The farmer and mechanic., 1915-09-07
'.BETTER AND BETTER.

In the past week we have talked with quite
a number Of travelling statesmen who cover ter
ritory in North Carolina and other States, and
in reply our query to business conditions
and the outlook the summing up Of the answers
is in the words better and better" There
is a spirit of optimism to be found in all
branches of trade, and this note Of optimism is
even to be found among cotton producers for
the cotton market is making steady advances.
There come into this Office each week nearly
all the papers of the State and large numbers
from outside Almost without exception the
tone in these is optimistic to business, among
the papers Of the State which utter pessimistic
notes being Republican weekly in the east
and semi-weekly in the west. From the
great centres comes the reports that the out
look is exceedingly bright
Comment from the banking house of Henry
Clews and Co., of New York, is exceedingly
cheerful. In it's weekly financial review of
yesterday this strongly in evidence. Here
some things from it:
Confidence in home business affairs is
everywhere gaining, and in the best banking
circles there is universal expectation of a
good fall trade. Things in general appear
to be the mend. Trade and traffic
still below normal, but the tide is rising.
was probably never sounder or more salts
factory than at the present moment The
new banking system is working smoothly;
and the danger in this part Of
nOmic machinery is in the direction
of over-expanson than in contraction. Ac-.
cording to recent statement by the
Comptroller of the Currency, the banks of
the United States have it in their power to
expand loans fully $1,000 900, 600. The
present harvest equals and is
ceeding all expectations to quantity.
Wheat, and oats promise to surpass
the earlier government estimates; and the
only drawback in the grain outlook is the
reported injury to wheat from excessive
moisture, also the certainty of rush of
wheat into European markets when the
Dardanelles opened. Wheat and oats
will be record crops, and corn nearly
The cotton outlook is, Of course, unsatis-
factory. While the situation has been
changed by the placing of cotton on the
contraband list, it will not materially affect
exports since shipments to Germany had
previously been almost suspended. The
yield this year will undoubtedly fall con-
siderably below last years crop, which will
offset the loss of exports of, about 100000
bales to Germany and Austria. Fortu-
nately, there will be difficulty in finan-
cling the crop. Our own financial abilities,
as just shown, are unusual, and the offer
of the Secretary Of the Treasury to loan
s3O,Ooo,0oo gold to the Reserve banks for
advances on cotton assures the South ample
financial accommodation.
With such things this being said it shoult
| be recognized that despite the war in Europ
this country is in exceptionally strong con
! dtion. Indeed, that have not been NOR
| seriously affected by the is wonderfu
| thing. If it continues may feel that ar
on safe ground, and if peace should come il
the next few months this country would con
| tnue to move forward. Looking at things a
| they are, and looking them squarely in the face
| we may we'll feel large degree of satsfactio
| with the condition of business in the Unite
States