORK, October 19.-All the big
highbinders-I mean spellbinders--are
upstate for day or two. trying to
film the plain people. and politics
is kind of dull around town. So, let's
sit down and have a talk about New
York, which I reckon is a fascinating
place to many of US.
Well. in the first place, the lights are
all burning on Broadway. That is. I
can't see that any have gone out since
last I was here. But there is differ
ence, and you can't help noticing it.
It's like this: There is something lack
ing in the spirit Of the place. The
people over here haven't the same pep
and ginger. and when New York gives
over its high stepping gait you know
there Is something wrong somewhere.
They tell me it's on account of the
war, and that New York has been hit
harder than any other place. OF course,
the shutting down of Wall street and
the financial district has bitten in hard.
Outside Of the few thousand clerks and
so forth who are actually starving,
there are othe thousands who, while
not in want, are cut down to q point
which means serious deprivation.
Banks Hold on to Money.
The banks are full of money. but are
holding on to 1t, tight. Men with their
safe deposit boxes choked with securi-
ties cannot sell them or borrow on
them. Big projects. pregnant with
profit, languish and are likely to die
Of hamilton and malnutriticn. Mean
time there are big overhead charges to
maintain and nothing coming in.
Just between us. after you brisk
around here for awhile and catch the
spirit of the place. you envy the chap
who has a little place over in Virginia,
with some hams in the smokehouse. q
few potatoes in the cellar, plenty Of
cord wood in the back yard with old
Uncle Eph to chop it, and maybe
jug of hard cider in the pantry. Its
going to be a hard winter, they say.
But these New Yorkers are game
sports and never say die. They put up
q powerful big blum and yet you see
their heart Is not in it. You remember
when we had to give up two bits to the
hat boy, a dollar to the headwaiter,
BILE. They don't do it that way now.
No, sir. You carry your hat in and put
it under the chair, and the head waiter
is glad to give you two chairs it you
cigar.
Taboo on High-Priced Dishes.
And do we buy those high-priced
dishes. SLIPS a portion. and vintage
wine and all that? We do not; some
goulash, please. and some domestic
beer. Never mind the Gorgonzola
cheese-a little bit Of Philadelphia
cream cheese will answer. Thanks, and
here ts a dime for the tip.
]; heaf--although l don't claim &C.
qaaintanoe with any such plutocrats-
that In tha millionaire residence dis
trict they are discharging their Eng.
lish buffers and actually employing
celored help. Heavens. what hardship.
One Of my friends down in the finan-
bal district, whom asked about
things, put it this way: 1--WE have bat
tened down the matches and will ride
out the gale until it blows itself out"
That is perfectly proper sea talk. ac-
cordihg to Capt. Marryat, w. Clark
Russell and all authorities, and is all
right as long as you have plenty OF
provisions in the lazarette.